Information for Students

Business, Accounting, Finance and Law Careers Fair, Monday 6th October, 11.00am - 2.30pm, 
The HELIX

Science, Technology and Engineering Careers Fair, Tuesday 7th October, 11.00am - 2.30pm,
The HELIX

Graduate Programmes are typically run by large and Multinational companies who hire a multiple number of graduates each year. The word 'programme' can make you believe that it is a college course but that is NOT the case!  To facilitate graduates becoming productive as quickly as possible, a structured learning and development programme is rolled out by the company. Hence the use of the phrase ‘graduate programme’.

The term Graduate Programme in this context refers to paid employment opportunities. Contract duration can vary depending on the programme.  For example, for a career in audit or tax, contracts are usually 3.5 years in duration and for other types of graduate programmes, it is typically a one or two-year contract.  

Graduate Programmes are structured roles designed typically for graduates up to 3 years post-graduation.  Employers sometimes also offer a buddy or mentor system whereby graduates can learn from more experienced professionals in the business and have additional support.

In advance of the Graduate Careers Fairs, we are organising a number of skills sessions to help you prepare to attend the fair and for your upcoming applications. See details below:

Thursday 25th September 1pm-1.30pm Prepare for the Fair: Attending the Graduate Careers Fairs. For more information and to register, go to MyCareer.

Tuesday 30th September 1pm - 1.30pm Prepare for the Fair: Attending the Graduate Careers Fairs (for non-Business/Law/STEM disciplines). For more information and to register, go to MyCareer.

Thursday 2nd October 1pm-1.30pm Prepare for the Fair: CV Skills Session. For more information and to register, go to MyCareer.

For tips and guidance on how to update your CV as well as other application and interview advice, go to our Careers Service page on Loop

• It is a great opportunity to start preparing for your transition from university to your first graduate job.
• You can meet with new companies and learn about job opportunities that you never knew existed.
• While some companies will be recruiting from specific disciplines, there are also companies that recruit from any discipline. We encourage all final year, postgraduate students, and recent graduates to attend for this reason. 

Please note: Companies will have listed job postings and/or target disciplines on the events page on the MyCareer platform so we advise you to check these in advance when you are researching companies before you approach the company.

Registrations are open now for final year, undergraduate and postgraduate students. You can register for free via the MyCareer platform.

Monday 6th October

Business, Accounting, Finance, Law

Tuesday 7th October

Science, Technology, Engineering

Opportunities available/Recruitment process

• Can you give me some information regarding your upcoming graduate programme/graduate jobs?
• What qualifications do you look for?/Do you hire graduates from my discipline?
• What kind of roles within your organisation do you think would be suitable for my qualifications?
• What skills do you look for most in X role?
• What does the application process entail?
• How can I make my application stand out?
• Do you have tips for graduate applications and details on the closing date?
• When do you plan on interviewing? What is involved in the process?

The role and working in the company

• What training is provided as part of the graduate job/graduate programme?
• Are there opportunities for advancement?
• What do you like most about your job (if a graduate)?
• What is one of the biggest challenges of the job?
• How would you describe the company culture?
• Do you offer hybrid working?

Tips

• Any tips on being job ready upon completion of my degree?

Follow up

• What is the best way to keep in touch with you?

Preparation is key so have an introduction ready. This could include what you are studying, your year of study, and the type of role you are interested in. Be able to talk about the most relevant aspects of your degree, the key skills you have, and any relevant work experience you have. Demonstrate your interest in the company by doing some research on their website prior to attending the Fair and talk about this when you meet with the recruiter on the day. Show that you have done your research and your preparation.

• Research the companies attending - As mentioned above, it is recommended that you research the companies of interest that hire graduates from your discipline and aim to approach them on the day! You can find out what companies are coming to the Fair by visiting the Events page on MyCareer.
• Keep an open mind - You never know,  you may encounter a company that you haven’t heard of before, and who knows what opportunities might come from any engagement with a company or recruiter.
• Prepare to introduce yourself - Have an introduction ready. Check out our section above 'HOW DO I INTRODUCE MYSELF TO A RECRUITER?' for tips.
• Be prepared to ask questions - Check out our section above 'WHAT CAN I ASK A RECRUITER AT THE GRADUATE CAREERS FAIR?' for some question ideas.
• Take notes - It will help you keep track of your conversations with recruiters.
• Follow up - When speaking to the recruiters at the Fair, ask if they have a LinkedIn profile and consider connecting with them on the platform after the Fair.

Avoid presumptions and assumptions! Take the opportunity to research companies with an open mind to the various opportunities. This will mean you won't miss application deadlines or be disappointed. And if you don't see what you are looking for...it might just help you identify more clearly what is a better career direction for you.  A win-win approach!

I want to work for a small company/start-up - Are they at the Graduate Careers Fairs?

Small companies and startups hire differently and generally hire for an immediate start.  These Graduate Careers Fairs are an opportunity for generally larger organisations who have the capacity to plan their recruitment up to 12 months in advance. Sign up for alerts and keep connected to our jobs board on mycareer.dcu.ie for opportunities with a diverse range of companies/organisations. Remember you can sign up to our jobs board as a graduate for two years!

I want to work in the NGO/Charity Sector - Graduate Careers Fairs?

We have several NGO’s and Charities attending the Careers Fairs which we will share details of closer to the time.

Top Tip: Subscribe to the Wednesday Newsletter at https://www.dochas.ie/ for details of vacancies and volunteering opportunities and visit activelink.ie for vacancies. This will help familiarise you with the names of organisations in this sector and what roles they hire for. 

There are no companies of interest or relevance to me - what should I do?

This is totally normal. The Graduate Careers Fairs can connect you to companies that are ready to engage with final year students - it is not representative of all of the opportunities that will be available to you as a Graduate.  However, we still recommend that you register and attend the Careers Fairs to build your awareness of what companies (in general) are looking for and to keep an open mind as you never know what opportunities await.  

I am a Humanities student, what's in it for me/why should I attend?

• There are always a number of graduate employers who hire from any discipline or specifically seek Humanities or Social Sciences graduates. While some graduate roles will require a specific qualification, many require a certain set of skills and these are skills that graduates from Humanities and Social Sciences have. For example, critical thinking, analytical thinking, problem solving and more.
• You could have more in common with companies attending than you previously thought! Research their products and services, read up on their culture and values. Think about how your skills can benefit their company and be ready to explain this to the recruiters when you meet them.
• Even though the company may be from an area that is different to your degree, some of these companies may still want to recruit students from your background for a variety of roles within their organisation. For example, they may have in-house opportunities available in areas such as Communications, Operations, Advertising, Marketing, PR, Media or HR. It is therefore important to do your research on the company to determine if these opportunities are available.

Top tip: If you are thinking about pursuing a career outside of your degree discipline area, it’s important to think about your career motivation NOW so that you can emphasise this to recruiters at the fair and demonstrate your interest in not only the company but the industry. Think about WHY you wish to pursue a career in your chosen area and make sure you can get this across to recruiters both in conversation and at application stage!