It is no secret that transitioning into the working world can be tough! What happens when you ‘get there’ and you’re managing your first few roles? How can you effectively navigate changes – from developing the relationship with your team to juggling work/life balance; taking on new projects to going for that next big promotion. It can feel like a whole new world.

Wouldn’t it be great to learn what truly matters in this formative time of your career in order to maximise your chances of success? 

Tune in for this special interactive session which will offer:

– Pearls & perils of wisdom from alumni who have learned the hard way
– Tips & tools to enable you face the unexpected challenges that can arise 
– Opportunity to share & learn from the experiences of fellow graduates

Whatever stage you are at in your career journey, you will benefit from the personal expertise, industry insights, and practical takeaways shared by Professor Joe Carthy, Janice Lau, and Kevin Breen.

Feel like you’ve lost your way a bit? Enough doubting your ability, maybe it’s time to reframe your thinking. What’s your value in life? Perhaps your job of the future doesn’t even exist yet! Everything is possible – reframe your mentality from ‘but’ and ‘I can’t’ to ‘Yes, and…’

Be ready to put aside what you already know and start from square one with a new way of thinking and a dynamic approach to problem solving. This session will challenge you to be creative with how you find solutions to career based tasks and will cover:

– Creating innovative solutions
– Challenging assumptions
– Understanding changes in behaviours

Join Hannah Linehan and Dr Lollie Mancey – learn to think differently about your future!

What does it really mean to foster inclusivity in the workplace? It goes beyond posters, all company memos, and corporate training. Real change can grow out of the smallest interactions, but it doesn’t always happen over night. Through vulnerable conversations and intentional practice, you can learn to become an active ally and help to build a culture of inclusion and belonging in your teams.

It’s never too early, or too late to equip yourself as a leader to:

– Take action to disrupt the status quo
– Confront unconscious or explicit biases
– Make diversity & inclusion ‘business as usual’

Join us for an insightful session led by alumni Dr Lucy Michael, Sam Blanckensee, and Patricia Munatsi who will challenge you to embrace the role and responsibility of being an inclusive leader – at whatever stage you are at in your career.

Tech is shaping every aspect of our lives! Data is everywhere. Every industry, every team is undergoing digital transformation to harness this data. And whether you’re in a traditionally technical job or not, it is essential to keep up with new ways of working.

This session will offer a perspective on the rapidly evolving digital revolution and will touch on:

– Top skills for the future (not just in tech roles)
– Keeping your understanding and knowledge sharp
– Digital transformations across all industries

Get all the latest from Ebony Lawless-McCrea and Fintan Murphy whose expertise will help you stay ahead of the digital curve and prepare for exciting developments to come.

The past 2 years have challenged many of the long held norms in the working environment.

More than ever before, we are hearing more about:

– flexible/remote working
– reducing the gender pay gap
– the right to switch off

As we adjust to new routines and feel the ripple effect of mental health difficulties brought about by prolonged isolation and uncertainty, we – as a society – are heading into uncharted territory. What is essential for employers and employees to know in 2022?

Tune in for a lively and insightful session with leading legal experts, Síobhra Rush and Richard Grogan, to equip yourself with the knowledge you need to help you on the road ahead.

This invaluable masterclass will aim to understand what is behind this toxic thinking that can stunt our progress and alter our self-view. Learn how you can shift your perspective from uncertain imposter to empowered leader.

Get ready to shake off that mindset that restricts you from reaching your full potential by exploring how you can:

– Tackle self-limiting patterns
– Find strength to embrace your vulnerabilities
– Face your fears and more!

Build confidence in your abilities and recognise your worth with empathetic advice from acclaimed author and life coach, Ciara Conlon.

Say the words ‘networking event’ and most people would run a mile! It’s not an easy task to put yourself out there and it’s made infinitely more difficult with so much of our working and personal lives taking place online.

How do others get over the fear of ‘reaching out’? In this session with Dr Martin Russell, Advisor at The Networking Institute, and Siobhán McKenna, Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at the Public Appointments Service, hear real life stories and discover practical tips you can try today to network more effectively.

Learn how you can:
– Adjust your approach to get the most from professional relationships
– Hone skills to have constructive online (e.g. LinkedIn) and in person interactions
– Share ideas and insights to build valuable long-term connections

Join this worthwhile conversation to discover essential skills to help you connect with people who can support and motivate you throughout your career.

Diversity is a strength! Whether you are working with colleagues and clients with different backgrounds or your job takes you around the world, developing your intercultural competence can help you:

– Identify and improve key skills to help you in your career now and in the future
– Enhance your ability to navigate potential challenges in teams
– Stand out among others in front of current and future employers

Join dynamic young alumni Nicai de Guzman, Content Marketer Specializing at Wolfgang Digital, Emmet Daniels, Business Development Representative at Hubspot, and expert in the field Dr Linda Yang, Programme Leader, Intercultural Development Programme at UCD, as they share their experiences and offer advice on how you can learn to thrive in multicultural environments.

Our working lives post-pandemic are shaping up to look very different than they did 18 months ago. The WFH experience was a necessity for a time and it will have a lasting impact on the way we work.

Learn from UCD alumnae Criona Turley, CEO at Capella Workplace Solutions, and Dr Ellen Brady, Talent and Organisation Strategy Manager at Accenture as they share insights on:

– Resetting habits for the future of work
– What to expect from employers during this transition
– How to navigate career changes, progression & promotions

This valuable conversation will offer expert advice and suggestions on how to achieve the healthy blend between the office office and your home office while aspiring to hit professional goals in this ever changing environment.

Learn from two motivated and engaging UCD alumni, Jenny Gleeson – acclaimed baker and owner of Sweetie Pie and Gavin Timlin – music producer and founder of Create Sound, as they share:

– What prompted them to make the transition from employee to business owner
– How they navigate challenges including time management, sales, and social media
– Where they find the inspiration to keep going when things get tough

2020 raised significant questions about how work as we know it will change, and what we can do to make the most of it. Hear from UCD alumnus Nubi Kay’, Ops Program Manager at Stripe and President of African Professional Network Ireland, who will walk us through how to harness the emerging trends and challenges facing today’s workforce, including:

– Emerging jobs and industries to consider
– New in-demand skills to learn
– What remote work will look like post-pandemic

Hear from UCD alumni with extensive experience working overseas: Ause Abdelhaq, who has worked in Nairobi and London, and Ciara Gaffney, who works in Sydney. No matter where your job search takes you in the world, our experts will answer your questions on:

– Modifying your job search outside of Ireland
– Marketing your strengths as an international applicant
– Adapting to professional life in a new country

If you’ve been considering kicking off a business venture, tune in for expert advice from UCD alumni who have been in your shoes. We’ll hear from two entrepreneurs in the tech space: Aisling Quinn, Founder of MoShoppa and Sweat25, and John Crowley, Founder of Aqus Café, Aqus Community, & Partner Juggling.

This session features advice on the dos and don’ts of entrepreneurship, from UCD alumni who have successfully built their business from the ground up. We’ll cover:

– Personal skills and qualities needed in an entrepreneur
– How to find people with complementary skills to start a business
– Resilience and adaptability in the face of setbacks
– Common startup mistakes to avoid

People do business with people, and everyone needs a valuable Personal Brand story to build successful and sustainable business relationships. Join this interactive, fast-paced Masterclass led by strategic marketing and business development expert (and UCD alumna) Carol O’Kelly. Carol will lead us though:

– Key elements in creating a sustainable and engaging Personal Brand
– Why strong Personal Branding helps attain a thought leadership position
– Crafting an authentic Personal Brand Story for each attendee

Tune in for a live webinar on mastering the art of negotiation to get ahead in your career.  Stephen Boyle, Negotiation Trainer, Lecturer and Consultant, shows us how to create successful negotiations with practical techniques to get the most out of:

– Preparing an effective strategy for negotiating
– Obtaining a fair salary when applying for new roles
– Seizing opportunities for promotions and career growth
– Gender differences in negotiation strategies

The last year has accelerated career changes for many of us. To help navigate the big questions that come up along the way, our expert alumni speakers will walk us through:

– Practical considerations to bear in mind when making a career change
– How to market yourself after a career break
– How to hone in on the career you really want

Hear from UCD alumnae Stephanie Fitzpatrick, Careers Coach specialising in career changes, and Radwa Khorshid, Manager of EMEA Customer Success at Hubspot.

Tune in for a live lunch-time webinar presented especially for the graduating Class of 2020. The session will be led by UCD alumnae, Siobhan O’Shea and Grace Oladipo.

We invite you to join this presentation to:
– Discover tools and information to help you kickstart your job hunt
– Prepare for starting a new job or joining a new team remotely
– Get insights into the future of remote work for 2020 and beyond
– Learn what you can do to make the most of this time through skills development and networking

Wherever you are in your postgraduate or career journey, you are welcome to attend and benefit from Siobhan & Grace’s first-hand expertise, industry insights, and practical takeaways.

The session will be led by Sinéad Brady, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer at &SineadBrady™, and British Psychological Society-accredited Career & Coaching Psychologist.

This webinar is for anybody in the UCD community on the job hunt for a remote role, currently working remotely, or considering continuing at-home work after physical restrictions are lifted. If you are a recent graduate, a current student, or facing change at any stage in your career, you will also benefit from Sinéad’s career coaching expertise, practical takeaways, and industry insights.

Hear from Ayse Dibek, a gaming consultant who successfully navigated her way through a career in Facebook, before setting up her own consultancy.

Ayse will cover the latest in upskilling for those interested in moving to a career in the Tech industry:
– E-learning opportunities for freelancers, corporate job-seekers, and entrepreneurs
– What skills are in demand now and in future
– How the Tech industry is changing and adapting to the current climate
– Overcoming ‘decision fatigue’ from upskilling options

Although live performances, exhibitions, and launches are facing great uncertainty, new opportunities in the Arts and Culture are cropping up. Join a panel of UCD expert alumni as they discuss What It Takes to break into a career in this sector.

Our panelists’ areas of specialty include careers in: creative agencies, event management, live performance, television, film, copywriting, editing and publishing, and creative writing.

Panellists:
Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi
Grainne Humphreys
Pearse McCaughey

Facilitator:
P.J. Mathews

You can differentiate yourself in the jobs market and considerably expand your skill-set with a Masters from UCD Smurfit Business School. Join Professor Gerardine Doyle, Director UCD Smurfit School and Associate Dean, UCD College of Business to learn and discuss how graduate studies can help shape and transform your career. She will be joined by alumni and colleagues.

UCD Alumni:
Seán Fitzgerald, Recruitment Lead for BearingPoint Ireland
Sinead Ryan, Superintendent Pharmacist, Vista Healthcare
Rebecca Fitzgerald, Senior Brand Manager, Boyne Valley Group

UCD Smurfit Team:
Michael McDonnell, Careers Manager, UCD Smurfit School Careers Network
Elaine Aherne, Smurfit Admissions Manager, UCD Smurfit School

Get the scoop from Michelle Coen, Team Leader and Career & Skills Consultant in the UCD Careers Network on who’s hiring at the moment, upskilling via online courses, volunteering and prepping for the graduate bootcamp.

To kick off this Summer Series, UCD alumnus, Frank Farrelly, COO and co-founder of Sigmar Recruitment, will offer insights on the current job landscape, what’s in your control, and tips to get hired online.

What it Takes: webinars and practical resources on what it takes for students and alumni to build their careers in this uncertain time.

Tune in for live webinars with UCD experts, alumni and industry partners on how to navigate and build your career.

If you are a recent graduate, a current student, or facing change at any stage in your career, you will benefit from the practical takeaways and industry insights offered in these sessions.

Run in partnership with UCD Careers Network, the sessions feature presentations over zoom webinar with Q&A at the end.