Careers Event Report

History and Geography Careers Event – 22 Feb. 2018

Wondering what career options an Arts degree might offer?

 A panel of graduates in History and Geography provided some answers to this question on Thursday, 22 Feb. 2018 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in Room F218 on the DCU St Patrick’s Campus.

The panellists work in a wide variety of areas including Public/Civil Service, Retail, Pharmaceuticals, Banking/Financial Services, and Human Resources (HR)/Recruitment. 

The DCU Careers Service organised this event in collaboration with the DCU School of History and Geography and its student society.

REPORT ON CAREERS EVENT

History and Geography graduates bring career tips to campus

When it comes to preparing for a future career, it’s not so much what you study at university, but the skills you gain through assignments and extracurricular activities that really matter. That was just some of the advice offered by a panel of graduates in History and Geography who shared their career experiences with students on 22 February 2018 at the DCU St Patrick’s Campus. The DCU Careers Office organised the event in collaboration with the School of History and Geography and its student society. The panellists, who had also studied subjects such as English, Irish and Politics, work in a wide variety of areas including Civil Service, Retail, Pharmaceuticals, Banking/Financial Services, and Human Resources (HR)/Recruitment. Here are their top tips for students: 

Choose subjects you enjoy

When it comes to choosing subjects to study at university, ‘do what you’re good at and you enjoy,’ recommends Áine Griffin, a St Patrick’s College graduate in History and English. Currently employed as Outreach and Engagement Manager with the Central Bank of Ireland, she will be moving soon to a role in the Department of the Taoiseach. Even if you don’t become a historian or a geographer, studying History and Geography can have career benefits. Paula Melvin, Awards Administrator with the Fulbright Commission, found that her study of History has proved helpful for liaising with diplomats and working as a journalist. Eamonn Grant, Head of eCommerce at Musgrave Group, says his training in Geography is an asset because it enables you to think laterally and to ‘imagine beyond what you can see in front of you.’

Sharpen your reading and writing skills and speak up in class

Griffin and fellow civil servant Elliot McGuirk both highlighted the value of researching and writing essays. These assignments helped them to develop the ability to think critically and to read, digest and distil information in order to produce coherent, well-reasoned reports.  McGuirk, who studied History and Politics at UCD, works in Corporate Support and Development in the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Services (IGEES) in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In his job, he often has to ‘digest a document and spit it back out in two paragraphs.’ Sharp writing and copy-editing skills are also valuable when you are job-hunting. Des Donohoe, HR Officer at Ibec, emphasised the importance of being able to market yourself with a well-structured CV and persuasive cover letter that targets the specific job for which you are applying. Donohoe should know; he graduated with a BA in Geography and English from St Patrick’s College before completing a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from DCU. Essays aren’t the only assignments that develop skills you can apply on the job. You can practice public speaking by contributing to seminar discussions and making class presentations. Whether Griffin is representing herself at job interviews or dealing with the media, she has found the ability to speak clearly and confidently in public an asset to her career.

Get involved on or off campus

What you learn outside of the classroom is as important as what you learn in it. Melvin developed skills in leadership, negotiating, and running a budget through her involvement in the Students’ Union while she was studying Irish and History at St Patrick’s College. She also honed her Irish language skills by hosting a programme on Raidió na Life at the suggestion of a college lecturer.  Liam Cullen, a UCD History graduate and Director of External Affairs and Public Policy at GlaxoSmithKline, also emphasised the value of extracurricular activities. His involvement with the History Society and political groups enabled him to develop enduring friendships with a wide, disparate network of people.  ‘Do something that adds colour and dimension to you,’ he recommends, explaining that this will make you stand out in comparison to other recent graduates with the same level of experience. Grant concurred; while studying Geography at UCD, he climbed mountains, hosted radio programmes, worked as a DJ by night, and had a summer job on the Geological Survey.

Do the best you can and keep your options open

When asked how important your final degree result is, the panellists acknowledged that marks matter, but not as much as you might think. ‘Aim to do the best you can, but don’t be disheartened by a 2.2,’ says Donohoe. ‘A huge amount comes down to the enthusiasm for the role.’ Cullen has found that final degree results become less important as your career develops over time, but where they might matter is if you want to apply for a place on a Master’s programme. The panellists noted the importance of continuous professional development. For instance, McGuirk completed a Master’s degree in International Security and Conflict Studies at DCU, while Melvin pursued a Master’s degree in Journalism through Irish. Griffin urged students to give themselves the financial freedom to facilitate further education, a change in career direction, or time at home with family by saving money from their very first pay cheque onward.

Start preparing for your future now

The panellists encouraged students to start thinking about their future careers now. ‘Don’t be afraid to go to careers fairs,’ says McGuirk. ‘Go along before you’re in the job market.’ These events provide an opportunity to ask questions and get information about different jobs and employers. Cullen also suggested making use of the time you have in college to ask lots of people about their jobs in order to find out about potential career options. For Griffin, looking at the job advertisements in the Irish Times is a great way to get a sense of what skills and experience employers are seeking for certain roles. The next step is to work out how you might address these criteria so that you ‘present yourself in a targeted fashion.’ Melvin adds a further piece of advice: ‘If someone offers you an opportunity, don’t say no. You never know what road it will take you down.’

By Marnie Hay