NCI Blog

An MBA or Master of Business Administration is synonymous with senior management leadership positions. At NCI, we think of an MBA as a ‘passport’ that can open up new career opportunities both in Ireland and internationally.

NCI Careers Advisor, Jennifer Kwan, shares her tips for researching career options and how these skills can boost your employability as part of our Career Tips Blog Series. One of the primary reasons that many of us attend third-level education is to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to acquire a better job than we would have gotten straight from school. If you’re anything like me, you listened to a select group of adults on what they thought would fit you best and you went with it. How many of you dived into researching career options before you started your degree? I certainly did not, mostly because I didn’t know how to, nor did I understand why it would be helpful.

NCI Careers Advisor, Jennifer Kwan, spoke to marketing student Gladys and Psychology graduate Leanne about their entrepreneurial experiences as part of our Career Tips Blog Series.

NCI Careers Advisor, Jennifer Kwan, spoke to recent graduate Caroline Reynolds about her experience changing careers as part of our Career Tips Blog Series. The pandemic has changed the way we work and the way we think about our jobs and our careers, but are we adapting our attitudes in the long run in the right way? Career changers have been leaders in anchoring their career decisions on learning and are finding more opportunities open to them because of it. They have recognised that their values and motivations have changed over the years and that becoming more flexible, self-reliant, and above all, better at learning, will prepare them for success.

Jennifer Kwan, Careers Advisor at NCI, shares practical tips and advice for every step of the job interview process that can be applied to both in-person and virtual interviews.

Believe it or not, many successful businesses began during economic crises by recognising a new demand and establishing a product or service which meets that need. While there isn’t a perfect time to start a new business, persevering and pivoting into in-demand industries can be the difference between the success or failure of a new business venture.

The team at National College of Ireland hosted an online event ‘From CAO to College to Career’ for Leaving Certificate students, their parents, and Guidance Counsellors. The event was designed to be a guide to understanding the connection between industry and third-level institutes, with the discussion focusing on the journey from first year in college through to the first day in a new career.

Katie Grassick is in her final year of an honour's degree in Human Resource Management at NCI. Recently, she qualified as a finalist in the Miss Dublin competition, which could lead to Miss Ireland, which could lead to Miss World! “To tell the truth,” says Katie, “I’m enjoying each step in the competition as I take it, and already feel like I’ve gained so much from it that, while I’d love to progress, it’s as much about the whole experience as it is about winning.”

Making the decision to return to education is an important one that will have a significant impact on your life. It’s a considerable commitment, particularly if you choose to study part-time in the evening while working during the day, but the sacrifices you make while studying will be rewarded in the long-term when you reach your career goals.

By Caroline Kennedy, Career Development and Employability Manager at National College of Ireland. At this unique time in history, final year college students face the immediate and very real concern of looking after themselves and their families during global pandemic, while knowing that they will likely graduate into a recession. This can only be disheartening.