Careers and Jobs

OPTION WIRELESS
Option Wireless has announced that it will be cutting 55 staff. The cork based IT company manufacturers a range of devices including USB modems. This follows news we announced about 6 months ago that the company was to create 145 jobs.

DHL
DHL is looking at 320 redundancies as a result of depot closures across Ireland. Closures will include in Galway, Sligo, Athlone, Cavan, Waterford, Enniscorthy and Tralee. DHL operates four divisions in Ireland and employs 1,600 people.

US multinational Bausch & Lomb is reported to be seeking 195 voluntary redundancies at its manufacturing plant in Waterford according to one leading newspaper this afternoon. Bausch & Lomb is one of the leading employers in the South-East region and this news will come as another major blow to Waterford. The company currently employs 1,400 staff for whom the news was broken today by management.

Bausch & Lomb manufactures contact lenses.

A reciever has been appointed for Waterford Wedgewood and the company has requested that its shares be suspended from trading on stock exchange. Senior management seem confident that a buyer but the 800 employees in Ireland and 1800 in UK stare into an uncertain period. Only last October Waterford Crystal told workers of its plans to lay off 280 staff at the kilbarry plant.

Waterford Wedgewood manufactures Waterford Crystal and also Wedgewood fine China.

Careers and Jobs bringing you all the latest jobs news in Ireland.

More bad news on the jobs front hot on the heels of a negative budget. Wyeth Medica in Kildare has announced that it will be reducing its workforce. In Waterford there was also bad news with Waterford Crystal seeking 280 redundancies. These developments follow a negative buget for most households. For more info on the 2008 budget.

The papers have been focusing on global financial jobs loss over the last few days with thousands more jobs lost as a result of financial sector meltdown. Back home there was also more negative job news

Hewlett Packard announced that it wants to cut 24,000 jobs globally which has increased uncertainty with its 4,000 employees in Ireland. HP employs 4,000 staff in Belfast, Dublin, Galway and Leixlip. The global job cuts will represent a 7.5% of its 178,000 global workforce. It is expected that most of these job cuts will come from EDS a recent acquisition. EDS employs 400 staff in Dublin.

250 jobs will go in Waterford with the news that buy-out talks for poultry firm Cappoquin have collapsed. This is a huge blow for the poultry industry in Ireland with the direct job loss and indirect impact on 50 producers for the firm in Munster.

Finally Tourmakeady in Co. Mayo had some bad jobs news when local firm Caideil MP Teoranta announced that it would be closing with the loss of 32 jobs.

Heed a career coach or interview coach in Ireland?

2008 Update – 132 people losing job on a daily basis

20,392 employees have been made redundant over the fist seven moths of 2008. This equates to a 36% increase on the same period last year. DETE figures released do not make happy reading for the government or workers in Ireland. More worrying was the fact that 3,914 of the redundancies came in July which is further proof that the job market is in freefall.

What surprised me was the breakdown of these figures. Much spin has been put on the fact that the construction sector has created most redundancies but 6,531 females have been laid of which was higher than I expected. 13,861 men were affected by redundancy.

So where are the redundancy black-spots?

It is no surprise that Dublin has suffered the greatest with 7,500 of the redundancies falling in this region. This was followed by Cork with 1,853 redundancies and in excess of 1,000 in Galway and Limerick. Other counties with significant redundancies included Louth with 698, Waterford with 844 and Kildare with 940. Further north Monaghan has suffer 403 redundancies so far this year.

Retail Sector boom or over saturation?

Many experts are warning that the retail sector could be about to face some serious challenges as sales and footfall are declining BUT retail space is growing at an alarmingly high rate. It is expected that Dublin will miss out on things but other regions will struggle.

Major retail projects in Ireland

Dundrum Town Centre extension (Dublin) – 50,000 sq.m
Opera Centre (Limerick) – 37,160 sq.m
IKEA (Dublin) – 30,500 sq.m
Parkway Valley (Limerick) – 23,225 sq.m
Rockbrook, Sandyford (Dublin) – 21,467 sq.m
New Shopping Centre (Longford) – 20,000 sq.m
Brewery Centre (Waterford) – 20,000 sq.m
Academy Street SC (Cork) – 20,000 sq.m
Parkway Retail Centre (Limerick) – 19,821 sq.m
Laois Town Centre extension (Laois) – 19,680 sq.m

Retail Jobs – Cork, Limerick, Longford, Waterford, Laois & Dublin

If things pick up in the Retail Sector these locations will create a large volume of new jobs in the retail sector. What is great for potential employees in the sector is that these developments are spread across the country in Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Laois, Longford. There will also be potential new jobs in what seem to be a great success – Dundrum Town Centre. I’d say I must be the only person yet to visit it BUT my wife makes up for that.

Retail Jobs – where to find them!!

If you are looking for work in the Retail Sector we did a previous post on retail centres and jobs. Many shopping centres now advertise jobs on their own website. I know Dundrum & Blanchardstown do BUT you might check out the above developments. Otherwise there are the usual job search strategies.

CV Preparation – Preparation equals interviews

I keep banging on about how essential CV preparation is for career success. FACT: CV preparation will improve your chances of securing interviews. FACT: Cutting corners with your CV will equate to missed opportunities. I regularly meet jobseekers who will have every excuse for not preparing their CV properly. The usual suspects like time, money and know-how. Well let’s address these reasons.

CV Preparation – Know-How

I agree with this point in that most jobseeker do not understand CV writing or the principles behind and impact CV. There are many websites with unlimited information about designing a CV. Be careful though as much of this information serves the purpose of attracting you to the site and it is normally text book stuff and dated. I think we all know the type of information that should be on a CV such as personal details, education and work experience BUT it is CV Layout, CV Format and CV Content where jobseekers fall down. If you take one point away from this post it is to put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter when writing a CV. Identify what information they are looking for and ensure that this is evident on the 1st page of your CV. There is much more to CV preparation than this but you will find some good CV advice on this site.

How much time does it take for CV Preparation?

A skilled professional could probably knock up a CV in 2-3 hours BUT for an unskilled person it can take longer. Factors such as seniority and level of experience will impact this. Most time will be spent on CV preparation such as analysing the role you are applying for and what the client wants. Then identifying how you meet these requirements. You will then have to decide on how best to construct CV Layout and CV Format. Physically writing the CV will depend on your typing skills. Remember that one CV does not fit all jobs so preparation will be required for each job you apply for. Again once you understand the principle this should not be too time consuming.

CV Preparation – How much does it cost?

Really there are too options – “no frills” and professional. Many jobseekers prepare their own CV. The cost to them is time and effort. Once prepared they can seek feedback from a variety of free resources such as friends, family, HR professional, career guidance, FAS. Will this work? Absolutely!! Many jobseekers secure new employment through a self written CV. The other route is to source a CV expert and get professional CV support. The cost will depend on the service provider BUT it may not be as much as you think. Lets just say I went out on a night out in Dublin a few weeks back and I could have easily paid for CV preparation service.

Measurability provides a professional CV writing service to jobseekers across Ireland. They service all roles, all levels of the organisation from Graduate to Executive across industry sectors and business functions.

Need a professional CV? Contact Measurability now!!

Measurability will help you

• set the right positive tone with your CV
• produce a strategically targeted CV
• project a professional image and confidence
• clearly outline achievements and results
• highlight experience qualifications and key skills

Professional CV Writing Service across Ireland – CV Advice & Preparation

It does not matter where you are based in Ireland – Measurability can help you. CV design is facilitated via phone and email so there is actually no need to meet. Measurability services 32 counties – Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon, Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow, Clare, Cork, Kerry Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Tyrone, Derry, Antrim, Armagh, Fermanagh & Down.

Professional CV Writing Service for all Sectors

Measurability offers CV writing services for all industry sectors including Banking & Finance, IT, Construction, Pharmaceutical, Call Centre, Manufacturing, Medical Device, Software, Retail, Engineering, Public Sector and much more.

Career Coaching & Interview Coaching

Measurability also offers career coaching services, career tests and interview coaching services to jobseekers in Ireland.

Iralco – Job loss fear!!

There are fears for 400 jobs at Iralco in Westmeath as it was announced that a liquidator has been appointed for the plant. Iralco manufactures car components and has been established in the region for 42 years. What makes this announcement worse is that Iralco is one of the biggest employers in the region.

Workers a reported to have been told that the plant would close BUT management refused to confirm if the closure would be permanent or temporary. Unions are working frantically to see if there is any way to save the jobs.

In related news Smurfit Kappa announced that 24 staff would lose their jobs next month. This is more bad news for Waterford as over 500 jobs hang in the balance at Waterford Wedgewood.