{"id":621137,"date":"2026-09-11T06:28:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T06:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/621137\/"},"modified":"2026-09-11T06:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T06:28:10","slug":"irelands-interns-how-to-turn-a-three-month-stint-into-a-long-term-career-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/621137\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland\u2019s interns: how to turn a three-month stint into a long-term career \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is the last day of Ellen Curran\u2019s summer internship at Deloitte<\/a> when she logs on to a Microsoft Teams meeting to speak to The Irish Times. <\/p>\n

The meeting is scheduled for 2pm, so there is only a few hours left of her three-month stint in the technology and transformation department. She joined the team just a few days after taking her final exams at University College Dublin (UCD), where she will graduate next week with a degree in sustainability with a focus on business and economics.<\/p>\n

And the week after, she will return to Deloitte\u2019s office off St Stephen\u2019s Green on the firm\u2019s graduate programme. <\/p>\n

\u201cI just feel really grateful \u2013 that\u2019s the overwhelming feeling,\u201d she says, looking back on her time at Deloitte so far. \u201cI\u2019m so grateful that I got the opportunities that I did in college to be able to get me to where I am now.\u201d <\/p>\n

Her gratitude is well placed in this day and age. For many recent graduates, the first step on the corporate ladder seems to be the most difficult one to reach.<\/p>\n

A report published by the Bord Bia talent academy<\/a> this week found that 84 per cent of early-career professionals were in a so-called entry-level paradox, a no man\u2019s land where they felt it was \u201cimpossible to get experience without a job and impossible to get a job without experience\u201d. <\/p>\n

The findings were stark: seven in 10 felt they were \u201cfalling behind professionally\u201d and nearly eight in 10 felt \u201coverwhelmed\u201d and \u201cunsure where to start\u201d on their career journey. <\/p>\n

Traditional early career progression has largely been uprooted in recent years as recruitment efforts have reduced, in part due to the broader tightening of the economy, but also as a result of the rapid development in artificial intelligence<\/a> (AI) resulting in fewer workers needed to undertake certain tasks.<\/p>\n

Employment data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) demonstrates the difficulty many young people experience in securing work and, perhaps, confirms the fears of parents across the country.<\/p>\n

Every month so far this year, the youth unemployment rate in the State has been at least double the unemployment rate for those aged over 25 \u2013 and in January, July and August it was more than three times higher than the general population.<\/p>\n

But raw employment data does not tell the full story behind the tightening of recruitment inside Ireland\u2019s leading companies. Figures from Chartered Accountants Ireland<\/a>, the professional body, show how the traditional training contract has become a less viable option.<\/p>\n

While its total student intake increased by 11 per cent from 2023 to 2024, this was in large part due to a higher uptake of its \u201cflexible route\u201d, which enables people to earn an accountancy qualification without a training contract from an accountancy firm, jumping from 10 per cent of candidates in 2023 to 16 per cent in 2024.<\/p>\n

It is a similar story for enrolment numbers at the Law Society of Ireland\u2019s<\/a> professional practice courses for solicitors. Last year, the professional body pointed to the \u201crise of in-house\u201d, when 27 per cent of recently qualified solicitors trained in Blackhall Place, the society\u2019s education base, to work in the private sector and State bodies, reflecting \u201ca structural shift away from the traditional dominance of private practice\u201d.<\/p>\n

So how can a young person turn a three-month stint as a summer intern into an extended contract and, from there, a long-term career?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were actually just discussing this at lunchtime,\u201d Curran says, mentioning the other interns she has worked alongside this summer. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a big thing to get the basics right: show up on time, do the work when you\u2019re asked, meet your deadlines \u2013 that\u2019s all expected from you \u2013 and once you get that right, beyond that it\u2019s just being friendly, welcoming, kind, open; I think that\u2019s something that\u2019s so valued.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so clear from the second that you enter a company like Deloitte that everyone is so friendly … and willing to help and answer any questions you have. You just have to reciprocate that, I think. I would always make sure to make time for your colleagues and grab a coffee with someone if you want to learn more about what they do.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions \u2013 you\u2019re expected to be curious. But, what I would say is ask a question once, take note of it, remember it, try not to ask the same question over and over again. If you make a mistake, learn from it, grow from it [and] try not to make the same mistake again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jennifer Gallivan is the head of talent acquisition at Deloitte Ireland, having started as a human resources manager at the firm 15 years ago. \u201cWhat really catches our eye is evidence of teamwork, leadership and resilience,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

\u201cTeam sports, volunteering, student representation [and] involvement in university societies aren\u2019t just nice-to-haves, they signal resilience and that you will thrive in our fast-paced, always-evolving environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re looking for is a mindset, not a checklist. We want people who are curious, who take real ownership of their work and who solve problems proactively rather than waiting to be told what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe process is simple,\u201d she says, before explaining how the firm ultimately hires more than 100 of its interns across offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Belfast. \u201cSubmit an online application [that] opens in December, then attend one in-person interview with the team you\u2019d work alongside.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no group exercises or multiple rounds. It\u2019s designed to be fair and stress-free, we want you and our team to be the right fit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the road from Deloitte\u2019s head office is the headquarters of Arthur Cox<\/a>, one of Ireland\u2019s leading law firms. Inside, hundreds of solicitors are working on commercial cases. Among them is Conall O\u2019Shaughnessy, a partner in the litigation, disputes and investigations department. He joined in 2014 as a trainee solicitor.<\/p>\n

He has not forgotten what it was like to work closer to the bottom of the firm, in part, as a result of his work as one of three partners on its \u201ctrainee steering committee\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something I\u2019ve always been really interested in,\u201d O\u2019Shaughnessy says. \u201cI suppose [it was] a natural fit for me to take on a more formal role as part of the early-stage recruitment process when I became a partner.\u201d <\/p>\n

As the summer comes to a close, the committee\u2019s main priority is deciding which interns, who have been at the firm only a few weeks, will return in the years to come as trainees. <\/p>\n

\"TheThe ability of interns to work well on a team is a prized quality, says Conall O\u2019Shaughnessy. Photograph: Chris Bellew\/Fennell Photography <\/p>\n

O\u2019Shaughnessy says the interns \u201creceive regular feedback from designated people\u201d on their respective teams, \u201cgenerally on a more informal basis\u201d, and \u201ctowards the conclusion of their internship placement, there will be a kind of feedback meeting \u2013 which is, again, very informal\u201d. <\/p>\n

O\u2019Shaughnessy describes it as \u201ca chance for them to provide feedback on how they found their internship\u201d and, similarly, \u201cthen the intern facilitators in each individual department will provide feedback from the team or from those who worked with the intern as to how they got on\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fed back up to the trainee steering group and we then conduct a review before deciding as to whether or not to make offers to selective candidates,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The committee keeps an eye out for a number of qualities \u2013 \u201cwe\u2019re more focused on green flags than red flags, for want of a better word\u201d, O\u2019Shaughnessy says. \u2013 but an all-encompassing one is the ability to work well on a team. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be able to work closely and collaboratively with both our clients and our colleagues. That\u2019s a key, fundamental characteristic that we\u2019re looking for in all our employees \u2013 because on any of our biggest mandates, you could be working on teams of up to 20, 30, 40 people working across various departments\u201d.<\/p>\n

In perhaps a counterintuitive move, he says \u201cit\u2019s absolutely not essential to have an academic background in law or a law degree\u201d.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Shaughnessy graduated with an undergraduate degree in history and English literature, although he later earned a postgraduate diploma in law from DIT. In lieu of an intern\u2019s explicit legal knowledge, he says \u201ccommercial awareness\u201d is a far more valuable trait.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the knowledge of both the work that Arthur Cox and other commercial law firms do, the type of sectors and fields that we would operate in and the type of clients that we would work for,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The firm is interested \u201cmore generally that they are up to date, to a relative degree, on the kind of hot topics commercially, politically, that are ongoing in Ireland and, to some extent, abroad … we would expect candidates to be relatively familiar with the main topics that are being discussed or reported on in the news\u201d, he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs part of our commitment to trainees and interns, we obviously help them with their commercial awareness as they progress through the firm … it is something that we look into more as part of the interview process and during their time here as an intern or trainee \u2013 to see a base level of commercial awareness and for that to improve [with] the more exposure they get to work here.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Shaughnessy says trainees \u201care the biggest single cohort, numerically, within the firm\u201d \u2013 between 45 and 65 start every year \u2013 and are \u201creally important in terms of the atmosphere and the culture\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe firm itself, and I\u2019ve seen this now as part of the trainee steering committee, really does invest in our trainees because they are, I suppose, our future leaders. If you look at the current senior leadership in terms of our council and partners, a very considerable proportion of them started off as trainees here,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is still a huge amount of my traineeship cohort with the firm over 10 years later, which I think is just an enjoyment of our traineeship and careers with the firm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AIB'sAIB’s internship programmes provide students with meaningful work experience and a chance to develop new skills and professional networks, says the bank’s chief people officer, David McCormack <\/p>\n

At the start of her career journey is Femi Kasim, who is now one year into her graduate programme at AIB<\/a>. She started the programme a year after finishing a master\u2019s degree in project management at UCD\u2019s Smurfit Graduate Business School.<\/p>\n

She says her studies prepared her for the working world \u201ca little bit\u201d, especially for business theories and structures, \u201chowever, it is different putting it into practice \u2013 you\u2019re working in a dynamic team with professionals, which I would say is different from when you\u2019re in college\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom my experience in college, not everyone holds their weight. You definitely have some people who push more and some people who don\u2019t push as much as they could do,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I\u2019ve found on my team here is that everyone puts in the work, people even offer to help in places that might not be their expertise, but they can help out.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a big shift for me, but, looking back on it, my first day here was a really good experience \u2013 you\u2019re joining a huge organisation with a bunch of other really good graduates who are in the same place as you. You feel a sense of togetherness, a sense of community.\u201d <\/p>\n

Based at AIB\u2019s Central Park office in Sandyford, Co Dublin, Kasim earned a place on the enterprise delivery programme and is now halfway through her second eight-month rotation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people who do your orientation are so willing to help \u2013 everyone here at AIB is so willing to help and goes out their way to do so,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can reach out to anybody who you need help from or want to learn from. They\u2019re more than willing.\u201d<\/p>\n

AIB\u2019s chief people officer, David McCormack, says the bank does not offer direct \u201creturn offers\u201d for interns to become graduate recruits, although \u201cfrom time to time, former interns may apply for graduate opportunities and be successful\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAIB\u2019s internship programmes are designed to provide students with meaningful work experience, exposure to the financial services industry and an opportunity to develop new skills and professional networks,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Broadly speaking, corporate Ireland\u2019s newest cohort is beginning their career journeys on shaky ground, with a summer internship becoming a lifeline for many recent graduates. The one-to-three month office stint is not necessarily a golden ticket to a long-term career, but it is a start.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It is the last day of Ellen Curran\u2019s summer internship at Deloitte when she logs on to a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":621138,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[7715,14231,218,97853,42869,99078,8924,113,19435,61,60,19394,43,1962,42415],"class_list":["post-621137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-aib","tag-arthur-cox","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-bord-bia-irish-food-board","tag-career-opportunities","tag-chartered-accountants-ireland","tag-deloitte","tag-economy","tag-graduates-in-ireland","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-law-society","tag-news","tag-work","tag-your-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=621137"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621137\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/621138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=621137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=621137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=621137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}