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Among the best in the World

Friday, April 16th, 2010
Irish Surgery

Irish Surgery

“Irish Surgeons are among the best in the world, Professor Traynor of the RCSI says.

Due to a lack of adequate surgical training posts, it seems Irish trainee doctors have been pushed to greener pastures in a search for sufficient experience elsewhere. This has helped them to join the best in the world in surgery.

Prof Oscar Traynor, Director of the RCSI National Surgical Training Centre recently said that Irish surgeons owe a huge part of their excellence to training abroad.

“I think in general, Irish surgeons are among the best in the world, for a number of reasons. The main reason is that most Irish surgeons do take time to go abroad and do some training and bring back ideas, a new way of looking at things, and new techniques”

He goes on  to say that it is tradition with Irish surgeons to broaden their experience range, where in countries like UK and North America it would be highly unusual to go to this extent.

It seems, for the medical world in any case, the benefits of surgical training abroad has had a phenomenal effect on the Medical industry of Ireland.

And long may it go on!

Suits you Sir!

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Suits you Sir! Just as we wear different clothes to suit an occasion, when looking for a job it is sometimes worth considering these CV tips to suit each prospective employer or position you are applying for and to present your best assets accordingly. Consider your skills, your experience and more importantly- you!

A bad CV can be as bad as no suit at Interview. Think of how you want to look.

A bad CV can be as bad as no suit at Interview. Think of how you want to look.

For instance if you are a specific engineer you would phrase your CV to emphasise your skills to suit the role required and also give relevent examples of where your technological skills, experience or software abilities will complement the specific job required.

If you issue a generic, one size fits all CV to every client you will naturally find your CV appears to have limited if any success as a result of your CV content being limited or only partially relevant.

Having a CV for a specific type of role, either Radiologist, Nurse, Manager, Engineer, Sales Rep, Trainer or Technician means that the CV content will exlusively reflect the required role. It also means, if you have several years experience you can offer your best and most comprehensive CV without running out of  CV space room without producing an overly long CV.

Similarly having several specific letters means you can choose specifically to present your technical, personal  or management skills exclusively depending on what the Job Description calls for. This is helping the employer or agency and they will be greatful for it.

Once more this allows you to make your best possible presentation and further increases your chances of being called for interview. This of course then means you only have the issue of  deciding what you will choose to wear to  interview. After all it suits you to look and feel at your best when you have presented your best assets.

It pays to be nice!

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
Take the time to listen and to talk

Take the time to listen and to talk

It pays to be nice! Simple manners go a long way when dealing with people you meet in recruitment. How often have you found yourself in a situation where you helped a person not seeking a reward but for the simple pleasure of  being nice or to help a person out of a difficult situation. Being nice pays! This might appear disingenuous but in recruitment potential and opportunity are closely relatives and a good recruiter nevers wastes an opportunity to be nice.

In the Irish recruitment industry, recruiters meet many people and often its the little things that count or lead to success-such as taking the time to talk to candidates. Perhaps you dont have a job for them today but the time you take to talk with them can be all some people are looking for. Some people may simply be looking for help or guidance about their career prospects, feedback on their CV or a little direction.

Because of our intimate market knowledge it doesnt take much to helpfully point a candidate in the right direction or to steer them out of a potential dead end career. So if we can we take that time to talk and we help when we can.

So- whats in it for you? Why bother? Why waste valuable recruiting time talking to people when you need to spend that time making placements and securing your job I hear you say? Well, for one, a candidate can be a candidate today but they can also potentially be a client tomorrow. They can  potentially introduce you to friends or colleagues who may be able to help you with your requirement or be the ideal candidate you need tomorrow -or in quite a few circumstances, be the husband, wife, brother or sister, of a client you have been trying to do business with for months.

Always remember be nice to people, its good for its own reason and it will make you feel better but more importantly remember- it’s too small a world to be nasty to people. The wheel will turn and you never know who knows who or who will be in a position to either hire you in your next job or give you your next break-its in your best interest.

The shape of things to come

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Medical Device Diversity- Irelands New Growth IndustryThe shape of things to come for 2010 may be higher unemployment and lower economic activity for some sectors of the economy. But as far as medical and science sectors are concerned, we are still seeing considerable opportunities for growth; in particular the medical devices manufacturing sector which has recently seen major investment in R&D with such diverse companies as Teleflex, Baxter Healthcare, KCI Medical and Merit Medical.

All have seen further expansion this year and have increased growth in the development of their production and manufacturing facilities and directed extensive FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in new product developments which will see Ireland placed at the fore front of global Medical Device R&D.

So what opportunities do exist for  those looking to retrain or re-skill? Considerable and varied opportunities exist for those with Research and Product Development, Regulatory, Quality,  Technical and supporting skills in Sales and customer support-particularly those candidates with European and Asian language skills.

Jackie Brown is keen to talk with those seeking career moves or those with existing medical device manufacturing industry experience as we move into another year of anticpated high growth in recruitment within the medical and life science industries.

In the mean time, to all those looking for a career move or seeking new opportunities we wish you a Happy and prosperous New Year in 2010.

Economic Meltdown

Friday, December 11th, 2009
Working together for the future

Working together for the future

Economic Meltdown appears to have been averted in the 2010 Budget but this is small consolation for those of us in the private and public sector who now are bearing the brunt of the severest budget in living memory. The worldwide economic community appear to be full of praise but the reality is we, the Irish Nation will have to live with reduced incomes, strikes and reduced living standards for at least the next three years

The only positive aspect of all this is, that good or bad news what ever your perspective we at least now have direction and from here action can be taken. From an oft heard maxim, fear causes paralysis, action cures fear.

Perhaps at this point we may see a move towards job creation as the economic fire fighting that has so long been a feature of the governments performance in the past two years  may soon move into positive decisive action that will encourage investment and bring us back to some semblance of order and perhaps to a new economy that leaves behind the pursuit of property as an end in itself and back towards an econmy that relies on Irish knowledge, skills and talents that brought prosperity in the recent past.

But  perhaps this time we will remember what and who brought us today to the situation we find ourselves in as a nation and  perhaps next time round we will be weary of sweet promises of today that bring a bitter tomorrow from those we previously regarded as the pillars of our nation

Fail to Prepare-Prepare to Fail

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Prepare to win the interview and thejob

Prepare to win the interview and the job

A maxim oft quoted in management texts and tutorials which is as succinct as it is true to life.  It is a consideration that all those attending an interview must keep at the forefront of their mind whether they are applying for a technician or senior manager’s role. The applicant must at all times be aware that the purpose of the interview is not an opportunity for a chat- it’s to get the job!

Preparation then involves at the very least consideration of your appearance followed swiftly by transport, communication and research; - all of which will boost your confidence and improve your state of mind when the big day comes.

Ensure you are dressed for the interview; another maxim well known and often forgotten is dress to impress. Today as time is short and applicants are plenty, always be aware that you will have one chance to make a good impression and you must appear to be at least as professional as your appearance.

Dressing casually will signal to the interviewer you are neither serious about the role on offer, or the interviewer who has decided to give you valuable time out of their day to meet and interview you.  A poor first impression immediately drops you down the competition ladder. Take time over your appearance and if possible have a dry run the night before, check shoes are polished, shirts, blouses and suits are clean and pressed, ready for immediate use in the morning. You’ll be grateful you did when you see the opposition sitting across from you in reception in a crumpled suit or at worse, a T- Shirt.

Getting to the interview is as important as the interview and its worth checking your car is fuelled and at reduced risk of failing on the motorway twenty minutes from your interviewer.

Phone numbers are vital; always make sure you have your recruiter and interviewer’s telephone contact numbers- main switch and mobile. In deference to the interviewee, your interviewer may have their phone switched off and may not know you are frantically trying to tell them you cant reach them.

Research should similarly not be underestimated or undervalued as part of your preparation. Read the company website, call for extra information, flyers, and magazines, and ask to speak to the press officer if they have one. The better informed you are, the keener you will appear and the more informed your questions will be. Employers want keen employees- lack of knowledge in the age of the internet can only be interpreted as lack of interest.

For further information, please visit our advice center.

The Appliance Of Science

Monday, September 14th, 2009
Wafer Fab Technician at Work

Wafer Fab Technician at Work

The Appliance Of Science by Irish Engineers and Scientists is not to be underestimated and should be a beacon to those who have followed in their wake. More so today in a time where jobs have been outsourced to cheaper locations overseas for example from manufacturers such as Dell who have recently outsourced from Limerick to Lodz in Poland.

In the past year  alone, Ireland has  had the misfortune of seeing large numbers of  jobs outsourced to low cost economies in Eastern Europe and Asia. Undoubtedly we have not seen the end of these events and perhaps this is symptomatic of a maturing economy and a further reason to develop a more cohesive strategy of  moving toward a knowledge based economy that offers greater numbers of high end / value jobs.

To this end on a more positive note we have seen investment flowing into Ireland by a number of Multinationals who have decided to base their R&D centers here. Intel, Diageo, Pfizer, Boston Scientific and Hewlett Packhard to name a few have all announced plans to establish or expand existing research facilities which encouragingly are not focused in any one sector but are diversified into almost every high tech sector ranging from nano robotics, polymer sciences, medical devices, semiconductors, biopharma and advanced manufacturing systems.

Irish scientists have been at the fore front of scientific research following in the footsteps of Robert Boyle, the father of chemistry, George Boole, the father of computer science, Francis Beaufort, author of the Beaufort scale. There are no shortage of gifted, inteligent scientists in Ireland today and it is a compliment to our educational system that Ireland globally, is well represented across all fields of modern scientific research and development

Modern Irish Scientists and Engineers are developing and applying scientific principles to  all aspects of  Industry that will someday provide the nucleus  of high end manufacturing facilities that will anchor employment in Ireland and  provide jobs for our graduates  ensuring we do not experience the brain drain that hitherto has been experienced as a result of limited job opportunities for locally educated graduates and professionals.

For further news and information on opportunities as they develop please feel free to visit our Jobs Pages

Recruitment Advice

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Those of you that have dealt with us here at Jackie Brown Medical will know that we feel very strongly about ethics in recruitment. Indeed, our own recruitment advice section makes it very clear where we stand on recruitment practices.

Education of job seekers has become a hot topic in recruitment.  The onset of the recession caused an increase in incidences of bad practice. Job seekers found that their CV was arriving on the desks of HR departments from several different sources (five times in one case we know of).  It became apparent that in order to protect job seekers they had to be educated in the art of using recruitment agencies.

The National Recruitment Federation, the only body which provides a code of ethics for recruiters, is piloting a certification process for recruiters.

A new recruitment directory also highlights advice/education.  We highly recommend you take a look at their Recruitment Advice section.  That applies to employers too.


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