Transcript “The Mature Student Officer: translating vision into reality.”

Building Your Career in Ireland:
Culture and Workplace Culture
Culture & Workplace Culture in Ireland
Suzanne Buckley
Support Officer for International Students – UCC
&
Deirdre Parker
Senior Careers Advisor – UCC
Saturday 1st October
Email: [email protected] & [email protected]
Aspects of Culture
Visible Aspects of
Culture
Less obvious
Aspects of
Culture
Iceberg model of culture
Perceptions
Perceptions
Hofstede & Culture
http://www.youtube.com/v/4uFa0hBPqOY
Hofstede
1. Individualism versus Collectivism
2. Power Distance
3. Masculinity/Feminity
4. Uncertainty Avoidance
Hall
Relationship to time
Stereotypes
“a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.”
•
Positive
•
Negative
Caveats
“Collective Programming”
• The characteristics of the
Irish workplace are very
similar to those of other
Western countries (e.g. UK
and USA)
• It may be the same in your
countries in some ways!
• This are “collective”
characteristics – individuals
vary widely!
Ireland in Snapshot (Hofsted 6D Model)
https://geert-hofstede.com/ireland.html
Power Distance: Ireland
What do you think?
Hierarchies exist for convenience but superiors are
accessible.
• Communication with superiors tends to be:
•
•
•
•
Informal – “on a first name basis”
Direct
Consultative
Participative
• Expect to be asked your opinion regularly before and
after before and after being hired.
Individualism: Ireland
• Employees are expected to show:
• Self-reliance
• Initiative
• At interview, you must demonstrate that you have
clear, well-researched goals and a genuine career
motivation - YOU choose your future direction.
• Hiring and promotion are based on merit. You must
provide evidence of your achievements at the
interview. Good examples include more “I” than
“we”.
“I took the initiative by…
Masculinity: Ireland
It is generally expected that employees will:
• Strive to be “the best they can be”
• Be motivated to progress and advance within a
field/organisation
• Enjoy competition and achievement
At interviews, it is expected that candidates will
show drive and ambition.
Uncertainty Avoidance: Ireland
• For rules and regulations, people tend to be:
• Pragmatic
• Flexible (also in relation to planning projects)
• When it comes to risk and uncertainty, people tend to be:
• Willing to take a chance (entrepreneurialism)
• Open to creativity – practical ideas highly valued
• When preparing for interviews, find out – what problems does this
organisation have?
• How can I solve them?
• What might be a new, faster, better way of implementing a
task/process?
Normative: Ireland
• These topics can be
risky at work as your
views could affect
relationships:
• Religion
• Abortion
• Sexuality
• Politics (and Irish politics)
• Social values
• Overly personal – weight,
age, marital status.
• Boundaries – social media
Indulgence: Ireland
It’s called “having the
craic!”
Tips
• It is helpful to share
information on your leisure
time activities.
• Being somebody who
enjoys life (as well as works
hard!) will help employers
to feel that you are a good
“fit” for an Irish
organisation.
• It’s important to be able to
“take a joke”.
Communication
Email and Written
Communication
• Formality is expected in written communications
• Open with:
• Dear. Mr/Ms Surname (in job applications and when you
haven’t met)
• Dear Professor/Dr. Surname (use correct academic
title)
• Dear First Name (when you are on first-name basis
with lecturer/potential employer)
• Close with:
• Yours sincerely (for job applications)
• Best/Kind regards/Regards (for all other emails)
Non-Verbal Communication
Eye contact
Facial Expression
Space
Body language,
gestures
• Touch
• Accent, pitch, tone,
silence
•
•
•
•
Non-Verbal Communication
Humour
Communicate
• Getting it wrong – intention is what matters.
• Be understanding.
• Tell each other what you did last weekend
without using the letter m
Personal Physical Space
Dress Code
• http://uk.businessinsider.c
om/how-to-dress-forwork-business-attire2014-8?r=US&IR=T
Key Tips for the Irish
Workplace
• Humour and Sarcasm – if in doubt, laugh!
• Informality and rapport building – weather, sport
and culture
• Personal physical space – social distance is 4 Feet
• Business dress – varies with industry, err on the safe
side
Become the Ultimate
Professional
• Monday 10th of October, Lunchtime: 1 – 2 pm
• Creative Zone in the Boole Library
• Learn more about workplace culture, business
dress, email communication and more.
Thought for the day
Ceremonies are different in every country, but
true politeness is everywhere the same.
Oliver Goldsmith
Questions & Answers
&