Moving to Ireland transformed my career. My story - Sonia, Digital Marketing Executive in GemPool

Moving to Ireland transformed my career. My story - Sonia, Digital Marketing Executive in GemPool


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Moving to Ireland for my new job

Moving to Dublin, Ireland

After weighing up my options, I decided to move to Ireland in November 2017. I just completed my degree in Marketing and Communication in my home city of Milan and an internship abroad was an exciting prospect.

I thought: “It’s just for six months, six months in exchange for an important and valuable step in my career.” It seemed amazing. 

On the 19th of November, I landed in Dublin Airport. My first memory of Dublin was the rain that poured down as I arrived. It was so hard for me to find my way around the city. I initially stayed in a hostel and two days later, I started to look for longer term accommodation. If you don’t know a lot about Dublin, I can assure you that this is the most challenging part of moving here as rent prices are high. It took me two weeks to find a place. The two main website for searching for rental properties are www.daft.ie and www.myhome.ie but to find a room often Facebook pages and other social media are great sources to use. I was working during the day, and I was spending all my evenings visiting potential houses. I was also trying really hard to ensure I succeeded in my job as I was learning through a new language. All these pressures resulted in long and tiring days, arriving back to my hostel after 10 P.M, where a terrible headache was there waiting for me.

Nevertheless, my internship was running well. I was curious and motivated, and I was learning more about my field. All the theoretical concepts I studied during my degree were finally being put into practice. I think this is one of the big values of north European countries. You can learn what is good for your career in a practical way. My language skills improved quickly and I met a lot of young professional people. Ireland was allowing me to achieve my goals and it was pushing me to improve myself.

Following completion of my first internship in January, I started to look for another job. I sent more than 50 CVs, and I attended 15 interviews. My English level was not advanced, and I had limited previous work experiences, it was not an easy challenge. To get a great opportunity in Dublin, you must face hundreds of young and smart professionals in your field.

After one month of going through these job application processes, there were two opportunities that presented themselves. The first was with a Communications company and the second was here, in GemPool Recruitment. Without hesitation, I chose the second one. I was really passionate about Human Resources and Recruitment, and the idea that I could work in Marketing for a Recruitment agency got me really excited.

Now I’m a Digital Marketing Executive in GemPool, where I work hard to ensure I am successful in my job. Every day brings a new challenge for me, but I have embraced these challenges and responsibilities to the best of my ability. I am now confident in my Digital Marketing experience and the bright future it has created for me.

I have written this article because I understand how hard it is to leave your life at home and move abroad in search of a new and challenging opportunity. I did find the beginning of my time in Ireland difficult but I have now developed my skills and found an opportunity that will benefit my career. I appreciate the opportunities that other countries can offer and I would encourage anyone who is seeking opportunities abroad to take that leap of faith. Now we have the possibility to choose how and where to live: don’t be fearful to look for opportunities abroad. Everyone’s talents should be given the opportunity to shine. If your country isn’t affording you this opportunity, it’s time to seek this elsewhere. I chose Ireland and haven’t looked back.


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