Val is a junior at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, studying Marketing and Management. Val is the recipient of the Jessica Burns scholarship and will be detailing her journey to Dublin.
My Internship Abroad in Dublin, Ireland
In the past few weeks I have arrived in Dublin and started my internship abroad. I’m slowly learning the differences between Irish and American work culture. A typical work day starts between 9-10 for everyone in the office I work in. However the atmosphere is more laid back so no one is really watching the clock for when anyone comes in. Everyone ends their work days at 5:30pm, unless there’s an Euro game going on, then the office clears out much earlier.
The dress code is smart casual, meaning if you should look professional but be comfortable with what you’re wearing. When I asked the boss what the dress code was before arriving he said “casual but no one is really wearing ripped jeans.”
I believe the meaning behind smart casual can change from country to country, however in Ireland it means be comfortable in what you’re wearing but look good. I’ve also noticed that Dublin is a city filled with well dressed young adults, so that is encouraging to dress your best!
Mediateam is the company I’m interning with, they are a based in the south of Dublin in a town called Leopardstown. There are currently 4 other interns one also from the Global Experiences program, one from Arcadia, and two from IEEE. All five interns are Americans, so together we are trying to learn the Irish culture and phrases.
Pro tip; “thanks a mill” is a common phrase said by everyone, along with “happy out” it just means happy, and calling someone “crack” if you like them- that’s one that took some getting used to. There are about 20 other employees in the office that all seem to be from Ireland, with authentic rich Irish accents. The interns report to our Irish boss who is the Director of Marketing and Sales, a genuinely kind-hearted hard working Irish man.
Mediateam is an event planning and publishing company that holds a variety of different events; their most popular being an event is called Glas (Gloss) which is the biggest horticulture trade show in Ireland, they hold award ceremonies, and Tech shows. So truly a variety of events!
My work day tasks can change each day but so far I have been given tasks like making phone calls to possible attendees for Tech shows, data entry for their Irish Garden magazine, finding articles for newsletters to send in marketing e-mails, searching for important horticulture or technology news pieces to talk about, and updating the database of clients for each sector of event.
It’s teaching me a lot about marketing and the long term tasks of being an event planning company. The other branch of Mediateam is the employees that work in Publishing, they write articles and design the Irish Garden magazine, along with keeping up the website that has 1.4 million visitors a year!
What has had the most impact so far is the incredible kindness in the Irish workplace. You’re free to ask any questions you’d like, make yourself tea or coffee courtesy of the company any time you’d like, and employees are quick to give you tips on great spots around Ireland. I can’t wait to continue to learn about marketing and event planning in the next few weeks from the Irish company.
