Export Orientation Programme

Sabre0001 · 15-08-2008 04:29PM #1

Was accepted into this but not fully sure what it's like! Have heard nothing on the jobs front yet anyway but just wondering if anyone has any experience of it - good or bad - or if anyone else is in the programme?

Suaimhneach · 18-08-2008 08:26PM

My friend got a job through IBEC / this graduate programme, and thus far, bar one annoying bossy interviewer she's having the time of her life. Though I suppose like with all jobs, its circumstantial.... where you go, who you work with, etc!

Good luck, let us know how you get on!

More info here: http://www.ibec.ie/eop

The Export Orientation Programme is Ireland’s longest-running and most successful graduate placement programme. The EOP allows Irish exporting companies to develop their international marketing and export capacity and provides recent graduates of all disciplines with a valuable introduction to international business. The programme offers graduates a unique opportunity to develop practical skills and to gain hands-on experience in a fast-moving business environment.

Buzz Buzz · 20-08-2008 01:48PM

Had got called for an interview in June, dont know why I fitted that particular profile as the company was very manufacturing/engineering based and my cv is far more fashion and marketing.

Anyways, have another interview this coming wk... seriously reputable company and great location in Europe... should be interesting!

Everyone on the EOP team seems sound to deal with.

Suaimhneach · 20-08-2008 06:45PM

Best of luck Buzz Buzz! Can be daunting going into it but so worthwhile!

veggie111 · 21-08-2008 02:06PM

I'm on the panel and havent been called for an interview yet, starting to wonder will I get one now

Sabre0001 · 21-08-2008 02:10PM

veggie111 wrote: »

I'm on the panel and havent been called for an interview yet, starting to wonder will I get one now

Please don't!!! I'm also in the same boat - one of the reasons why I started this thread!

Got paranoid over Summer because I signed the Charter and sent it back...Got an e-mail weeks later saying that I had not sent it in and that I must do by x. So did again....Time passed, no word of anything - interview or otherwise - so sent an e-mail just to check they received it this time...They did.

But still waiting on interview

veggie111 · 21-08-2008 03:05PM

that's weird. althought they did say you could be on it for a year ... and with the economy the way it is ... few of my friends have interviews and have heard of others who got jobs already. they dont really stay in touch that often though.

HP44 · 11-09-2008 01:45AM

I'm part of this programme too. I had my first and only interview last month. Went very well, but there was 8+ candidates and apparently there was someone who "suited the company better". The interview was good experience though, and the individual feedback from the EOP programme was helpful, that said, if you get rejected it's worthwhile calling up the EOP office and asking for specific feedback.

I was beginning to get worried since I've only had 1 interview and have seen a friend of mine have 4, and has since started a placement. Although this person is a german speaker and german language skills are quite high in demand!

Anyway, I know a few people in the programme, and they in turn know others etc.. , and from what I've heard (bare in mind that this may not be representative of the programme in general), not a huge amount of graduates have been called for interviews or been offered places so far.

Also, as was mentioned below, its a 12 month list and you could be called at any time during that period. You might get 2 next week or none til after xmas. It just depends on what companies come in, what kind of person they are looking for, and when they want graduates. So its all relative to demand. Athough, from what I've heard the EOP people will try and get your CV to as many employers as they can.

Also, as far a I know, you can defer yourself for one year if you want, or I've heard that you can freeze yourself on the list for a month or two if you find something else, need to make some money, get offered an internship or want to go abroad to brush up on your language skills or even do some travelling. I'm not sure on the details and it would be wise to ring up yourself to get advice or proper details
Anyway, the EOP coordinators seems very helpful if you have any questions so it might be a good idea if to give them a shout if your having any doubts or are worried about getting a place.

Esse85 · 05-04-2009 05:36PM

If anyone else can offer advise/tips on the EOP can you please PM me as i've an interview soon.

Thanks again HP44.

amybabes · 28-04-2009 12:26AM

hey guys, did an interview for this last month....still waiting to hear if i got on the programme, was one of the first interviewed so was told to expect a 6 week wait! its killing me!
did anyone who was on the EOP last year get a placement?
im half thinking of just going off to oz....is it actually possible to defer your place for a year if you are accepted!!??

any advice/feedback very much appreciated!!

erms · 28-04-2009 08:05PM

amybabes wrote: »

hey guys, did an interview for this last month....still waiting to hear if i got on the programme, was one of the first interviewed so was told to expect a 6 week wait! its killing me!
did anyone who was on the EOP last year get a placement?
im half thinking of just going off to oz....is it actually possible to defer your place for a year if you are accepted!!??

any advice/feedback very much appreciated!!

I did an EOP placement in 07/08.
You can't defer, you have to reapply the following year.

amybabes · 28-04-2009 10:33PM

erms wrote: »

I did an EOP placement in 07/08.
You can't defer, you have to reapply the following year.

how did u get on on the EOP, where did you get placed? did u finf the programme worthwhile etc?? making some life changing decisions here at the mo so and aydvice or feedback would be very much appreciated!! thanks a mil

erms · 28-04-2009 11:12PM

amybabes wrote: »

how did u get on on the EOP, where did you get placed? did u finf the programme worthwhile etc?? making some life changing decisions here at the mo so and aydvice or feedback would be very much appreciated!! thanks a mil

I applied the day of the deadline because a family friend told me to. I went for my interview (I was towards the end of the interview process) and got a letter about 2 weeks later saying I'd made it onto the shortlist.

I went for about 8 or 9 interviews, i sabotaged most of them because they just weren't jobs i wanted to do (a lot of them were meat sales, or molded plastics sales, or high visibility clothing sales). I was then given an interview for a company in London which sounded great and I got it.

So I was in London for a year and I loved it, they wanted me to stay on after my EOP but I wanted to get into a different area so I left but it was a fantastic experience.

If you do make it on to the shortlist, try to be around during the summer because some of the best placements come up in the summer with September starts. That is not to say all, I started mine in December.

Esse85 · 08-05-2009 10:06AM

I heard people will know how the interview went in the first week in May!

amybabes · 08-05-2009 10:13AM

Esse85 wrote: »

I heard people will know how the interview went in the first week in May!

ya i know!! ive been post watching since tues!! so annoying as if i dont get on d programme im going to oz, ive decided, so just want 2 get on with my planning and book my tickets if i havent gotten it!

Esse85 · 08-05-2009 03:56PM

amybabes wrote: »

ya i know!! ive been post watching since tues!! so annoying as if i dont get on d programme im going to oz, ive decided, so just want 2 get on with my planning and book my tickets if i havent gotten it!

Is it by post?

I presumed it was by email seen as i got the call for the interview by email.

The waiting is a killer alright.

princess* · 12-05-2009 09:20AM

Has anyone heard anything from IBEC yet??

We were meant to be notified by the first week in May by post..

Stilll waiting

Esse85 · 12-05-2009 06:03PM

Not yet.

shivishivi · 14-05-2009 09:36AM

I'm still waiting, driving me crazy, thought there was something wrong with my inbox!!! Let me know if you hear anything!

amybabes · 14-05-2009 11:31AM

got a letter this morning!!!

didnt get it!! but glad coz i didnt want it

, word on the street is there was a delay because theres hardly any placements this year!! hardly any of the shortlist got placed last yr either!!

but good luck and well done to those who got it!!

Esse85 · 14-05-2009 01:05PM

+1

princess* · 14-05-2009 02:28PM

I got on the shortlist!!

Not 100% yet on whether I'll except it though :rolleyes:
especially if there's hardly any placements this year??

Does anyone have any advice??

amybabes · 14-05-2009 02:36PM

princess* wrote: »

I got on the shortlist!!

Not 100% yet on whether I'll except it though :rolleyes:
especially if there's hardly any placements this year??

Does anyone have any advice??

well if u dont have anything else lined up, id defo accept! sure what harm can it do........but id be trying to find a job anyway, and applying for other things etc. wouldnt let it stop u from doing anything tho!
im after getting a job in sydney myself.......so thats why i didnt want it!

was speaking to someone on it last yr........first interview she was sent to was december (after being on d s.list since may) and she was there with 8 other candidates, 2nd interview was similar...... so she found the whole thing to be pretty useless, plus she had to travel to dublin both times, and didnt get any help with expenses. plus both companies were in areas she had no interest in working in....and one didnt even sound remotely like a sales or marketing position...........so just bear that in mind! but well done in getting in!!

princess* · 14-05-2009 02:52PM

Thanks for the that

Totally didn't expect to get it, to be honest I thought the interview was a disaster! So I applied for a few masters courses, but they'll always be there I suppose.. If I was offered a placement with a company I liked it would be great experience but It's looking like a very long road at the moment.
Good Luck with the job in Sydney!:D

Gossipgal · 15-05-2009 03:01PM

Hey Princess, I got accepted into this too, got the letter the other day - was surprised myself cause I didn't know how the interview had gone at all. I emailed them to accept it, cause the way I see it experience with any company in 'today's economic climate' is worthwhile. Jobs are few and far between and any foot in the door is bound to be of some help, even if its only experience at interviews. Don't know anyody who has done the programme but the list of sample companies sounds good.

LittleEve · 15-05-2009 05:15PM

Good attitude GG

I got accepted on the '08 EOP but also got a good job offer and had to make a decision, v glad in hindsight that i accepted my job, least iv a yr's experience now whereas there's no 100% certainty i would have gotten a job otherwise :eek:

shivishivi · 16-05-2009 11:56AM

I'm still waiting for a reply!!! Do any of you know of anybody else who is still waiting? I'm abroad at the moment and really anxious to know as it will determine whether or not I accept a job here.

Esse85 · 16-05-2009 12:14PM

Did you ring home to find out, the letter comes in the post.

shivishivi · 16-05-2009 01:07PM

Ya, I phoned home, nothing!!! Hopefully something will turn up Monday otherwise I'll try and phone them! Need to know because I want to make some plans and the sun here is tempting me to stay on!!:cool:

princess* · 16-05-2009 01:21PM

Gossipgal wrote: »

Hey Princess, I got accepted into this too, got the letter the other day - was surprised myself cause I didn't know how the interview had gone at all. I emailed them to accept it, cause the way I see it experience with any company in 'today's economic climate' is worthwhile. Jobs are few and far between and any foot in the door is bound to be of some help, even if its only experience at interviews. Don't know anyody who has done the programme but the list of sample companies sounds good.

Thanks GG,
You make some good points,
I've been thinking it over and I really think It's a great opportunity to be given.
Found myself doubting it reading through some posts on here but your positive attitude is inspiring!!:D

Gossipgal · 16-05-2009 04:28PM

shivishivi - A reason for a letter not arriving could mean that you are on a backburner list. In the letter it said to accept the placement on the list via email before the 21st. If there are people who do not accept, that opens up possibilities for others who nearly made it. Certainly ring them if you want but I would say it could be the week after the 21st before other people hear back. That was the way it was for the Enterprise Ireland Internship. I guess it depends on how long you have to make up your mind on the other job and the prospects there. I guess it might come down to a bird in the hand and two in the bush kind of a scenario - a definite job may be better than the possibility of a better one. Its all down to personal choice though

Princess - I definitely think that it is a good opportunity. Previous people may have been more fussy with regard to the jobs they would take - I am definitely not being fussy. So many graduate programmes have been cancelled and I am thinking that any position I am offered I'll be delighted to get and get from it what I can. I think that its also important not to typecast companies just cause of what they do ie. the way somebody was saying that they were purely manufacturing or meat chilling. I think that the range of roles within companies now means that your ideal job could be one that you would never have thought of, so experience in all areas helps. The fact that this is international is another bonus. That's my view anyway:D

Export Orientation Programme

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