As the 7th most international university in the world according to The Times Higher Education Rankings 2020, Trinity College Dublin is known for its large postgraduate student body. Many of these students seek to enter the Irish job market upon graduation, which is made possible by Ireland's unique two-year graduate working visa. Dublin is home to a vibrant job sector, particularly in the areas of tech, accounting and finance, and is home to many tech giants such as Facebook, HubSpot, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more.
MSc Marketing alumna Elizabeth Maguire is one such person who departed America for Ireland to study the MSc in Marketing. She is now a Digital Marketing Manager at My Irish Jeweler in Dublin. Elizabeth talks about why she chose the MSc in Marketing, how it impacted her career, working in Ireland, and also offers some tips and advice for prospective students from abroad who are looking to make a similar jump in their careers.
Thesis Submission, Trinity College Dublin!
Intro
In 2018 I packed up my apartment in Washington D.C. and moved to Dublin, Ireland for graduate school. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I attended American University in D.C. for my undergraduate years. Following graduation, in 2016 I gratefully landed a position in Higher Education Recruitment. For two years I happily traveled the East Coast of the United States for work before successfully applying to Trinity Business School for its MSc in Marketing programme.
I graduated from the MSc in 2019 and have been working in Dublin in my chosen field since. I am the Digital Marketing Manager for the Irish Jewelry e-commerce company My Irish Jeweler. At My Irish Jeweler, I focus on the content lifespan for our multi-channel sales platforms (i.e. Email, Social Media, SMS, etc.). This includes brainstorming, writing, publishing, and reporting on the performance of campaigns, etc.
Some might ask why as an American I chose Trinity College Dublin? I chose Trinity for its quality of education, its legacy as a Business School, and its location. My MSc greatly affected my career development by strengthening my resume with experiential and theoretical knowledge. My key takeaways from my time studying marketing at Trinity were the principles of brand curation, community, and consistency. I apply these values to my work as a Digital Marketing Manager at My Irish Jeweler, as well as to my passion project. Before my move to Dublin in 2018, I created a digital archive of vintage love letters called Flea Market Love Letters.
Holding some Flea Market Love Letters
Choosing Trinity and the Masters in Marketing
I chose to pursue the MSc in Marketing from the prestigious Trinity Business School for several reasons.
Firstly, the quality of education is unparalleled. When you study at Trinity College Dublin you are instructed by leaders in your field. The professors bring ‘real world’ experience in the classroom.
Secondly, the scale of Trinity Business School's Alumni network was a big attractor as well. The legacy of the degree on my resume was invaluable when interviewing.
Finally, I chose Trinity College Dublin for its location. Right in the centre of Dublin, the beautiful campus has old world charm with modern amenities. The state-of-the-art Trinity College Dublin Business School is just down the road from the European Headquarters of companies like Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, etc. Access to institutions like those coupled with the Trinity College Dublin education and alumni network is worth the application alone!
Career Development
In just a year a student of the Marketing MSc learns the foundations of Consumer Behaviour, International Marketing, Brand Management, etc. The scope of topics discussed and studied opens many doors in the professional world. This balance of the experiential and theoretical greatly affected my work in Marketing. Every day I find myself drawing on my knowledge bank from the MSc.
Key Takeaways
After submitting my Dissertation in the summer of 2019 I began my job hunt. Finding the perfect position takes quite a bit of trial and error. As the job market seemed daunting, I turned my learnings from my lectures and group work inward. While applying and interviewing for external offers, I put into practice what I’d learned into my project of Flea Market Love Letters. Through that experience, I learned the value of my “Three C’s” which are curation, community, and consistency. I brought that energy and insight into my job hunt to which potential employers responded positively.
With friends at Front Square, Trinity College Dublin
Applying Practice to Action
I learned the principles of brand curation, community, and consistency at Trinity which helped me grow Flea Market Love Letters into its present form. In under a year, I saw growth in response to the social media account which led to me building a dedicated website and newsletter. In 2020 I launched the ‘Write More Letters’ Project campaign through Flea Market Love Letters and raised funds for charity through the sale of shirts, masks, and mugs. My trick? I present a highly curated story to an engaged community with consistency.
Advice
My best piece of advice for a potential applicant? Choose Trinity! Trinity Business School has a wonderful and informed team of staff who are ready and able to help you choose the best program. The quality of life in and around Dublin is fantastic with access to affordable international travel and breathtaking scenes right out your front door. The two year graduate visa makes a wonderful opportunity for study and life outside the bubble of the U.S. Whether you choose to remain in Europe or return to the U.S. I believe that broadening the mind through experience and practice are the best things you can do for yourself professionally and personally.
I understand that this can be a huge decision. For me, it was the best one I could have made. I would happily chat with any prospective students on what studying at Trinity was like, how life in Dublin differs from the U.S, and any other questions you might have.
