Richard Mahoney, Business Development Assistant, Company C3 Projects

Degree subject Bachelor of Commerce, UCD (2007)
Job title Business Development Assistant
Employer Company C3 Projects, Dublin

I wanted to work for a small company as I thought I would be close to the action and learn a great deal. Being able to work on my own initiative without layers of management looking over my shoulder also appealed. So, when I heard about a position with a small engineering and infrastructure consultancy through a friend of mine I decided to apply.

My job entails identifying new business opportunities as well as selecting tenders and executing them in order to win business (a tender is a bid that we produce in order to compete with other companies for the contract to work on a certain project).

On a day-to-day basis I keep an eye on the tenders we are working on. I also investigate the feasibility of new projects by using our IT software, talking to clients and gaining referrals from them. This is the best part of the job for me, along with working on the business plans to be presented to potential and existing clients. I’ve learned how to judge whether a new venture is going to be profitable – an invaluable business skill.

Another advantage of working for a smaller company is that I get to meet clients and attend high-level meetings. One of my highlights so far was sitting in on an exciting meeting with some big names in the industry about my company getting involved with a huge infrastructure project.

I would ideally like to work here for a few years to continue building on my experience and learning how small businesses are run. I’m an aspiring entrepreneur and in the future I would like to move on and start up my own business.

Tips for graduates

If you’re not the type of person who will enjoy working in a large company, listen to your instincts and don’t choose that route just because your parents or friends want you to. There are so many alternative opportunities out there – take a good look at your personal strengths and personality traits and look for a job that suits them.