Rose Mary Hogan, Head of Graduate Recruitment and Development EMEA, Glanbia

There were a lot of things that attracted me to Glanbia initially including the strength of the corporate brand, the incredible success Glanbia has achieved, the commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, and the global responsibility I would have in the area of Graduate Recruitment and Development.

As happy as I am that I made the move, which has taken me home to Kilkenny after almost 15 years in Dublin, like any big life moves, you do ask yourself a lot of questions along the way. But asking yourself questions is all part of developing yourself and your career. If you don’t try something new, you won’t challenge yourself. These new experiences have helped me learn more about myself and broaden my view of the world. Today, I am very fortunate to work with really inspiring and enthusiastic graduates, and with a progressive and talented team in Glanbia.
Like many graduates, when I finished my degree in UCD I really didn’t know what to do with myself. I had a broad interest in a lot of things, but none in particular!

My career path

Studying European Politics as part of my degree opened the door to my first step on the career ladder, an internship with former MEP Mary Banotti, in the European Parliament in Brussels. It was an incredible experience. Working abroad, in what feels like a strange city, really gives you a great perspective on where you are at in life and what you want out of it.After that, I decided to take a year out to travel around the world, before coming back and starting my career in a
Recruitment Consultancy, Brightwater, in 2005, following in the footsteps of my sister who worked in the field. I had an amazing learning experience, a lot of fun and great mentoring, which really set me on the right course for my longer term career goals, which was to move into HR.
I went on to study a CIPD Certificate in Personnel Practice and started in Merrill Lynch as a Recruiter, before moving to Deloitte, the world’s largest professional services firm. I am very grateful and fortunate to have worked with, and been mentored and coached by, so many knowledgeable people throughout my time there.

Continuous learning

I believe in the value of continuous development and lifelong learning, and being surrounded by people who are equally passionate about learning, and bringing everyone along with them in that journey. At the moment, I am completing a
Masters in HR Strategies in DCU and every year I try and take the time to invest in learning something new.
A natural curiosity and willingness to learn are some of the key things I look for in graduates. It’s important to be genuinely interested, to want to learn more, and to show you are committed to doing your best and making an impact every day.

At Glanbia, we want our graduates to be at the forefront of their game, and invest a lot to ensure they are, so that they can make an impact in their own careers and in Glanbia, early on.
We all have our own goals and aspirations and we need to be motivated to achieve them. I would say to any graduate that their ambition has to me matched by the right attitude and not being afraid to work hard to achieve something really meaningful. If you have those traits, you will find a rewarding work environment and career path. I couldn’t be happier with where my career path has brought me to date, and, hopefully, there will be plenty more to come!

Rose Mary Hogan was interviewed for Ireland's Leading Graduate Employers 2015/16