I Got Hired: Sinead

Posted on: 26 September 2024 by Richard Finch in Class of 2023

Sinead Tohill is a Class of 2023 Communications and Media with Spanish graduate who is now working as a Marketing Executive & Brand Ambassador at Killowen Distillery.

How did you hear about your role and decide to apply for it?

After graduating I was so keen to throw myself into the marketing industry and leave my part time role as a sales advisor for EE which served me well throughout university, but wasn’t something I wanted to pursue a career with.

After applying for months and months to endless graduate schemes I saw the job for a local distillery come up on a Facebook group and I was so excited to apply! I did not think twice about applying as the spirits industry was something I had found to be exciting after I left university, and I had applied to many other companies with no avail.

How did you get to where you are now?

I was told by my employer that my CV was the deciding factor in being offered the role. I want to thank the careers advice team at Liv Uni for helping me perfect it. My year abroad and my ability to speak Spanish really helped me stand out as a candidate, especially since Killowen Distillery is going global. The experience abroad gave me a lot of confidence in myself and my skills, which has been really beneficial in my role as a brand ambassador for the company.

Your favourite experience as part of your role?

Attending events on behalf of Killowen Distillery is my favourite part of the role. I get to meet many new people, including long-time fans of the brand and newcomers eager to learn about who we are and what we do.

Since joining in May 2024, I have attended Whiskey Live in Dublin, conducted tastings at Belfast International Airport, and hosted tours at the distillery. With the company's recent partnership with a major distributor in America, I am hopeful that I will have the opportunity to attend brand trips there.

Additionally, I've been able to utilise my Spanish skills to reach out to distributors in Spain and organise attendance at a whiskey show in Madrid this November.

The most challenging part of your graduate journey?

The most challenging part was the gap between leaving university and applying for jobs that aligned with my career. The job market is super tough, especially in Northern Ireland and I was just aimlessly applying for any job just to get out of my sales advisor role which I fell out of love with when I realised there were no real options for progression.

Top 3 Tips for current students and graduates:

  1. Persevere! It’s tough finding your ideal job to kick off your career but I am a big believer in what is for you will not pass you. Stick through it! Do not compare your journey to others, it is ok if it takes a while to land your dream job!

  2. The sooner you start your search the better. I never attended any career fairs during my time at university and that is definitely a regret of mine. It was only really the November after I left university that I realised I wanted to pursue a career in the spirits industry, and I know if I had of paid a bit more attention going into my final year careers wise I would have realised that a lot sooner.

  3. Make use of the careers team!! Having a good CV really can boost your prospects of standing out to employers so take their advice while you can. 

 
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