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Nine years ago my husband decided he wanted to move back to the Emerald Isle after a job opportunity came up that he could not refuse.

Reluctantly I packed my bags, now I did spend a year packing my bags before I boarded the plane on a one way ticket to Dublin. At this point I think I should add that I’m originally from Yorkshire and I was living in the big smoke of London and loving life.

You probably wonder why I was reluctant to come to such a beautiful country, where the people are so friendly and the craic is part of everyday life. My reason? I loved living in London, but most importantly I loved what I did and as it turned out I was actually pretty good at it. I recruited finance and operations staff into the top investment banks and made a very good living out of it.

How could I possibly find an opportunity like that in Dublin? How would I find a company where culture and its people mattered just as much as the sales figure you had to achieve every month?  Could I earn as much money as I was earning in London? Where would I find a company that could show me a clear career pathway that would meet my needs? Could I find a boss who trusted in what I did and believed in the opportunities within the financial services sector? Were there even any recruitment agencies in Dublin that could tap into opportunities and candidates from outside of the emerald shores?

After some initial research and a lot of meetings and too much coffee, I got the opportunity to meet Morgan McKinley. 

Morgan McKinley were my biggest competitors during my three years recruiting in London, they were a force to be reckoned with back then and they still are today so I figured they must have some impact here in Dublin and be able to meet my long list of requirements:

Did their values match mine?

Yes. Morgan McKinley create a culture of trust, respect and communication, and make sure we have fun along the way. Empowerment - They give you the responsibility, support and incentives necessary to succeed. Specialisation – they enable people to be totally focused on the disciplines and industries they work in, ensuring they become industry experts.

Is there strong career progression?

Yes. There is a clear pathway for progression for everyone at all levels. Depending on the route you decide to take there is full support from your manager and as an organisation they promote internal moves whether locally or across the globe.

Does Morgan McKinley have an established financial services division?

Yes. The financial services desk in Morgan McKinley is the longest standing division within the business. The strong candidate and client base means 'MMK' are well positioned in the market to service their key accounts and develop new relationships within the FS landscape.

Are they an international brand?

Yes. Morgan McKinley have offices across the globe with a strong financial services team in each of these offices and you have access to a global candidate database. Enabling you to connect in with candidates before they have even set foot in Dublin, which proves very beneficial and enables you to get hold of the key talent before your local competitors even know they exist!

Can I earn good money?

Yes. Morgan McKinley offer a very competitive commission structure with no cap on your earning potential plus the benefits package on offer is extensive. There’s a gym on site, free breakfast, wine on a Friday and many social, sporting and charity events. We all get two CSR days a year to allow us to give back and support our local community. 

Based on what I found out about Morgan McKinley Dublin, the passion and drive I saw from the leadership team, I knew I had found the place for me and I haven’t looked back. So a wedding, two beautiful daughters and a few promotions later and here I am, fully settled into life in Dublin and loving my role in Morgan McKinley.

I have the privilege of running the biggest and strongest financial services division in Dublin. A team which truly operate as a team, who hold strong belief in service delivery and each day we aim to improve the lives of our clients and candidates but we also make sure we have some fun along the way!

So what next for me and financial services?

We don’t like to sit still here in Morgan McKinley and when we see an opportunity, we go for it. We are expanding out our service offerings not only to our existing clients but also to those companies looking to relocating due to Brexit. With regards to Brexit, as an organisation we are well positioned because of our specialisation and knowledge of the market and also due to the strong client relationships with our London counterparts have.

So if you’re looking to move back to Dublin or like me you are following your loved one…give me a call. 

There’s no better time to make that move. The confidence in the market is back and with that comes new hires, expansions, and new companies setting up here every week. You just need to look at the Dublin skyline and see all the cranes to know, the future is bright for the Irish capital!

For more information about us or the opportunities we have within financial services and the wider Morgan McKinley network, feel free to get in touch with me.