This month, the Gentle Giant recruiting team dug out passports and packed up wellies for the annual hiring trip to Dublin, Ireland in search of J-1 students. The J-1 visa offers active students the chance to work and travel in the United States for a four-month period and GG has found this group brings an enthusiastic attitude and strong work ethic to our busy season.
When hiring for a job as physically demanding as moving, meeting applicants in person is the best way to assess company fit, so Gentle Giant has been making the journey for over 20 years. Every year recruiters spend 2-3 days in Dublin around February-March, thankful to replace the snowy grey of Boston with the rainy grey of Ireland.
Twenty years of recruiting means a lot of trips to Ireland and a lot of institutional knowledge of how to make the most of a short time on the Emerald Isle. Here is a little guide to 48 hours in Dublin, Gentle Giant style, for those of you who might have an upcoming layover in the fair city:
Day 1
1.) Take red eye from Boston to Dublin.
2.) Wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Remark on what a wonderful night sleep you had and thank your plane neighbors for being quiet, respectful, and peaceful. Or maybe not.
3.) Go to hotel and try for early check-in. If early check-in is unavailable, find nearest restaurant/café/pub serving full Irish breakfast.
4.) Order and consume.
5.) Once food has been consumed, coffee will be your best friend.
6.) Wander through a nearby city park to digest said full Irish breakfast. Enjoy the green grass, blooming flowers, and early morning light. Phoenix Park, St. Stephen’s Green, or the Iveagh Gardens are all lovely options.
7.) If it is raining, bring a coat and umbrella, the rain won’t last long.
8.) If it is sunny, bring a coat and umbrella, the sun won’t last long.
9.) Meet at career fair site. Review the room layout, look over the interview list, and begin bracing yourself for the days to come.
10.) Stumble through the rest of the day, checking emails while checking out sights. Walk off the fatigue of a red eye in the historic buildings and famous neighborhoods on either side of the River Liffey.
11.) Insert coffee breaks as necessary.
12.) Take a moment to marvel at the fact that you are in Ireland.
13.) Find a heavy dinner to put you right to bed.
Day 2
14.) Wake up to the sound of an alarm reminding you it is time for the hiring to begin.
15.) Don your Gentle Giant polo, fleece, jacket, and socks.
16.) Eat breakfast, another full Irish. Drink coffee. And then drink more coffee.
17.) Descend into a hotel conference room where you will spend the next nine hours shaking hands, asking questions, offering information, and making hiring decisions.
18.) At 6 p.m., pack up your bags and meet in the hotel lobby café to discuss applicants over a fresh Guinness.
19.) Enjoy an evening walk through Trinity campus.
20.) Stop in a quite pub for a Beef and Guinness stew.
21.) Fall into bed at 9 p.m., ignoring the fact that it is 4 p.m. at home.
Day 3
22.) Wake up ready to repeat the day before.
23.) Hire 50 students in two days.
24.) Sleep.
We hope this guide offers you some helpful suggestions of what you could do with 48 hours in Dublin. The recruiters say Sláinte to another successful trip!