Rachel Maher’s job as our Employer Services Consultant in Finglas, Ballymun and Blanchardstown offers her the people-facing, action-oriented role that she thrives in. Our Employers Services Consultants liaise between local businesses who are recruiting and our clients looking for employment in those communities.

After graduating from a course in Business and Marketing Management, Rachel started a sales and business development role but felt unfulfilled.

“I enjoyed the business development side of things but the sales part left me working on my own in the office over the phone. It felt a little isolating and it wasn’t much of a team experience. The Employment Advisor role popped up in 2017 and when I read about helping people who were long-term unemployed, I really liked that idea,” she continued.

Starting at Seetec

“When I went for an interview at head office, I knew straight away that I’d be happy there. The Business Manager who interviewed me was lovely and when he introduced me to the team and told me how long they’d all been with the business, I just knew it was the right place for me.”

After four successful years as an Employment Adviser, she took up a new opportunity as an Employer Services Consultant in 2021. This role ensures she’s in constant contact with local employers and knows every single vacancy available in a large catchment area of North Dublin.

“I speak a lot to employers, and I like figuring out who they need for their teams. With this role, I’m also able to interact with our clients on a one-to-one basis and figure out ways I can support them. I also love networking at employer fairs, travelling around and meeting people face-to-face.”

When she attends each office, she speaks to the clients on our service to assess the most suitable candidates for the jobs available. Rachel also works closely with our Employment Advisors to identify our clients’ skills, training and development needs.

“It’s a case of assessing whether our clients are job ready,” she said.

“You also assess what factors will come into play to ensure our clients will be happy at their jobs and stay there. It keeps you on your toes going between three offices. For anyone else taking on this role, organisation is key.”

A Community-centred Role

Some areas Rachel covers are traditionally more disadvantaged than other communities she works in. There is a tendency towards higher long-term unemployment rates, generational unemployment, and more early school leavers.

“I love the opportunity to vouch for our clients to local employers. The market is competitive and because some of our clients have been out of work for a long time, building up their confidence feels amazing,” she said.

“It’s great to show our clients that I have direct relationships with HR personnel working in local community businesses who are willing to give local employees an opportunity to prove themselves. It’s rewarding to make those connections.

“Our clients don’t always know that we can support them to do training. We can find the right courses and cover the costs of necessary upskilling like safe passes, licences and more.”

Rachel is also proud of the relationships she has nurtured with major local employers, such as The Jellybean Factory in Blanchardstown, which is a fantastic local employment option.

“I’ve arranged a lot of employment for our clients there. This business is expanding all the time. Their Human Resources Manager understands that our clients may not have massive amounts of experience but are local and hard-working. She’s willing to give them opportunities and comprehensive training,” Rachel continued.

“It’s a win-win for our employer partners too. Recruiting with us is free and we pre-screen our clients incredibly well. They’re well prepared for the roles they go into.”

For more information about the bespoke recruitment service that we provide to employers in the communities we serve, please visit our website for details.