What does your typical day look like?
Every day is different, but I typically start each day with a coffee or bottle of water and prioritise my actions for the day ahead. I like to use my mornings to plan before joining my team’s morning stand-up meeting, with my afternoons being focused on executing client projects. I am fortunate that EY provides the opportunity to work flexibly, in a way that works best for me.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently working with a Public Sector client as a Lead Business Analyst, but I have also held Delivery Lead and Project Management roles across other clients in my portfolio. I am a seasoned Agile Practitioner, and as part of this I enjoy bringing new ideas to my Scrum teams, keeping up to date with the latest trends and best practices, whilst producing Agile thought leadership content for my peers.
I also play a key role in supporting our Talent Acquisition team to source the best candidates as part of our exciting growth plans at EY Northern Ireland. Leading our Tech Consulting recruitment within the function, I am often working on devising recruitment strategies with our leadership team. I am currently working on rolling-out a series of tech meet-up events, following the success of our inaugural Tech Meetup in Ormeau Baths back in October – watch this space!
What inspired you to join this company in particular?
The amazing people and positive vibes throughout the recruitment process. I had many other offers on the table from similar companies, but EY felt right. Having been with the business for over five years, I feel the same way and I’m very glad I made the decision to build my career here in the EY Northern Ireland Tech Consulting team.
What is keeping me here? The culture, exciting growth plans in Northern Ireland, and EY’s investment in continuous learning to ensure we are always growing and providing the best, market-leading services to our clients. Every day, I am motivated to work alongside the best tech experts in the industry – who better to learn from?!
Did you always want to work in this industry?
During my early years of school, I was convinced I wanted to be a pharmacist, but changed my mind when I studied business studies for GCSE & A-Level (and I saw how scary Advanced and Organic Chemistry was!). I knew I wanted to go into a management consultant role. I went on to study Business Management at Queen’s University Belfast and secured a placement year in a Tech Centre of Excellence, igniting my interest in tech. Now I’m in a role that merges tech with management consulting, and I’m very happy.
What’s your favourite part about your work?
The variety of client projects and the amazing people I work with every day is one of the best things about working for EY. I am surrounded by a strong support network, empowering leaders and mentors who not only encourage personal and professional growth, but also empower me to make a tangible impact on our clients' success every day.
I am also very proud to have played a pivotal role in the incredible growth story of the EY Northern Ireland Tech Consulting team over the past two years, and very excited for our further growth plans for the next five years.
I am extremely fortunate to have been promoted each year I’ve been with EY – these opportunities are a fantastic way to grow your career and shows the trust and ambition that EY instils in their people.
What would you say to other people considering a job in this industry?
If you’re interested in tech, and have a proactive mindset and positive energy, then go for it! You don’t need to have the ‘techy’ skills from the outset. The most important quality, in my opinion, is having the right mentality to apply yourself to different situations and adopt a growth mindset to upskill yourself, enabling you to propel your career in the tech industry. You don’t need to come from a tech background – many of our highest performing interns and graduates do not come from a tech background, but have used EY’s many learning platforms, including EY Badges, to upskill themselves quickly and appropriately to excel in their role.
Who inspired you to work in this field?
During my three years at university, I completed a placement year with a local Tech Centre of Excellence. They had a global presence, and working with a fantastic team and tech experts, I was inspired me to kickstart a career in tech.
What do you consider to be the most important tech innovation or development in recent years?
The exponential advancement, application and scaling of AI, especially the relatively recent emergence of GenAI, which is likely to evolve further into General Intelligence in the not-so-distant future. The possibilities and opportunities are endless, and it is surely going to be a generational change rather than a lingering buzzword. AI has the potential to revolutionise the way we live and work, and how organisations operate. However, even though there are endless fantastic possibilities of AI applications, there are also going to be a number some challenges for us to work through.
What tech gadget could you not live without?
My TV or my Phone. Also, my headphones when I’m at the gym, which is where you’ll find me every Monday night, Friday night and Sunday morning.
