Chris works in Human Resources, in Dublin’s Brunel Building, as part of a four-person team in DML Recruitment Team, where he is responsible for onboarding new hires, liaising with candidates, organising chairs for interview boards, and attending Recruitment events around the country. Living in Donabate, Co. Dublin, he joined the Agency in 2022 as a clerical officer I then got the opportunity to apply for a promotion and have been a Grade IV in recruitment since 2023, having worked in Sales prior to that.
“When a candidate is given a position, it’s my job to onboard them – that involves requesting their qualifications, references, Garda vetting, bank details, address… I gather all this for their file and forward it to management. Once a start date is arranged, I’ll then organise their contract of employment.
“I’ve got 28 graduates to support at the moment; they will first commence on an Interim Children’s Services Worker contract until they get their CORU certification. Once in receipt of CORU we then issue a Professionally Qualified Social Worker Contract. We onboard internal and external candidates; internal candidates’ timelines are usually quicker as we have most information required to hand.
“I run recruitment campaigns as well; organising a chairperson for the interview board, making an interview schedule for candidates, sending out board packs, as well as candidate information packs. Most of the interviews I’ve been involved in have taken place on Teams.
“There might be last-minute cancellations for interviews, or there could be a technical problem on the call, and you have to move people around for interview slots as a result.
“Usually, you’d have maybe one campaign a month, but it varies; last week, I had three campaigns running. I had one person for the morning, three that afternoon and on another day, there were six candidates on the day.
“You build good relationships with the candidates, and you want the best for them. Once I receive the candidates’ results, I’ll inform them whether they were panelled or not.
“I also attend recruitment events around the country, and was at one at a campus in Cork recently. We set up a table there and chatted to the youngsters; I was shocked at how knowledgeable they seemed to be about the work that Tusla does.
“Working in Brunel is great. I like the building, and I have a nice garden I can visit at lunchtime. And the drive to work through the Phoenix Park is very calming. We all get on well in the team; everyone’s in the same boat and there’s a real sense of purpose about the work; you’re helping to find people who will support the most vulnerable in society.
“Listening to social workers talking at conferences, hearing them tell their journey, it makes you proud to work for Tusla… it’s a privilege.”
TUSLA
