Shivani Murali

Dublin was supposed to be my fresh start, but a week in, the rejections had already begun.

I'd chosen Ireland deliberately because it had a top university, a strong finance program, and better job prospects than most places I'd considered. Everything pointed to it being the right move.

But the reality hit me hard. For months, it was just rejections. My coursework was intense, and finding even a part-time job took almost two months. When I finally got hired as an event steward at concerts, the work was draining. I stood for hours in the cold, and my longest shift was seventeen hours straight. Later, I worked in a restaurant doing 8 to 10-hour shifts regularly.

Between the exhausting shifts, my master's assignments, and sending out applications every spare moment I had, I was completely drained.

As the end of my program got nearer, I made a decision. I quit my part-time job, flew home for a month, and gave my complete focus to the job search. That became the turning point.

I sent out over 200 applications, 100+ cold emails, and 100+ cold messages on LinkedIn. It was around that time I found Unimad. Sharath and his team reminded me what I'd forgotten: that I'd already landed a job in India through LinkedIn before. I just needed to remember the formula.

They helped me optimise my LinkedIn, build a strong portfolio, and create a Value Proposition Document that made me stand out in interviews. More than the tools, they believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. They kept me going through the hard days.

After months of persistence, burnout, and showing up even when nothing seemed to work, I finally got my first full-time finance role in Ireland. It's a one-year contract, but it's a start, and I'm using this experience to aim even higher!

Here's what I'd tell anyone searching right now: optimise your LinkedIn and build real relationships, not just applications.