Dominic O Callaghan

Schull, Co.  Cork, IRELAN

I am from Ireland.

I live in a town of about 1500 people, close to the sea in the South West coast (schull,Co). The town is a fisherman village, with two shops and seven pubs. The countryside is quite beautiful. My father is a fisherman and my mother is a home caretaker. I have three brothers and one sister. I am the oldest one.

Ireland is a beautiful country, but it is not easy to find a full-time job. In fact, during the last three years, I only found part-time jobs. I could get by with a limited income since I lived at home. Here in Australia I am working and moving around to find the best job opportunities. I plan to go back to Ireland. That is my country, and my family is there.

By training I am an electrician. I did find one good job in Ireland, but the company was quite far from my home. I had to travel 120 km daily. At least two hours of driving a day was a lot.

I really like my job, and I take pride in doing a professional work. I am also a people oriented person. To be part of a team is my ideal setting, where I can provide my best contribution to my employer. 

 

I have been in Australia for 10 days only. My intent is to find a job as an electrician.

In order to “prove” the professional training I got in Ireland, I am following two parallel approaches. Back home someone is working to get my certification documents in the form requested by Australian law. Since I don't know how long this will take, I have also arranged to work in Perth for two weeks (as an examination /test) in order to receive directly from the Australian authority, formal papers about my professional standing.

The interview with Dominic will now focus on some aspects of his personality. The conversation turned to how he handles conflicts and pressure.

Dominic says: if there is a conflict involving two or more people, automatically there is also pressure. At the same time if there is strong pressure the situation can easily turn into a conflict. Now, if the conflict does not involved myself, my friends or the people that I work with, I don't stick around to see what happens, I just move on.

If that is not the case I do stay calm (cool) and try to manage this situation.

To be successful in managing conflicts, one must above all, be respected. To acquire the respect and trust of the people around you one must be professionally capable, honest, tolerant and strict at the same time, fair and coherent in applying values. Indeed it is and mix of being strict on basic values, tolerant on side issues and capable in  providing support and guidance. On a very personal level I was pleased and honored when one of my friend asked me to be the godfather of his child. To me it was a sign of respect and trust.

I must say that I learned a lot from an older schoolteacher, and from my grandfather, who spent a lot of time with me as I grew up.

At this point the conversation turned to Dominic family, and their activities as fishermen. As a teenager, Dominic spent three summers, as he was going to school, to work with his relatives in a large fishing boat with a crew of six, going at sea at three or four in the morning and returning at 6 PM. When the school was finally over he worked full-time as a fisherman for three years. He needed the time to decide what he wanted to do in life, and where.  

I guess we must conclude that at that point in time the compass pointed towards Australia. And so here we were, in Perth Western Australia. Dominic, please keep me posted.
Good luck.