Financial news Ireland – job market news, recruitment & career trends in Ireland for the finance sector

If the prospect of a pay rise in the Irish financial sector last year seemed like an implausible ambition, it's not entirely beyond the realms of possibility in 2010. Nearly 30% of financial services employers in Ireland surveyed by recruiters Premier Group expect to raise salaries by as much as 10% this year. Don't get too excited, though – the majority (62.8%) intend to keep pay static, while a... Read more

Ireland's largest banks are either raising cash through rights issues or selling assets in order to bolster capital reserves. While the international investment banks will be vying for the lucrative advisory fees on offer, it's also music to the ears of the firms' internal corporate finance divisions. Bank of Ireland is seeking line up a €1.9bn rights issue to bolster its balance sheet, which means around €50m (or 3% of the... Read more

Depending on your perspective, today is either D-day or a potential apocalypse for the Irish banking sector. The government is to unveil new capital requirements for Irish banks as it officially transfers bad property loans across to NAMA, and is expected to reveal further nationalisation in the sector. Sadly, this looks like being very bad news for jobs. When markets close today, the government will announce the "haircut" required... Read more

It's safe to say that Ireland's financial regulator is about to be a lot busier. It's having to oversee the recapitalisation of the domestic banks, reduce their reliance on government funding, as well as make a raft of regulatory changes to bring Ireland in line with what's happening globally. Not surprisingly, it's on a major recruitment drive. The regulator plans on hiring 160 people this year – to bring its... Read more

Ireland's financial sector is still in the midst of a jobs crisis, which could eventually see the loss of 10,000 positions, according to the country's finance union. The headline figure from the Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) could, of course, create panic among Ireland's financial services employees, but the majority of these roles may have already been lost. However, Bank of Scotland (Ireland)'s decision to axe 750 jobs last week, and the... Read more

After a torrid 2009 for Ireland's financial services industry, it's still slightly difficult to see a light at the end of the tunnel. However, here’s our considered opinion on which sectors will fare better than others next year. 2010 could be a good year for: Fund administration: Arguably one of the largest employers within Ireland's financial services industry, fund administration has shifted from recruitment frenzy to hiring freeze over the last... Read more

Two words can be used to largely sum up the financial services jobs market in Ireland this year – hiring freeze. While it’s true that the vast majority of sectors suffered, some managed to fare well in the face of adversity. 2009 has been a good year for… Insurance: The number of new jobs created might not be astronomical, but the fact that Ireland has continued to attract new insurance entrants to... Read more

We've all seen variations on the list of common questions interviewers ask, but how much have you thought about what questions you should ask a potential employer? The best interviews are really conversations, as well they should be. You want to know if the position is the right fit - just as much as the company does. After all, the work you do makes up a good portion of your waking... Read more

Irish banks' policy of relying on natural attrition has been relatively effective in reducing overall headcount over the last 12 months – but is it enough to prevent redundancy programmes in 2010? As a result of hiring freezes, nearly 1,500 staff have left AIB over the last 12 months, while Bank of Ireland's headcount has shrunk by 1,700. Last week, AIB's new managing director Colm Doherty hinted that redundancies may be... Read more

Bank of Ireland's interim report pours cold water on the recent tentative optimism around the financial services industry. It doesn't make for pretty reading - the firm has posted a loss of nearly €1bn for the six months to the end of September, and its iron grip on costs has seen headcount shrink by 1,700 over the last year. The loss can be attributed to the €1.8bn writedowns on bad loans,... Read more

If, as many in the recruitment sector will tell you, the situation is looking up for Ireland's financial services jobs market then it's a very slow process. However, adding to the gradually growing tide of optimism is the fact that there were more vacancies last month than at any other point during 2009. The number of new job vacancies in September rose by 31% on August, according to recruiters Premier Group's... Read more

The astronomical growth of Dublin's financial sector over the last few years was largely down to its ability to attract huge numbers of back office jobs within international organisations. Now, however, its appeal appears to have diminished. The turmoil surrounding Ireland's financial sector, particularly within its domestic banks, is no secret and now it appears to have damaged its reputation on the global stage. Dublin has slipped by 13 places –... Read more

With NAMA taking shape and both Bank of Ireland and AIB looking to phase out government guarantees through bond issuance, some are suggesting the institutions are looking a lot less shaky. And could it be (whisper it) that jobs are looking safer? AIB has closed a €1bn 3-year senior unsecured bond issue and BoI raised the same amount through a 3.5 year bond. What's more the NAMA transfer 'haircuts' announced... Read more