IRELAND | Internship: At work | Manners at work

Dress codes are relatively relaxed in Ireland but it is advisable to seek direct advice from the firm prior to commencing the placement. At schools, pupils normally wear a school uniform. Smoking in the workplace is forbidden and many companies have a similar ban on eating at the workstation.

When addressing your colleagues or even your boss, you will normally use his or her first name - without using any acadamic titles-, and that right from the beginning. However, don´t forget your boss remains your boss and does not turn into a private friend after all. even if that might be the case in your home country when addressing someone by first name. Don´t lose the due respect. And learn last names in order to be able to know which “Patrick” you might be talking about.

Actually, the very common greeting of “Hello, how are you” does not mean you should consider it a real question and answer it. A short “Fine, thank you” is enough. Quite often, you will hear your first name added even from people you have only been introduced to a short while before. This is very polite so you might try and also answer with: “And how are you, Angela?”