Our opportunities

From buying and trading to finance or marketing, we have a diverse range of Grad Programmes that will challenge and reward

Find your role
Our selection process
1

Online application

Complete the online application form available in the Apply now section of this site.

Mark musgravegraduates.support@aon.com as a safe sender in your email so you receive our updates.

This form is only available during the application window indicated. You will be asked to provide information on your educational and professional background so make sure you have your information and an updated CV prepared before you start. You’ll receive an email from us within 24 hours asking you to complete our online assessments. All of our communications with you will be by email up to the assessment centre stage so do ensure you check your inbox for updates from us.

2

Online assessments

You will be invited to complete online verbal and numerical assessments as well as a Situational Judgement Questionnaire (SJQ) which asks you how you would respond to typical situations which could arise in our business.

Take note of the deadline to complete these assessments and ensure you complete these by the indicated date. We can only progress applications where assessments are completed within the indicated time-lines.

 

Check out our advice on online assessments

3

Video interview

We understand a video interview can be new and unnerving for some, but view it as you would a normal interview, the only difference is you can do it from the comfort of your home. Be aware that you only have one opportunity to complete it – just as you would an interview in person – so make sure you are prepared and that your microphone and camera are working.

This is an application which will launch an automated video where you will have a limited time-frame to respond to questions which will appear on-screen.

 

Find out more on our video interview process

4

Assessment centre

You’re almost there! The assessment centre is the final stage in the process. This is our opportunity to get to know you a bit better and for you to meet some of our senior managers in the business.

The assessment centres take place over half a day and are role-specific, so, for example, we’ll invite all Finance applicants together. You will participate in both group and individual activities, including a competency based interview. Our upcoming assessment centres will be virtual.

 

Read more on our assessment centres

What we're looking for

We assess the following competencies throughout our assessment process. Does this sound like you?

You are proactive and will take opportunities to work on your own initiative. You are a person who can make things happen and you accept responsibility for the results, positive or negative. You are reliable and conscientious in your work.
You’re interested in how business works and want to achieve high quality results. You can quickly understand and analyse complex issues and make informed decisions to progress business results. You set yourself challenging goals and follow through with commitment and determination.
You can create a stable and collaborative work atmosphere by working well with others. You are generous in sharing your knowledge, experience and information, and you support others in the pursuit of team goals. You are confident in addressing conflicts openly and to work on solving them in a constructive way.
You are aware of your own strengths and development areas and actively seek to use this information to further your personal and professional growth. You are curious and look for opportunities to learn from others. When things don’t work out right, you take this as an opportunity to try something new or different.
You communicate clearly and with conviction. You can break down complex messages and deliver a clear, compelling message. You can modify your communication style and deliver as needed to others. You can influence others through your communication skills.
You thrive in a fast-paced environment and can deliver under pressure. You cope well in stressful situations and can maintain a high-performance level. You can also cope with failure and learn from the experience so you can reach your objectives.
You produce fresh and imaginative ideas and solutions to challenges you encounter. You have the ability to translate these ideas into realistic and workable strategies. You actively look to promote change and diversity of thinking to achieve your desired goals.
How to stand out

1. Research

We’ll expect you know about our business and our brands. If you don’t, then you need to do your research. There is plenty of information online and on your local high street.

Learn about us

The first place to start is our website musgravegroup.com where you’ll find plenty of information about what we do.

Check us out

Do your own investigative work. Try researching us online, outside of our website, and see how we’re doing nationally and internationally.

Experience our brands

You’ve probably been into our stores many times, but try visiting and looking at them with a retail focus, noticing things like customer service and in-store marketing.

2. Connect

Today you can view brands and connect with people and businesses you want to work with before you even apply for a position thanks to the internet, so make the most of it.

Get social

Follow us via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to get news updates and see what our current graduates are up to.

Connect with us

Connect with people who work at Musgrave on social networks and learn about their experiences.

Tailor your CV

Using the information you’ve found online, tailor your CV to the role you are applying for.

3. Prepare

The next thing to do is prepare yourself for the application process, making sure you have a CV that stands out and you have answers to questions well-rehearsed.

Get prepared

Try using the STAR method for preparing to talk about your experiences and answering questions.

Seek advice

Use your college career services, who can advise you on preparing and writing your CV and answering questions.

Think long term

We are recruiting for potential and want to understand where you see yourself in the business in the future, so start thinking about it now.

4. Focus

You’re in the application process for a reason. Don’t focus on the negatives or how you can compete with other grads. Just focus on your positives and why you’re here.

Know your strengths

At the assessment centre, focus on bringing the best version of you rather than competing with others. You’re there because we feel you have potential.

Know your reasons

Be prepared to talk about why you want to work with us. What will you bring? Why does Musgrave appeal to you?

Focus on the tests

Follow the instructions closely for the online tests and use the time wisely to practise. Make sure you’re not disturbed whilst taking them.

5. Impress

We’re not just looking for knowledge and degree certificates, we’re looking for real people, with positive attitudes and an understanding of the world of business.

Be yourself

Tell us about your interests outside of study and work. What transferable skills can you bring from them?

Dress appropriately

At the assessment centre you’ll be meeting senior managers in the business, so ensure you give your best impression.

Create an impression

First impressions count and this goes for the format of your CV, your personal presentation and the way you carry out activities too.

6. Communicate

The way we communicate gives a lot away about a person, so think about the whole process, how you present yourself and how you talk to us.

Ask for feedback

We will give feedback from all our assessment centres. Take us up on this offer.

No need to shout

Not a fan of group discussions? You don’t have to be the loudest or talk the most, just make contributions that are useful and right for you.

Ask us questions

The recruitment process works both ways and it’s your chance to find out if we are the right company for you.

Find your answer in our frequently asked questions.
APPLICATION PROCESS
What do I need to consider before I apply?

Add musgravegraduates.support@aon.com to your email contacts to make sure you receive our application updates

– Make sure your CV is saved in PDF or Word format as other formats may not be supported on our recruitment system

– Are there specific academic criteria for your preferred role? If we are looking for specific qualifications, we will apply these criteria for shortlisting candidates. You may be considered for your second preference if you do not meet specific criteria for your preferred role.

I've submitted my application, what happens next?

We’ll email you within 24 hours of submitting your application inviting you to complete our online assessments. This email will come from musgravegraduates.support@aon.com so make sure you mark this email as safe. Depending on your email filters, it may be directed to your spam folder. Keep an eye on the inbox and spam of the email you used for your application. If you have not received this email within 48 hours, contact us on earlycareers@musgrave.ie requesting this to be resent. This will be resent where applicable within the time-constraints of the application process.

I haven't received details of the online assessments after submitting my application.

This email will come from earlycareers@musgrave.ie  so make sure you mark this email as safe. Depending on your email filters, it may be directed to your spam folder. Some spam folder settings will automatically delete all emails after 30 days. If you have not received this email within 48 hours of submitting your application, or believe that it may have been deleted from your spam folder, contact us on earlycareers@musgrave.ie requesting this to be resent. This will be resent where applicable within the time-constraints of the application process.

When will I find out if I have been successful?

We’ll contact you as soon as possible after each stage of the recruitment process. Correspondence up to the assessment centre stage is through email so please check your email regularly. Depending on your email filters sometimes our email may end up in your spam folder, check this out if you haven’t heard from us and ensure you have marked our email earlycareers@musgrave.ie as safe.

How many graduates do you hire each year?

We’re a fast-moving business and our opportunities change from year to year to meet our business requirements. We typically hire between 10-20 graduates each year.

Can I reapply next year if I don’t get onto the programme this year?

Yes, you can apply the next year if unsuccessful in your application.

GRADUATE REQUIREMENTS
Do I need a specific degree to be considered for Musgrave?

Many of our opportunities are open to graduates from all degree backgrounds. Where we do look for a specific qualification, we’ll specify it in the role description so check out Our Opportunities page. If we are looking for specific qualifications, we will apply these criteria for shortlisting candidates.

How recently should I have graduated?

Our roles are aimed at grads who are looking for their first or second job. However, if you are interested in a career with Musgrave and have more experience you can apply directly for any of our current vacancies on  https://www.musgravegroup.com/careers/

What is the minimum requirement to be eligible for the graduate programme?

Successful applicants must have graduated, or be on track to graduate, with an Honours Primary Degree (Level 8 NFQ). For roles where a specific degree or discipline is specified, we will apply these criteria for shortlisting candidates.

I need a work permit. Are you able to organise that for me?

It is a requirement that you are eligible to work in the Republic of Ireland. If you do not hold an appropriate work permit, regretfully we cannot take your application further. If you are successful in your application with us, we will support the required documentation for future permit application and provide financial support.

Why do I have two role choices on the application form?

We ask for your two preferred graduate roles to understand how you want to develop your career. We’ll consider your application based on your first preference as much possible. We may consider you for your second choice if we feel this would be more suited to your profile or if your academic qualifications do not meet criteria for specific role if required e.g. if you apply for an IT role and you do not hold a relevant IT/technical degree or masters.

THE PROGRAMME
Do I need to know what area I want to work in?

Our graduate roles are designed to provide you with the skills and knowledge to progress to business roles in specific areas e.g. if you join our buying programme, you will work in buying teams for the two years of the programme to gain the experience needed to become a buyer for our leading retail and wholesale brands. We recommend you go through our Opportunities carefully and make an informed decision on which area appeals most to your career ambition.

What's the salary?

Starting salary for roles based in the Republic of Ireland is €31,000 gross per annum and increases after 12 months subject to performance. You are also eligible to a bonus on successful completion of the Programme.

What is the duration of the graduate programme?

The Programme runs for two years, apart from the finance which runs for three years. We hire on a fixed-term contract initially and will work with high performing graduates to provide you with suitable career moves in our business post-Programme.

Will I change locations during the programme?

Depending on your graduate role, you will work in at least two of our divisional headquarters throughout the programme. These may be located in Dublin, Cork or Belfast. Check out our Opportunities to see where the roles are based and whether the role has a geographical rotation. If such a rotation is required, it forms part of your contract.

The majority of our opportunities are hybrid with teams typically working 1-2 days in the office.

What's involved in the Musgrave development programme?

The Musgrave Graduate development programme is a bespoke development programme to support the professional and personal development of our graduates. It comprises in-person and virtual modules over 2 years focused on areas such as personal growth, strategy, financial acumen, project management. You will also receive individual coaching as part of the Graduate development Programme and will work on a business projects which you will present to our CEO and senior leaders.

Can I work remotely?

All Musgrave colleagues in office-based roles have the option to work in a hybrid role, with time spent in the office to collaborate and engage, and time working remotely. We calling this Work Smart @ Musgrave and details will be shared with successful applicants. Typically colleagues will spend 1-2 days in the office per week however it can vary by team.

OTHER
Will I work with specific brands or across the whole business?

Depending on the role, you may work across several brands while on the Programme to give you wide exposure of our business. Details of the brands involved in each opportunity are included in the role descriptions on Our Opportunities

I want to study for a professional accountancy qualification, will you support this?

We support our Finance graduates in studying for the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) qualification via the CGMA Finance Leadership Program provided by CIMA. This is an online learning program, similar in scope and rigour to a master’s degree, that teaches the finance, business, people, and leadership skills needed to succeed in the finance team of the future. All learning, assessments and Case Study exam preparation takes place within the comprehensive FLP platform. Musgrave provides financial support and study leave for our Finance graduates to undertake this study pathway. We do not currently support other accountancy study pathways.

Where can I get more information?

Connect with us on Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook  for regular updates, you can also visit our corporate website to find out more about Musgrave

Are there opportunities to work abroad?

Currently all our graduate roles are based on the Island of Ireland.