My Career: ‘My role is all about keeping things running smoothly’

Name: Bríd Cody

Age: Too old!

Lives: Northside, Cork city.

Job title: Senior Administrator with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) Cork branch.

Salary bracket: Enough to keep me happy!

Education background: Secretarial Certificate in RTC, that possibly marks my age.

Hobbies: Reading, painting, travel, socialising.

Describe your job in five words:

Organisation, co-ordination, problem-solving, teamwork, enjoyable.

Describe yourself in five words:

Dependable, family-focused, thoughtful, cheerful, caring.

Personality needed for this kind of work?

You need to be a person who keeps everything ticking - juggling priorities, staying organised no matter what the day throws at you, and making sure things run smoothly behind the scenes.

How long are you doing this job?

28 years.

How did you get this job?

After college, I spent around six months working in a jewellery shop, as it was difficult at the time to secure a role without experience. A chance meeting with my former career guidance teacher led to a junior admin position with a security company, where I spent three years building my skills.

From there, I moved to the Construction Industry Federation — and clearly it was the right fit, because I’m still here.

Do you need particular qualifications or experience?

Initially, an administrative qualification. Gaining experience will bring you onwards and upwards.

Describe a day at work:

A day in my life as a Senior Administrator is all about keeping things running smoothly. I start by getting ahead of my emails and checking the day’s priorities. Throughout the day, I juggle schedules, sort out problems before they grow, and keep everyone organised.

When something unexpected lands on my desk - a last minute change or an urgent request - I’m the one who gets it sorted. By the end of the day, everything is planned and under control; you always need to be one step ahead.

How many hours do you work a week?

40 hours, usually.

Is your industry male or female-dominated?

When I first started, the industry was very male-dominated. Within the Construction Industry Federation itself, however, that has changed significantly - we now have a strong female presence, especially in senior leadership roles.

While the wider construction sector is still largely male-dominated, the landscape is shifting, with more and more women entering the trades and building successful careers.

Does this affect you in any particular way?

I collaborate effectively with both male and female colleagues and members, and I’m grateful that I’ve consistently been met with respect and professionalism.

Is your job stressful? How? Rate it on a scale of 1-10:

In general, I wouldn’t describe my job as very stressful. We have a strong team that works well together, and we stay as organised as possible, which makes a huge difference.

Of course, there are moments when something unexpected pops up and raises the blood pressure a bit, but I try to manage those situations calmly and keep the stress response under control. I would generally rate it as a 3 or 4.

Do you work with others or on your own?

It is very much a team effort.

When do you plan to retire or give up working?

Hopefully at 65, when I am young enough to still enjoy travel, etc.

Best bits:

The best bits of my job are definitely the people and the sense of teamwork. I enjoy the mix of tasks, the problem-solving, and the feeling of keeping things on track. It’s great to know my work makes other people’s days easier.

Worst bits:

There are moments when things get hectic - unexpected changes, competing demands, or the rush to meet deadlines. Those moments aren’t my favourite, but they do keep me sharp and remind me how important it is to stay organised and flexible.

Advice to those who want your job?

Be yourself, be dependable, and be willing to learn. A Senior Administrator needs strong people skills as much as organisational ones, so build good working relationships and communicate openly. Everything else you can learn over time.

Any other comments?

I genuinely like my job and the people I work with. I enjoy bringing a bit of calm and organisation to the day and helping things run smoothly. Every role has its challenges, but I try to meet them with a positive attitude and a sense of humour.