Jack O Brien

Thriving within collaborative and close-knit team environments, I have consistently demonstrated effective interpersonal skills, contributing positively to team dynamics. My forte lies in clear and effective communication, tailoring my approach to suit the needs of diverse individuals. My academic achievements, notably achieving an H2 and 100% in my English essay during the Leaving Certification, underscore my ability to deliver concise and compelling messages tailored to specific audiences.

Having honed my communication skills through leadership roles at Manning's Emporium, volunteer Rugby training, and my enriching experience at General Motors, I excel in articulating messages and views effectively. At General Motors, I actively engaged with a diverse team of engineers, collaborating closely to comprehend project requirements, clarify doubts, and align projects with stakeholder expectations. I took the initiative to seek guidance and insights from team members and experts, facilitating effective problem-solving and seamless project integration.

Adept at collaborating with managers and HR departments, I ensured that projects were well-aligned with organizational goals and expectations. I am proactive in seeking and integrating feedback, ensuring that the final product consistently meets stakeholders' needs. My proficiency in tailoring communication styles to diverse audience preferences allows me to convey information clearly and succinctly, aligning with the audience's understanding and background.

A proven track record of providing timely status updates and progress reports during my time at General Motors ensured a comprehensive understanding of project trajectory and potential challenges among team members and managers. In discussions, I actively contribute insights and engage in idea exchange, fostering a collaborative environment that drives creativity and innovative solutions.

Overall, my blend of communication skills, academic accomplishments, and collaborative experience at General Motors positions me as a valuable asset in achieving shared project objectives and fostering a productive work environment.

Teamwork:

Can take the time to listen, assist and respect others in the group. Offer to take on additional responsibilities if required. Can easily interact with a group, open to listening to other points of view and concerns and offering help and support. During my time at work in Mannings Emporium I worked closely with a small team. This requires us to work well together especially during very pressurized summer months where team work is vital to a successful service. Actively engaged in team discussions and readily offered help and support to colleagues, displaying an open approach to teamwork. Demonstrated ability to interact effectively within a group, valuing diverse perspectives, and contributing to a cohesive working environment. Exhibited flexibility by taking on additional responsibilities when necessary, ensuring the smooth functioning of the team, especially during high-pressure periods. Willingly adjusted roles within the team, either taking a leadership position or actively listening to colleagues, to ensure effective teamwork and optimal outcomes. Respectfully listened to and assisted team members, promoting a culture of respect and understanding within the group. Thrived in a small team environment, showcasing effective interpersonal skills and contributing positively to team dynamics. 

Communication Skills:

Ability to deliver clear and effective communication of ideas. I am able to tailor my style of communication to people's needs. I am a good listener and welcome feedback. One of my top results was from my English exam in the Leaving Certification achieving a H2 and 100% in my English essay. I believe I can deliver a clear, concise message and can tailor my message to my audience. As a leader in both Manning's Emporium and my volunteer Rugby training I am well versed in being able to effectively carry my message and views across to others. I have demonstrated the ability to collaborate with managers and HR departments, actively listening, clarifying doubts, and aligning projects with stakeholder expectations. Regularly sought and incorporated feedback, ensuring the final product met stakeholders' needs. Proficient in tailoring communication styles to meet diverse audience needs and preferences. Able to deliver clear and concise messages, aligning with the audience's level of understanding and background. Proven track record of providing regular status updates and progress reports to team members and managers, ensuring comprehensive understanding of project trajectory and potential challenges. Effectively conveyed progress and challenges to relevant parties, managing expectations and fostering collaboration. Engaged in discussions, shared insights, and exchanged ideas with colleagues, fostering a collaborative environment and brainstorming creative solutions. Utilized effective communication to seek guidance and insights from team members and experts, facilitating problem-solving and successful project integration.

Problem Solving & Analytics:

My ability to analyze data and identify the root cause of a problem is bolstered by my proven experience in Web Development. I am proficient in Web Applications, showcasing expertise in Javascript, HTML/CSS, and backend technologies like Java Springboot, Python, and SQL. This proficiency allows me to effectively develop and create web-based solutions. I have demonstrated coding experience through various projects, including creating games using Unity and developing web applications from scratch. This coding experience enables me to tackle challenges systematically. For instance, during a Transition Year small company initiative named 'Bantropoly', where we developed a local board game inspired by Monopoly, I encountered several challenges, including design and budgeting issues. To address these, I utilized careful planning with Microsoft Excel to manage problems and track expenditures. Employing my skills in Agile methodologies, I implemented an initiative to secure sponsorship from local businesses, offering them positions on the board at varying costs. This not only raised funds but also granted free positions to local charities, resulting in positive PR and over 2,000 Euros in profit. We were recognized as the overall Best Mini-Company by AIB. Additionally, during my 8-month placement in General Motors, I harnessed my skills and expertise to overcome challenges systematically. I adopted a systematic problem-solving approach when addressing a critical issue related to date and time functionalities within a project. This showcased my analytical thinking and structured problem-solving abilities. I conducted thorough code analysis to understand how date and time were handled within the system, scrutinizing data structures, algorithms, and logic comprehensively. Successfully identifying and isolating areas within the code where calculations were imprecise, potentially causing inconsistencies in the system's functionality, demonstrated my keen eye for detail. To validate potential solutions, I meticulously developed and executed various test cases, replicating problem scenarios and ensuring analytical validation. Moreover, I conducted an extensive verification process, stress-testing the system with high volumes of requests and complex scenarios. This ensured that the modifications effectively eliminated discrepancies and achieved the desired accuracy in calculations. Understanding the importance of knowledge sharing, I documented the entire problem-solving process, detailing the steps taken and creating guidelines for future maintenance and updates, emphasizing reproducibility and effective knowledge dissemination.

Using Initiative:

I have already located and sourced accommodation for the next academic year outside of student accommodation. I found the accommodation in close proximity by contacting local landlords, comparing prices, utilities and convenience. In regards to work and study I write out a timetable of the work needed to be completed each week. This is to ensure that work is evenly distributed ensuring that I schedule enough time to complete my tasks. This time management is good practice for the summer when I will balance my summer job with taking time to improve my IT skills. I have also used this time in College to organise a J1 visa for myself in order to travel to America to work in a job that I also sourced myself. During my time in General Motors, I took it upon myself to be proactive and achieved the following: Actively identified and addressed potential challenges and bottlenecks in the project development process, anticipating issues and proposing solutions proactively. Continuous Learning and Skill Enhancement: Took the initiative to continuously expand my ICT skills by self-learning and exploring new technologies relevant to project requirements, allowing for a broader skill set and adaptability. Innovative Solutions: Suggested and implemented innovative solutions to enhance project efficiency, functionality, or user experience, contributing ideas that pushed the boundaries of conventional approaches. Mentoring and Knowledge Sharing: Took the lead in mentoring and guiding team members, sharing knowledge and insights to improve overall team performance and individual skill development. Initiating Process Improvements: Recognized areas for process enhancement and took the lead in proposing and implementing improvements, streamlining workflows and optimizing project outcomes. Project Ownership and Responsibility: Demonstrated ownership and accountability for project success by taking responsibility for critical tasks and ensuring their timely and accurate completion. Initiative in Documentation: Actively engaged in thorough project documentation, taking the initiative to document processes, procedures, and best practices for future reference, contributing to an organized and efficient knowledge base. 

Projects/Portfolio/Volunteering:

I am a member of the Bantry Rugby Club and have been a volunteer coach for the under 6s and 7s. I have also created a game with my 3 team members called 'At Debt's Door'. This is a 2D Top Down Shooter/Strategy that we created from scratch making our own assets and code. Also part of the creation of a website for a mock charity called Gamers Giving. This is a charity that provides consoles to sick children in hospital whilst raising money and awareness of their illness. I have also made a modified GUI based version of the popular game called 'Zork' . As well as this I have begun to create pixel art in my spare time and I have stored my work in this portfolio on github : https://github.com/Jackobrien4555?tab=repositories I have also made several small games and projects using Unity as I enjoy working in the environment using C#. I have worked on multiple projects during my time in General motors, showcasing a diverse portfolio of skills and expertise in Web Development.

I was part of CTYI which is the Centre for Talented Youth in Ireland and was offered the opportunity to study Game Theory and Medicine in DCU over two summers,showcasing dedication to continuous learning and development. I also got selected to attend a Forensic Science and IT Course in UCC. I was also awarded the Cork ETB award in recognition of achieving 565 points in the Leaving Certificate. As stated earlier I have acquired both a J1 visa and a job in America by myself for the Summer of 2022,showcasing initiative and adaptability. One of my new hobbies is creating assets for furture projects using both pixel art and 3D modeling,demonstrating a creative and innovative approach to asset creation for future projects.I have created many different pixel art assets for previous projects and I have began exploring Maya and Blender in order to create 3D models and animations. I have made multiple video demenstrations for several projects during my time in General Motors, using Powtoon I incorporated animation and a self trained Text to Speech model to bring life to the demos