We went back to the Docklands today so Mr. Kelly could finish his lecture. We sat outside with the big red poles, glass buildings, and a pretty view of the bay. He continued discussing Ireland’s history and finished with some advice as we enter the workforce. He used analogies about lasagna, the body, and cigarettes, which was helpful to understand and remember these points.

Afterwards we made our way over to Trinity College to meet with a representative from Docusign. This is the company I am doing a project on so I payed close attention to the speaker and my groups asked many questions that will help us write our report. He talked about their history, services, and quick growth. I enjoyed learning about this company and about his career path. He talked about his various positions throughout his career and how he made time for travel in the midst of his busy life. I think his professional path is inspiring because he took time to travel and did not prioritize his career when he was younger, and then went on to have powerful positions in many companies. He then gave us some great advice about following our interests and making connections.

After learning about 2 big tech companies, Google and Docusign, that dominate in their industry, it is helpful to compare them. Since they are huge companies with thousands of employees, it is important to consider the company culture. I have noticed even on my sports teams and clubs that culture and the people you are surrounded by highly influence your experience. Google’s take on culture consisted of offering mentors to new employees and offering activities where employees can explore their hobbies and interests. Google is a huge company so it is not a tight knit community but they have ways to make it feel more inclusive. Docusign’s take on culture is changing so they don’t have as structured programs. They have new management, fewer employees, and a declining growth rate, so their culture is not as stable. However, the speaker emphasized that they are particular about the type of people that they hire. They want agreeable people that are easy to work with. This is the foundation of their hiring process and culture.

Both companies also do work internationally. Google’s offices often include people from all over the world. This means they have created programs that are inclusive and bring people together. Docusign also does work in many countries but they are not necessarily brought together all in one office. The speaker described that they adapt their strategies to each country and their standards. Their approaches to culture and international business are different but they work for their goals.

Overall I enjoyed the presentations today. After we were finished we walked to the mall and did some shopping. We stopped by scooped for some ice cream and got to see St. Patrick’s cathedral on the way home. After almost a week in the city I am excited to go on a little day trip tomorrow and see more of Ireland.