Personal Story
I’m Colm. I live in Madrid but I’m from Dublin, Ireland originally. I’ve been working in IT and Tech since 2009. I started as a customer service and hardware technician, before moving into software support. In 2012, I changed roles to a big American tech company that allowed me both the opportunity to work in technical writing and documentation but also an opportunity to move to Budapest, Hungary. While in Hungary, I continued to learn new skills in coding and software and in 2020, changed teams in the same company to work in Software Quality Assurance. In 2022, I moved again, this time with a different company, to Madrid, Spain where I now work for a multi-national tourism and travel company. I’m happy to speak with anyone interested in starting in tech about my journey and share how I adapted what I needed to do to my upper limb difference.
Advice
I have 2 kinds of advice:
For getting into the industry – go into every interaction being willing to learn, and always ask questions. An interviewer is more likely to call back a person with less experience if they can clearly demonstrate a passion for the industry and the technology used.
For working on a computer with a limb difference – Watch your posture! In general, at a desk, people tend to slouch and roll their shoulders – over time that can lead to back issues. This is especially true when you’re adapting your typing or mouse use for a limb difference. Make sure to take 5 minutes every few hours, at least, to stretch your back and shoulders.