23. June 2022

Inpute graduate programme experience: Paul Mahoney

Inpute graduate programme experience: Paul Mahoney

Q: When did you join the Inpute team?

A: I joined in September 2021.

Q: Was the graduate program what you expected?

A: Coming from a software development course I had assumed that the job would be solely development focused. This program provides with you with broader exposure to more aspects of the industry such as professional services, customer support as well as software development. I was quite happy with this approach because I got broad exposure to several aspects of IT that I would not have received in a different job.

Q: Can you give me a summary of your role now and how it's changed over the last few years?

A: For the first 6 months I was responsible for maintaining and supporting the helpdesk which allowed me to learn about the various systems deployed on customer sites. Since then, I have trained our newest graduates and have been making the transition away from the helpdesk into more project work focused on development activities.  

Q: How has the graduate program helped in your personal development?

A: It provided me with real-world exposure to how the industry operates. My college placement was cancelled due to the pandemic so leaving university I hadn’t a clue what the industry was like. In Inpute, we use industry standard technologies such as Azure, Visual Studio and GIT. Additionally, I have gained experience with more niche technologies such as ABBYY Flexi-capture and UiPath studio.  

Q: What has been the most rewarding project you worked on with Inpute?

A: My most rewarding project has been an ongoing data migration for a large Irish wholesale customer. I had learned SQL in college but never got to apply it to a project like this. I found it quite rewarding to use that knowledge to develop stored procedures to migrate that data. It was hard and frustrating at times, but it felt satisfying to complete my part of the project with guidance from the senior team.  

Q: What's been your biggest challenge in your role since graduating and how did you overcome it?

A: My biggest challenge was in training the graduates who joined the organisation after me. I had no prior experience in a professional setting in knowledge transfer or coaching. I found it difficult but rewarding to see the new graduates learn from me. It also really helped to develop my management and leadership skills.  

Q. What advice would you give those who are interested in pursuing a career with Inpute’s graduate program?

A: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are quite a few employees in the company who have gone through the program themselves. No two issues are the same, sometimes work you may be given may seem daunting but there’s always someone in the company who can lend a hand.  

Q. Can you just tell me a little bit about the company culture?

A: Everyone is quite friendly and helpful. There is a great work-life balance, I am on the social committee, and we have had several events. Recently, we went to the Guinness factory with the Polish office and on average we have a social event every month. Even during the pandemic, we still had remote social events such as an online quiz. There is a lot of cooperation between everyone at various levels within the company. The company wants to train you up to your best potential and keep you on and happy after the program is completed.  

Q: Describe Inpute in 3 Words?

A: Friendly, supportive, and engaging

IT Graduate Programme 2022 Apply for our 2022 Graduate Programme today! Applications close 15th July 2022.

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