Antonio Espejo Arias, technical architect manager at Accenture, tells us why he took a job in Ireland without ever visiting the country.
Where are you from?
I’m from Madrid. It’s a big city, very stressful sometimes, but with a great history to discover. I used to live in Tres Cantos, which is very close to the city centre. It’s just 20km with a very good transport system to and from the centre, so many people live there and commute to work. It’s the only example of a planned city in Spain.
How long have you been in Ireland?
I left my last job in Spain on 7 August and arrived in Ireland on 10 August. When I arrived, I stayed in a Dublin hotel for three weeks. I had also spent three days in my car transporting my two cats from Madrid to Dublin because this was the only way to carry a part of my family to Ireland! On 11 August, my wife and my daughter flew in to complete the family in Dublin. Over the following three weeks, we looked for a house and we did all the paperwork. I started work in Accenture on 1 September. Everything happened very quickly!
Why did you move here?
Two years ago I completed a master’s of technology across various countries and since then I thought that I had to improve my professional career with an international professional challenge. Then, Keith Stephens, a recruitment specialist at Accenture, contacted me directly about a role here in Dublin. After completing the interview process electronically, I was delighted when they made me an offer. The fact that I had never been in Ireland before did not deter me!
What work do you do?
My role is a technical architect manager. It is a role very focused on the technology itself and the problems in the enterprise that can be solved technically. Usually this role tries to support enterprise to define the technical roadmap and the best approach to achieve its goals and solve the current IT problems from an architectural viewpoint. The role has a strong responsibility and requires strong experience in a wide range of technologies. It also requires me to be up to date with all IT trends.
How would you describe your working environment?
The working environment is very enriched – the Accenture way of working produces a dynamic and professional environment. The networking inside the company allows you to make contact with experts in different matters around the world and this helps me to face the problems of the day-to-day challenges in work. It is an advantage for my work – I have so many opportunities to learn and upskill, with world-class classroom and online internal training which helps keep my career on the right track. Working on client sites is also very interesting. I manage a global team around the world to deliver excellence in our work.
What do you like most about your job?
The dynamic of my work, mostly. I have the opportunity to work in many different sectors and to face many different problems. The human aspect, all the people from whom I have the opportunity to learn from, is the other great factor of my job.
Was it difficult to adjust to living and working in Ireland?
Moving my entire family at the end of August wasn’t simple. Apart from the logistics, there was a steep adjustment moving to a new country with a different culture, but we did assimilate into Irish customs quickly. One of the factors that made the process easier was the friendliness and welcoming nature of the people. My entire family is really happy living in Ireland – it’s a really good country.
What surprised you about moving to Ireland?
The small size of the country and the patience of the people are two things that surprised us. The good products from Ireland, and the national promotion to consume national products, was really surprising. We really enjoy the fact that it’s easy to buy organic goods.
How does your working life help to make you feel at home here?
My working life allows me to learn and improve my personal and professional skills to reduce the cultural gap and makes me more comfortable. At the end, when you feel confident with the language, enjoy the food and understand how the things work, that is when you feel at home, comfortable.
What do you like most about your adopted home?
As I said before – the people, the landscape and the food. Maybe I don’t like the fact the Irish take lunch so early, and usually only a plate, because in Spain we have other customs. Another thing I like about Ireland is that it’s a secure country for families and very friendly for children.
