New Thoughtworkers talk 2022 challenges, highlights and reasons to join

Throughout 2022, many new faces have joined Thoughtworks. They’ve brought with them their unique experiences and perspectives and played a vital role in making our teams and culture even stronger.

However, joining a new organization can be challenging — there’s lots to learn and adapt to. With that in mind, we wanted to get the perspectives of some of the newest Thoughtworkers from around the world. We were eager to find out how they found themselves here and what their first months in the company have been like.

What led you to apply to Thoughtworks in 2022?

I’m an organizational psychologist and since I was a student I have always dreamt of working at a company where I can innovate and make mistakes along the way and not be punished for that. I started my professional career in the oil and gas industry, later on, I was hired by a Colombian startup in which I had the opportunity to live a people-oriented culture and learn agile methodologies and applied them to my role as Head of People. Happily, I was found by the recruiting team at Thoughtworks but during the various interviews, I realized that this was the company that had the innovative and safe space that I always looked for. 

— William Alban, Talent Business Partner Lead, Quito

[In my previous role] I worked on building and enhancing a retail point-of-sale system. I knew [about] Thoughtworks because the project I was working on was initially designed by Thoughtworkers from scratch. There were also many blogs that they had published on the internal network about practices, design and principles. Being super interested, it led me to subscribe to the Thoughtworks newsletter. This helped me learn more about Thoughtworks, agile practices, Selenium and other open-source projects. This then led to my application at Thoughtworks.

— Murlidhar Sarda, Senior Consultant Application Development, Bangalore

I lost my non-tech job because of the pandemic but I stayed focused on finding new learning opportunities. I wanted to channel all that energy into finding a role in the tech industry which led me to take part in Factoría F5, a tech bootcamp where Thoughtworks Spain mentors and gives talks. After gaining some experience in a technical role, I applied for a job with Thoughtworks and was determined to be part of their culture and environment. 

— Arturo Menéndez, Developer, Madrid

I joined Thoughtworks after working on a few very unusual tech projects as a student research assistant and at the end of my Masters. I specifically didn't want to go into consulting, but, when I talked to Thoughtworkers, I quickly realized that Thoughtworks was very different - I had to get in!

— Kjeld Schmidt, Developer - Automation Advocate, Cologne

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of joining Thoughtworks in 2023?

If you know that you want to make a difference, you know that you have that ‘special sauce’ and you want to join an organization that makes you more than just a programmer, an analyst, a designer, and you want to make changes no matter the size, then Thoughtworks is a place for you!

— María Laura Jaramillo, Mobile Developer Consultant, Santiago

My advice would be to understand what you are looking for in a career. This is a great opportunity to grow beyond only technical skills because there are people to support you. If the culture and values are aligned with what you are looking for, then don’t hesitate and apply.

— Arturo Menéndez, Software Developer, Madrid

Be vocal, be outspoken, be yourself. Show your values proudly and share your opinions openly.

— Kjeld Schmidt, Developer - Automation Advocate, Cologne

Join. At Thoughtworks, you not only get an opportunity to work with the best minds but also with people who are incredibly supportive of each other and humble. I also derive inspiration from fellow Thoughtworkers to continue self-learning and training. Moreover, if you are a person who likes to get involved in other work-related activities, such as writing blogs, attending conferences, training, organizing meetups or public speaking, Thoughtworks provide tremendous opportunities to pursue your goals. There are also several activities throughout the year to socialize with coworkers. 

— Gargi Ahluwalia, Data Engineer, Sydney

It is a great place to work and you have the opportunity to work with some of the best minds in the industry. So if you are looking for a challenge, a variety of IT project experiences and opportunities to grow and explore what you want to do, Thoughtworks is the place to be.

— Sanath Wickremasinghe, Lead Consultant - Project Management, Sydney

What has been your highlight of your 2022 Thoughtworks journey?

My favorite part of my Thoughtworks career so far has been working on our new Cleantech Service Line in helping to develop our sustainability offerings and advocating for green software.  Some of my favorite milestones of this work are the release of our open-source Cloud Carbon Footprint tool and the planning of our first Green Software Foundation summit in New York. Thoughtworks’ mission of creating a positive impact through software was one of the very first things that attracted me to the company, and it is incredibly fulfilling to have the privilege of doing that work by advocating and building solutions to minimize the impact that technology has on the planet. It’s a testament to the fact that the company practices what it preaches.

— Arik Smith, Consultant Developer, Chicago

The highlight of my journey so far has been learning from brilliant minds who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise. I participated in the Tech Lead Development Program, where I had the opportunity to learn from trainers and fellow trainees how to be an effective Tech Lead. As a co-organizer of our Tech Leadership Community, I organized and facilitated discussions with Thoughtworkers.

— Tommi Lew, Senior Developer, Singapore

Speaking at XConf Australia 2022; this was the first time I had ever spoke at a technology conference. Thoughtworks provided me with a great opportunity to present across three different cities which helped me enhance my public speaking skills. It was also a chance for me to learn how to create content for a talk. My mentors Keith Schulze and Simon Aubury provided immense support and guidance for the preparation of the talk through daily catch-ups and dry runs before the talk.

— Gargi Ahluwalia, Data Engineer, Melbourne

More Thoughtworks thoughts…

I would like to highlight Thoughtworks’ greatest asset: the network of professionals that make it. The amount of information and experience shared every day through learning and development initiatives, communities, service lines, guilds, buddies and sponsors is incredible... no matter what problem you are facing, you will never face it alone.

— Irene Amo, Business Analyst, Barcelona

Thoughtworks is unlike anywhere I've ever worked before — totally unique and brilliant.

— Jen Weston-Charles, Lead Experience Designer, Newcastle

The diversity of backgrounds and experiences is a key part of what makes Thoughtworks special. But more than that, it’s also down to the range of opportunities to learn new things and challenge yourself in new ways — whatever your experience and wherever you’d like your future to take you, Thoughtworks as both an organization and as a community of curious and supportive people is a great place to explore what you’re passionate about.

Thanks to everyone that contributed!