Life as a Java Developer in IBM Consulting

We recently had the opportunity to speak with two Java Developers from the IBM Consulting team in Latin America, Roque and Jonathan, who told us what it’s like to work in one of IBM’s Client Innovation Centers as well as the impact their technology solutions have on our clients.

Roque joined IBM Argentina last year, while already having several years of experience as a professional in the field. Jonathan began his career at IBM Mexico as an intern and has had the opportunity to grow his career in other IBM business areas, before becoming a Java Developer on our Consulting team.

Roque – Java Developer, IBM Consulting Argentina – I always associated IBM with Hardware, so when they reached out to me about their Consulting area and the services they provide for their clients around the world, I became very interested and ultimately decided to become an IBMer. Now, every day, I become more and more surprised by the incredible reach we have with our technology and solutions.

Jonathan – Java Developer, IBM Consulting Mexico – When I was in college, I knew very little about what IBM did, but when I attended an IBM MeetUp, a face-to-face training session hosted by IBM and other technical communities, I was surprised to hear about all the amazing technologies they work with and the global impact they have. From research to cloud solutions to innovations in quantum computing, IBM is changing the way industries are working.

Roque – My manager wanted our team to develop new skills, so we were asked to do a Cloud certification course. Due to the number of materials and videos available, I chose to get certified in AWS. I managed to complete 120 hours of education in 2022 – everything from Cloud learning, developer training, and other people skills. I hope to exceed that number this year!

I’m also working on a career plan with my manager to help me take the next step to become an IBM manager. In this plan, we’ve been looking for projects and initiatives I can get involved in that could help provide more visibility and allow me to put the other skills I possess into practice.

Jonathan – I always seek to learn technologies that help me in my daily work, such as React, Spring and AWS. This enables me to not only earn the certification, but also put the skills into practice. As part of my career path, I’m planning to get certified in Java 11.

I also formed a study group in which I can help my peers become certified as well. When I joined IBM as an intern, I had a mentor who worked with me, so I’m trying to give back to my team and other IBMers by being a mentor to them.

IBM gives you all the resources you need to keep your skills fresh. You just need motivation and learning agility, as well as the desire and capability for to continuous learn and find new ways to solve problems. For me, earning digital badges in new technologies and people skills is like putting a little star on my work, which encourages me to continue learning.

Roque – Working in the Client Innovation Center is all about representing IBM to clients. In my case, I work for the banking sector, where I help clients transform their manual processes through automation and by updating their technology, which helps their migration to microservices.

In addition to my work as a Java Developer, I’ve been part of many different IBM Consulting initiatives, such as language exchange clubs and a personal branding program. I love that we have these career-growing opportunities within our reach and can interact with IBMers from different countries and cultures every day.

Jonathan – We’re very focused on delivering the development projects with excellence, ensuring our code is robust in the long-term, and designing code in a way that is easily understandable by anyone that works on the team.

As Delivery Center developers, we always seek to have assertive and frequent communication with the customer. This is how we guarantee they feel satisfied with the work we do. We’re constantly striving to make an impact, not only for the client, but for the end-user as well, ultimately providing them with better service and transformative solutions.

Roque – It’s very important to continue developing people skills, such as communication and stakeholder management. This will help improve how you engage with clients, while working in their environment, and providing them with the best possible service.

Jonathan – My advice is to develop more social skills, like collaboration, social intelligence, and critical thinking. It’s not enough to learn about technology; you must complement your profile to assertively communicate what you do and how you solve problems with technology solutions. Knowing how to communicate problems to your clients and team will help you keep everyone aligned and help you become a natural leader.

If you would like to learn about opportunities on the IBM Consulting team as a Developer, where you can create innovative solutions for the clients that Roque and Jonathan get to work with, please visit our careers website to find the perfect job for your skills.

If you don’t see a role that aligns with your skills and interests at this time, we invite you to join our talent network to receive updates on career opportunities and events from IBM.