New Member of the Team: Alvaro Clemente, Frontend Engineer

1. How did you end up at DPM?

After 4 years working in Munich for different startups, developing my professional profile with different technical knowledge (3d modeling, mechanical engineering, medical products, software development)I finally felt like jumping into a bigger company with good values and interesting projects. I was recommended by a good friend of mine who happened to have been interviewed for a position at DPM to check for open positions and apply. Up to this day, I’m still super grateful I followed her advice and pulled the trigger on DPM.

2. What was your career plan after school and have you stayed true to it so far?

After school, like a lot of my colleagues, I thought I’d just “be an engineer, do engineer stuff”. Very shortly after school, you realise the world is a huge place full of opportunities that you need to take your own initiative on. I started as an Engineer in Industrial Design but quickly discovered a passion for Software Development, which made me develop into a bridge profile between hardware and software.

After a while, my passion for software only increased making me pivot my career to become a full-time Frontend Developer. To be honest, I had a very different plan on what my career would look like, but what I have stayed true to so far is doing what I feel passionate about and always developing myself, and I am really happy with my professional direction!

3. Can you tell us a little bit about your first days working at DPM?

A lot of new friendly faces, a lot of new input, and a lot of excitement. Starting off in a new company, on new projects, and with new colleagues is not always easy, but from the first day, I felt at home. After the initial onboarding and getting everything set up (on my very first day, I forgot my own login credentials for my computer and had to ask a colleague to reset it!) I already had a project assigned where I could start learning new things and add value. Even with the difficulties of corona and the home office, it took only a little time until I started to feel confident around all my colleagues at DPM.

4. How do you balance work with your personal life?

One thing I try to live by is always keep learning, and always have something that interests you so that you keep moving forward. In my professional life, that means keeping up to date with newer technologies, learning, and always trying to involve myself in new projects that require me to build my knowledge. In my personal life, that stays true: learning to play a new instrument, reading, trying a new sport, building up knowledge on topics that are interesting to me…This way, even if it is at a slow pace, I never get burned down, I always feel like I move forward in my life. On top of that, knowing when to disconnect from work and separate work and personal life is a must.

5. What makes DPM different from other companies?

An incredibly friendly environment, a feeling of respect, trust, and transparency. Nobody is left behind, everyone matters, and everyone is accounted for. My first surprise at DPM was seeing how much effort and time is devoted to professional growth, in both teams and individuals. With the current pandemic going on, it is a specially difficult time for companies and workers to feel at 100%, and at DPM you can feel everyone is trying their best for everything to work smoothly, and to keep a good spirit!

6. If you could have a career in anything, what would it be?

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be an anthropologist. Now I know, I would have hated to be an anthropologist! When I grew older, I wanted to become a professional musician, but as soon as I turned music (one of my passions) into a career, it lost a great part of its appeal. Now, I am very confident and happy with my career choices, and most importantly I am continuously rediscovering myself and redefining my career (and personal) goals based on that, and I plan to keep it that way throughout my whole life: doing what I care about and what I like in a way that is meaningful for me.

On the other hand, on a personal level, I love animals and have always dreamed of being able to work with dogs, or on another topic, mental health. I would love to be able to support and help people all over the globe who needs help on this topic.