In our latest ‘meet the team’ blog, we catch up with one of our newest recruits, Senior IT Specialist Joe Cullen.

Technically speaking, Joe has been with us for three months now and feels very much part of the team. Not everyone knows him, though, and so we thought we’d officially introduce him by asking a few questions.

Joe, could you tell us about your experience working in IT?

Yes, of course. I have experience providing IT Support and advice to a wide range of organisations. It’s going back a while now, but I started my IT career working for a small IT shop in South Essex where I provided IT support for micro-businesses and homeowners. After a couple of years working there, I took a 1^st Line IT Support role at Brunel University, eventually making my way up to 3^rd Line IT Manager, where I managed a large IT support team for three years.

Keen to expand my IT Management experience, my next role saw me take the position of IT Manager for a large farm foods retailer. Here, I line-managed a small IT support technician team and successfully delivered several major IT projects.

My real passion, though, is working directly within technical support. Although IT management offered me the professional challenge, I missed being responsible for discovering the root causes of IT problems and resolving them. So, I decided to look for a senior technical role in a fast-paced environment that would allow me to use all my skills, and that’s how the opportunity at Agile arose.

Why did you decide to join Agile?

I was proactively looking for the right IT role and could see that Agile had an opening, so I applied.

From reading about Agile and learning more about the team at my interview, I could see that the Senior IT Specialist role would suit me, and I was right.

What do you like about working for Agile?

There are lots of things. In many ways, the role is a natural step for me because I am drawing on everything I have learned while expanding my technical knowledge. I like that I get to support lots of different types of clients across various sectors, which keeps my role interesting and varied.

The team is great too. It can be daunting stepping into a new role, but everyone has been incredibly supportive as I get to know Agile’s systems and clients.

How has your experience shaped you as a Senior IT Specialist?

Working as an IT Manager at the University and farm foods retailer, my communication skills were just as valuable as my technical skills. I had to translate complex technical information into plain English, which is a great skill in my current role.

Having worked in-house as an IT Manager, I also appreciate the challenges that are somewhat unique to internal teams, and so I do what I can to help Agile’s clients.

What do you bring to the role at Agile?

You’d have to ask the team, but I’d say that I bring a sense of calm. I am consistent and methodical with my attention to detail and am very much a ‘yes’ person – I’ll always find a solution to a problem.

We know what you do for work, but what are your interests outside of work?

Those who know me also know that I share my wife’s passion for videography and that, in the evening, I edit YouTube videos for her business.

My biggest passion, though, is being a husband and dad. I have an amazing four-year-old son, Daniel, and we’ve just welcomed our little girl into the world. So life’s just about to get a lot busier, and that’s how I like it!