Anjali Nair gives us her outlook on being a QA Engineer, what the job entails and top tips for anyone interested in the role…
What does your role entail?
I’m responsible for ensuring the quality of the product through various types of testing in an agile environment – this can also include developing the automation framework from scratch. I will also create test strategies and planning for the project and perform automation, performance, security, and accessibility testing in a DevOps platform – exploring the technical areas and implementing them into the project if possible. The role requires me to upgrade my skills through training sessions as well as mentoring and training new joiners.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I work with various internal teams for my daily activities and perform end-to-end testing activities with the external teams. A major part of my role is developing automation or performance scripts and executing them in the test environments to ensure that the product meets the standards needed. I will interact with the testers in the QA community to provide On boarding or technical support.
What sort of clients have you worked with?
I’ve worked for both service based and product based companies. Most of my clients have been big tech companies such as Hitachi, BlueScope Steel (Australia) and SDLPLC- but I’ve also worked with start-ups and some retail clients such as Tesco, TKMaxx, Primark, Kingfisher PLC and Cabela’s US.
What’s the best bit about your job?
I enjoy the variety of my role, as a tester there are always different types of testing to be performed including acceptance, performance, security, and accessibility. The browser and API compatibility testing (using Browser Stack, SOAPUI, Postman, or Rest API) appeals the most to me. When we perform end-to-end testing, we interact with various teams which is exciting because we need to perform the tests meticulously and gather test evidence from each team. As a professional test lead, I get the opportunity to take care of the testers’ community and guide them when required – which I really enjoy doing.
What’s Mercator Digital like to work for?
Mercator has been a wonderful place to work for, the people are incredibly amazing, and it really does feel like they always care about you – you’re part of a team. They have also been very flexible for me, allowing me to work part time and from home when I need to. I especially like the social side of Mercator when we all get together it’s great fun.
Any advice for people wanting a job like yours?
Having a computer science degree or equivalent with experience is helpful, but it1s not essential – an analytical & logical mindset as well as interpersonal skills are good starters too. It’s really important to have a positive attitude -show a willingness to get involved, learn about the various technologies and see where you can make a difference. When you start off you might find you’re a ‚Jack of all trades‚ always try to learn as much as you can and see this as a positive thing, it will only make you better in the long run. Taking ownership is the most essential thing in your job and this will help you in all areas of your life!