People from all fields are migrating towards a career in software testing. They don’t always have IT experience, but they all share a passion for technology and want to learn more about it. Our recruiters can vouch for it.
We asked our colleagues about their experiences before and after switching careers. If you’re thinking about taking the leap yourself but are hesitant, their advice might nudge you in the right direction.
They come from various fields, such as pharmaceuticals, engineering, entrepreneurship, sales, copywriting, and tourism. Unexpectedly, there is a wide array of experiences. Some colleagues always wanted to go into IT, while others stumbled upon it. But the unanimous conclusion is that they are all happy to have done it.
Q: From Pharmacist to QA
Tell us a bit about your previous work fields.
A: Before software testing, I graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy and worked as a pharmacist for many years. There is no need to explain pharmacy work since everyone went to buy cold medicine at least once.
Q: Was it a hard decision for you to choose to pursue a new career?
A: Yes, not necessarily about changing the field, but about starting everything from scratch and moving on to something completely new.
Q: What skills from your previous work translate the most to QA work?
Being a perfectionist translates the most to this position. Followed by attention to detail.
Q: How did you discover what kind of work you enjoy doing? How come you chose software testing?
A: I was lucky enough to have an awesome mentor who guided me towards software testing. Now that I am here, I don’t think there is anything that could fit me better than software testing since I can’t go over anything that’s not in place. My perfectionist “skills” definitely recommend me!
Q: Do you have any regrets? Would you do anything differently?
A: My only regret is that I didn’t pursue this career change earlier. However, from the past years, I extracted all the positive experiences and learned how to become a better version of myself.
Q: What advice do you have for someone who wants to change their career path?
A: Follow your heart and pursue that dream of yours! Don’t let time pass you by, and be brave enough to do what you love.
From Engineer/Entrepreneur to QA
Q: Tell us a bit about your previous work fields.
A. I co-owned and worked in a jewellery shop in Cluj-Napoca. Around 2013 we had to close it down due to the rising gold prices.
After that, I went to the UK, where I attended an HVAC engineering college (installing and testing commercial heating and AC systems).
I worked as an HVAC engineer for about 5-6 years. However, my wife and I were about to have a baby, and we didn’t want to raise him in the UK, so we came back home. I then started attending a testing course at Azimut.
Q: Was it a hard decision for you to choose to pursue a new career?
A: It wasn’t a hard decision for me, as I wanted to try manual testing for a while before leaving for the UK. Coming back home and having a safety net, I thought I could pursue QA testing and see what I could make of it.
Q: What skills from your previous work translate the most to QA work?
A: It depends. I am not sure if my years of sales experience can help me in this domain, but the work discipline I have learned as an Eastern European on-site worker and supervisor in the UK will definitely help.
Q: How did you discover what kind of work you enjoy doing? How come you chose software testing?
A: I never truly discovered the work I wanted to do – from being a jewellery salesman to being a sports teacher to being a QA tester. Given the high percentage of people working in IT in Cluj-Napoca, I thought it was a good place to start, and I am happy I took the time to do it.
Q: Do you have any regrets? Would you do anything differently?
A: My only regret is that I could not reach my full potential in my country.
Q: What advice do you have for someone who wants to change their career path?
A: Whatever it is, go for it. Take the time every day to study, assess, and better yourself!
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