It’s not arguable that QA testers must stay up-to-date with product changes to ensure that the software meets all of the end users’ needs. According to Karolis, the always-increasing number of new service features can be overwhelming sometimes.
Despite the challenges, Karolis assures that the rapidly growing software development industry is a place where he belongs. That’s why his contribution to making the product better every day and learning new things in the process motivates him to push forward.
Want to know the essential skills that every QA tester should have? Don’t miss out on the valuable insights and tips from our industry expert Karolis.
Quick Intro
Hi, everyone! It’s Karolis here. Colleagues typically describe me as a calm person, which is a major compliment to me. I’d like to think that I’m a good listener and I can think clearly in some challenging situations. This is an important trait when it comes to Quality Assurance. As a QA Tester, I always stick to my problem-solving roots, but I try not to lose my sense of humor.
When I was a little kid, I wanted to be either a police officer or a soldier. I can’t exactly recall which one it was, or maybe it was both. My teachers used to tell me that I pay attention to the smallest details. And that’s true. To this day, I love to be neat and well-organized. Maybe that’s part of the reason that led me to become a QA tester.
1. Enhance Your Critical Thinking Skills
I don’t fear being seen as the bug catcher. I think that’s one of the most valuable contributions to the development process. That’s why my primary goal is to deliver a bug-free product and a seamless application. When working in Quality Assurance, there’s no doubt that you need to think critically at all times.
Decision-making is a big part of my job, and I often need to weigh specific options and evaluate the pros and cons. This helps me choose the best option and adjust the plan if needed. So without critical thinking, it’s hard to adapt and consider multiple perspectives, not to mention think outside the box.
2. Benefit from Being Flexible
I think that being flexible means that you’re open to change and react quickly, which is extremely important at work. Especially if we talk about unexpected situations, for example, urgent issues, such as a system crash. Even if it sounds a bit scary, I can safely say that flexibility is a skill that you can develop over time. That’s why practice or willingness to change is the key answer here.
What I also noticed throughout the years working as a QA Tester at iDenfy is that unexpected challenges can obviously arise during the testing process. Being flexible also helps me stay calm and focused when there’s a tight deadline, for instance, which is important to deliver accurate and quality results.
3. Be Ready to Learn and Evolve
I think it’s better to be good at a lot of things than be great at one thing, because in life you’ll have to do a lot of different tasks and perhaps one of them will lead you to take a lifetime opportunity, such as iDenfy. It’s my first full-time job. Before joining this startup, I used to work part-time in various roles during the summer.
Today, I still stick to the mindset that being good at multiple things is beneficial because it allows you to adapt to different situations and take on different roles. It also makes you a more valuable asset to your team or individually, so I try to learn and improve my skillset constantly.
For example, if you are a software tester and know how to code, you can not only test the software but also help debug and fix it, saving you time. To this day, I get excited when I think about my job since it’s a mix of many things. Overall, my day-to-day work as a QA tester involves testing, problem-solving, and collaboration with various teams and stakeholders.
4. Communicate and Listen Actively
If you want to be good at finding flaws in the system and preventing them from reaching clients, you most certainly need to be great at communicating and collaborating with your colleagues. So being able to explain your plans and test cases verbally is an integral part of being a QA Tester.
Usually, I work with many stakeholders, including the development team, our product owner, and clients. At iDenfy, we value our trusting relationships, and I feel that part of the communication is also based on active listening. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to efficiently create and execute tests, identify bugs, and ensure the overall quality of our product.
5. Master Time Management
Making quick and accurate decisions has become easier over time. I’m now used to identifying and reporting different issues or bugs in a timely manner, which saves a lot of time. But it’s not that simple sometimes. I’m quite bad at things that progress slowly. I just don’t have the patience for it. Since I work on multiple projects at once, I’m very good at finding stuff and figuring out how to do certain tasks easier.
Obviously, as a QA Tester, you need to stay organized at all times. Managing your time effectively is important; otherwise, you risk missing deadlines while possibly slacking on prioritized tasks. I guess this rule is valuable in any position since everyone wants a higher productivity level and an easily manageable workload.
Final Words
Aside from that, I just want to stress that it’s fine if something doesn’t go as smoothly as planned. I’ve learned that letting go of your past mistakes boosts your performance in the future, creating a more positive working environment for you and your colleagues.
So what makes a successful QA Tester? Unfortunately, you will need to master a lot of skills to succeed.
You’ll need to collect a combination of technical knowledge, attention to detail, effective communication, and time management skills. With these in mind, I’m sure you’ll be well on your way to becoming a great QA Tester!
That’s a wrap on Karolis’ story.
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