1. QA Experience

I’d like to provide a brief guideline on what the QA role consists of. Perhaps you receive an unexpected call from a headhunter because of your potential skills, and you don’t know what to do next.

In my initial experience, the company primarily sought native speakers of various languages for QA Localization Tester positions. This made sense because the app featured a multilingual voice assistant, so linguistic accuracy was more critical than technical QA skills.

Later, on other assignments, I met more QA professionals from diverse backgrounds, which impressed me greatly. While working on projects that weren’t language-based apps, I noticed that most testers, especially in Spain, didn’t necessarily hold a computer science degree. This showed me that QA roles often value practical skills and adaptability.

I worked with professionals who had backgrounds in psychology, land surveying and even aerospace engineering—the list goes on.

Believe it or not, one colleague was a talented singer who performed at concerts on weekends or during her vacations. She often shared us her experiences in our casual conversations. In any case, I hope to publish another topic about the diversity in QA roles soon.

It was a mixed situation with mixed feelings. I noticed that it was an initial step in a professional journey for some colleagues. In fact, some of them turned this experience into a real career, such as Senior QA, QA Lead, or QA Automation Engineer.

To sum up, a successful QA professional often demonstrates qualities such as:

• Enthusiasm
• Open-mindedness
• Strong communication skills
• Resilience
• Ability to collaborate effectively
• A passion for testing new tools

If these qualities resonate with you, here’s how to start your QA journey.

 2. Useful Tips

2.2. Understand the Process

In many complex environments, gaining a full understanding of what is happening may not be easy. The complexity lies not only in the technology but also in the integration of different applications across various departments. For a tester, understanding the complex architecture, coordinating between teams, and, of course, testing the final product can be particularly challenging.

That’s why close cooperation with people in different roles, a thorough review of the documentation, and peer review of the specifications are core responsibilities of QA.

2.3. Create a Strong Network

If you consider this a temporary experience, then building a strong network within QA is an excellent starting point. The IT colleagues I’ve met so far are incredibly talented and very open to learning beyond their daily routines. Their consistency at work has helped them develop deeper knowledge in a variety of areas. Just engage in small talk, and you’ll discover wonderful hidden gems among them.

2.4. Seek Growth Opportunities in QA

Depending on the type of QA tasks, the work can become repetitive and even monotonous. This can lead to a comfort zone that threatens long-term growth and motivation.

Don’t sit still and wait for opportunities to come to you. Ask for more and try to gain as much experience as you can. If you start working at a company, make the most of it. Open yourself up to new learning opportunities and training.

3. Is a QA role worth considering?

Like any other profession, QA has its drawbacks, as mentioned earlier: technical complexity, continuous learning, a high level of competitiveness, and even monotonous iterations after a certain point in an assignment.

Despite these challenges, QA remains a great opportunity to explore a career that offers a wide range of options—not only in terms of content, but also in work environment and intercultural exposure. New skills can be gained, making it a strong foundation and a chance to see whether it matches your personality.

Some testing areas at first glance include entertainment apps (such as movie or music apps), the gaming industry, language learning tools, finance, and insurance, and many more.

I hope you embark on an exciting QA journey and discover opportunities for growth, diversity, and innovation.