In 2 weeks, I will be starting a new job as junior software tester. I sat down today to think about what I could do during the first weeks. I think I can use MIDTESTD heuristic as a guide (mission, information, developer relations, team, equipment and tools, schedule, test items, deliverables). I learned about it from RST course. Would love to hear your suggestions, maybe some specific questions to ask employer and team. What areas to focus (or not worry about too much)? Any other advice. Thank you!
Some context: I am relatively new to testing and I come from non IT background. I’ve been working in a small startup remotely over the last 2 years (part-time, WFH, mostly autonomously). The company I will be working for was founded 5 years ago, has around 300 employees and growing fast. Currently, testing team is very small, and they decided to expand it. From what I heard so far, I concluded there is no mature test strategy, and test team in place.
For a junior I think it’s better that you are in a team now, rather than working solo, try to pair often with your co-workers, not just testers but developers and non-technical people as well, if possible.
Try to sit down with other testers and the rest of the team and work towards a common agreement on the process-related topics:
How will bugs be reported
How will test data be generated
The testing environment(s)
What tools will be used
Automation strategy in broad strokes - what to automate and what not to automate and how
Coding conventions for automation
Analyse the product so you can ask the right questions.
Welcome on board the sweetest test engineering education platform Maksim.
You are off to a good start there with MIDTESTD . Just be sure to keep asking questions about the goal, keep trying to shorten the “cycle”. And mostly don’t be afraid to fail, but always have a “basic” plan that folk understand.
It’s a journey, there will be many chances to change direction slightly.
I don’t think your problem will be testing. I think it’ll be everything that comes with a company, the good and the bad. Process and politics.
There’s too much advice to give, but here’s one: Smaller companies or those with small test teams often hire testers without knowing what they are for, what they can do, and so on - so if you walk in and can help them build a tester-driven test system you will have a hand in shaping the way this company does testing forever. Every company drives forward through the darkness of fear, and if you can be the headlights you will be invaluable. RST has a great advantage as a course, because it can generate testers who can parachute in anywhere and be of service.
If you’re good with people then use that - befriend someone in every department, especially if you’re told not to. Learn who holds the power, who makes the decisions, and who the troublemakers are. Then when you want to do something or change something you’ll know what you can get away with and what the fallout will be when you do it. If you can’t persuade the helmsman, persuade the navigator. If you can’t persuade the navigator, get the captain drunk. Be careful, but not fearful. Tactful, but not passive. Ideally people should look at you as knowledgeable, competent and in service of their happiness - e.g. deformalising testing should look like a good business decision from above, and easier work from below, and you need to know what you’re selling and who to. And good luck.
If you’re open to sharing here. How are things going since you started your job as a junior software tester? What key things have you discovered that you didn’t know about when you originally posted this? What’s helped you succeed? What challenges have you faced?
