From logistics to IT. Tester Andrea tells you what motivated her to change her job

Based on the references of a friend, with whom they had been colleagues in the past and now again, Andrea applied for a job as a IT tester in Zilina during the height of the pandemic situation. Although two years ago she never thought she would have an IT job, today she is successfully overcoming the challenges of her job as a software tester. IT jobs are always on offer, read our interview with Andrea and get inspired.

How long have you been with msg life Slovakia?

I have been with our company since February 2020.

What job were you recruited for?

I passed the IT tester interview and I started in this position.

How did you get into testing?

For health reasons I was forced to change my original profession in logistics. I worked there for sixteen years. I often dealt with requests to change or modify the software used. Today my task is to test the software. I was persuaded to apply for an interview for my current position by a colleague with whom I had worked in my previous job.

What attracted you to working at msg life Slovakia? Why did you choose us?

It was a rational decision based on references and my vision, but it was also a feeling decision, triggered by the atmosphere at the job interview. That weighed the most. When I went for a job interview, I was thinking about changing careers. I did not expect such a fair and personal approach from the future manager or the employer. I was looking for a stable and humane company that would allow me to work in a healthy work environment, not forget my skills and work with the potential to improve. I really wanted to find a work-life balance. It was the feedback I received that motivated me to make this career change.

How is working for us different from previous work experience?

Corporate atmosphere, workplace relationships, internal communication and the value of people. By changing careers, I have gained experience with an employer who values its people and has high level HR management. Plus, I work in a less stressful environment and I finally know what an undisturbed holiday means.

What does your normal working day look like?

I joined msg life Slovakia during the pandemic and the persistent home office, so I was initially deprived of full socialization in the office. However, I am able to schedule my working time well, taking into account the tasks and appointments in my calendar and respecting my privacy. Rather, my experience is that the work week or month is divided into phases because the work agenda of the day adapts to it. The period before the release of the system is more demanding, almost entirely focused on testing and frequent project meetings. The other days it is an agenda and performing tasks as needed or requested by the manager, mostly testing the functionality of the environment.

What is your job? What are you currently working on?

The biggest part of my work agenda is manual software testing, when I solve assigned Jira tickets, test new topics and create tickets for discovered bugs. One of my tasks is the so-called smoke test of the environment and a general overview of the environments we use in the project. After agreement with the team, I initiate the update or run the update manually. Training also fills the working hours as required.

Who all are you communicating with to solve any problems?

I communicate with the team leader, project colleagues, developers and integrators. Communication with testers from the customer side and with project management is less frequent. It’s great to have constant online contact with our colleagues in our office and with the team on the project.

What project are you working on right now?

I’m working on a Canada Life project where I’m testing billing – it’s a component of our system for automated processing of financial flows between the customer, the bank and the insurance company. It is such an interface between the bank and the general ledger, where payment transactions are recorded.

Do you have experience with other projects within msg life Slovakia?

No. CLA is my first project.

What apps do you use at work?

I use JIRA on a daily basis – software to enter, track and coordinate tasks and problems that are solved in projects. I also use MADOS (Maintenance and Delivery Online System) to access and manage all the environments on which I test the web versions of our software from an update perspective. DBVisualizer is also helpful for me to work with the database and MS Office. We have a Microsoft Teams application for communication.

What skills are important for your job?

Knowledge of foreign languages, ability to see the context and accept change, responsibility, precision and willingness to learn a lot. Experience in the insurance or financial sector and good IT literacy are a definite advantage and will facilitate training.

What do you like most about your job?

Two years ago, I wouldn’t have thought I would be working in my current position. It’s not my dream job, it’s more of a challenge, but it brings me positives that compensate for the long hours behind the computer. I realise that I am not a ‘ready-made man’ for my employer and I have to learn more than my colleagues who were ‘born in IT’. That’s why I’m happy that the amount of information I’ve acquired is starting to fall into place and I’m able to solve many tasks independently. If there is a problem, I have people around me who are willing to give advice at any time. The language courses, the motivating remuneration programme and the care of the employees are great. The company provides excellent conditions for work-life balance for both parents and childless people, while respecting family and leisure time. And frankly, it will be very nice to work with colleagues in person as well.

Who are your colleagues?

Great team. One in Žilina, the other in Bratislava. Although the project is challenging, I am very pleased with the people who are working on it. We sat down both professionally and humanly. Thanks to my colleagues, I don’t perceive working in a home environment at all. I appreciate their willingness to help, to share information, to lighten the situation in a difficult time and to stand by when things are not going well. Several of them became friends and partners for hiking and leisure.

What qualities should your new colleague have to fit in?

Humour and team spirit will delight.

Three words that come to mind when you hear msg life Slovakia?

I’m glad to be here.

Are you looking for an interesting IT job in Žilina? Check out our other job offers and join us:

• Business Process IT Consultant
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• Automated Tester – Specialist