Let’s talk today about ways for you to develop as QA Analyst
Development map
Usually these maps are developed with your mentor/resource manager, but sometimes you have to do it yourself. The structure is simple: the goal, which is usually to develop or enhance a certain skill, raises your value as an expert and, importantly, will be beneficial to the project. The second component is the date the goal is expected to be closed. Sometimes a list of sources and information about the mentor who will help achieve it is given.
Ongoing training
If you’ve been working on one project for a long time, there will definitely come a point when you reach a point in development. What can you do then? By yourself, revise the goals we talked about before, adjusting them according to the current market trends.
The most important thing is to find a source to improve them: it can be courses, both internal and third-party (there is usually always a budget for training), certifications, or free alternatives. A good specialist must constantly learn. You cannot achieve great success by sitting flat and long in one company and on one project. Success will be local, just like your expertise sharpened only for the project.
Exchange of expertise
There is always a team working on a project. Someone writes great cases, someone gets a cool defect report, someone always gets praise for their test plan, and someone writes clean code. Study test artifacts, ask for a little advice on using a tool you’re unfamiliar with, participate in case reviews, and respond to such initiatives yourself. There’s nothing wrong with sharing experiences and developing the whole team
Monitor the market
Many Senior+ professionals can work in a comfortable environment for a very long time, but there is always the risk of leaving that environment and getting into the market. The 2010 market and the 2022 market are two different things. The requirements for candidates are growing all the time, and it’s possible that these guys won’t be able to offer some competencies to the market. So it’s worth researching job openings and candidate requirements, going to mock interviews, and watching trends.
And how are you developing? I would be interested in knowing!
