This week Katie from Florida shared her unusual story with us. Her story will show you just how fast you can actually find your dream job in QA, so you can stop worrying about paying your bills at the end of the month and start living your life to the full.
What did you do before you embarked on your career in QA?
Before my days in QA, I actually went to university and obtained a Master’s Degree in Economics. But when I moved to the US I started working as a Real Estate Agent. The job was okay, but I didn’t earn enough money to pay my bills at the end of each month.
I had no IT background, and certainly no experience in QA. I guess you could say, I was just a regular computer user.
How did you find out about Careerist?
I was scrolling through my Facebook thread when I came across an advert for Careerist.
I booked a meeting with the Careerist team, and I got a callback a few minutes later. The callback was so unexpected and so fast that I got a great feeling in my stomach about Careerist! The individuals I spoke to were very cool and thorough, so I was even more convinced that the course was for me.
It was a genuine and lovely conversation that put me at ease!
Additionally, as I was going through some rough financial times, I really liked the idea that a job in QA would allow me to earn an even better living for myself. The main deciding factor for me was whether or not a job in QA would allow me to pay my bills every month — and the job could!
What did you think of the QA course?
I really enjoyed my time studying and I would recommend the course to anyone.
The course was about four weeks long, and in that time the teachers explained everything I needed to know about QA in a clear manner.
The time passed super-fast, and I hardly ever had questions because the course layout and material was so on point! The flow of the course was not too fast or too slow for me, in fact, it was well balanced.
The fact that you can get an internship was one of the greatest things about the Careerist QA course. I mean, when you’re studying something that you don’t have any experience in, and then you dive straight into a job it can be really difficult! The internship really helps to prepare you for the real world.
In fact, whenever I went to an interview and spoke about my internship, I actually felt like I was talking about a real QA job, and I was confident in what I was talking about. This really helped me to feel at ease during interviews. The internship is well worth it.
How long did it take you to find a job?
After finishing my course in late August-September 2019, I started looking for a job immediately!
It only took me two weeks to find my current job.
While you might think that I got a job so fast because I’m super smart or because the interviews were too easy, I have to tell you that this was not the case.
I was very devoted to my job search, and I applied for fifteen jobs a day! Sometimes I applied for the same jobs over and over again just to see if I could get an interview. There were a lot of calls from various recruiters, and I answered every single call. It’s a numbers game.
Don’t think that you can just send out one job application a day because this won’t work. To find a job you must be prepared to work for it!
What is your current job like?
I currently work in a large company in Miami, FL. And I can honestly say that everything that I was taught on the Careerist course has been extremely useful in my role.
I guess, when you start out in a new job you don’t know what to expect really! I mean, each company uses its own tools, so you worry if you’ll know enough information to get started. But the truth is, you don’t need to know everything, because once you’re hired a company trains you up to use their tools! They won’t throw you in at the deep end. And actually, it was really interesting to learn even more new stuff!
I currently work in a great team. My QA Lead and manager are wonderful people! And I really love my job. It’s my dream job, indeed.
The job itself isn’t too difficult! Some days tasks take me a long time to do, but other days I work very quickly through my tasks, and I then go searching for more tasks because I love what I do.
My advice: If you’re working for a company don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something. When I first started my job I was confused about the tasks and tools that were being used, and I needed help. I got the help I needed straight away and now I know what I need to do. Remember, there is no shame in asking for help, eventually everything will sink in and you’ll be working through your tasks with ease!
Did you have to study elsewhere or was the Careerist QA course enough for you?
I managed to find a job within two weeks, so the course speaks for itself.
The course was excellent. And with the course under my belt I managed to find the right job for me in Miami, and it provides me with a great lifestyle. I would definitely recommend the Careerist QA course to people in the US.
Undoubtedly, I’m going to continue studying on my own just to keep up with future trends. But this was always going to be the case.
Regarding my current job, I was taught to use their specific tools, but this wasn’t difficult and this’ll be the case in every QA job. Be prepared to ask questions if you don’t understand.
What would your advice be to future students?
Don’t give up because you will find a great job in QA — and listen to the Careerist teachers.
Take note of the interview techniques given to you by the teachers! I set myself a goal to find a job in six months, I achieved what I wanted — how? I listened to the advice I was given by my teachers and mentor, and I revised and prepared answers to all the possible interview questions. I left nothing to chance. I wasn’t confused in any of my interviews because I knew what to expect and what I had to do. Plus, all the interviews use pretty much the same questions but in a different way.
Be confident when taking your interviews over the phone. Settle yourself down in a space where you feel at ease, and prepare well in advance.
My final piece of advice is, apply for any roles that come up. If you can demonstrate that you are a good candidate the recruitment team may put you forward for another more suitable role that has not been advertised. For example, I applied for an Automated testing position, and one manager called me back and said they were impressed with my application and asked if I’d be interested in looking at one of their two Manual testing positions that were available. So, don’t hesitate to send your application off.
