“Testing is dynamic, challenging and interesting. No other role in the software development lifecycle meets all these criteria, and once you’re proficient at it, you become an extremely valuable asset to the company.”

Steve, Principal Consultant, Planit

When it comes to describing testing, the three words that Principal Consultant, Steve, would use are “dynamic, challenging and interesting.” Dynamic because it allows you the opportunity to learn about the application under test, challenging to constantly understand a variety of evolving technologies, and interesting because of its connection with project teams and end-users.

“No other role in the software development lifecycle meets all these criteria, and once you’re proficient at it, you become an extremely valuable asset to the company,” Steve said. His work satisfaction also lies in seeing the quality of the product mature from a “buggy” application to quality product, and knowing he played a critical role in ensuring end-users are happy and using the final product day-in and day-out.

These attributes are what kept Steve in testing. In fact, the only other career Steve would consider is community work - helping individuals in need of career guidance or building community housing overseas.

What stood out to Steve about Planit was the breadth of opportunity to learn and gain experience in different industry domains, the good support systems amongst his peers and the strong leadership from management. Moreover, with access to a wide range of training courses, Planit provides the resources needed for Steve to become a successful tester at Planit’s Sydney office.

When Steve started at Planit, he was deployed to one of Planit’s long-term financial services clients. What initially started as a six-month engagement was extended time after time, tallying up to eight years in total. Why did the client keep him on for so long? Steve attributed it to his stakeholder management skills and ability to control scope, resolve risks/issues, provide test solutions and deliver on high risk projects.

When starting out in the testing industry, Steve recommends learning from a role model or mentor, as well as networking with other people in their community. “Find out what they did to kick start their career, what continues to drive them to success, and if they are able to guide you on the right path,” he said.