As expected, the interview was both personal and technical. I was asked to do puzzles, including drawing and dictating instructions back to them. When walking back to my car, I thought, ‘wow that was kind of ‘fun?’ despite being rained on, and my knees still feeling like jelly. I really wanted the opportunity to return to a job that seemed so unique and interesting and drove off hopeful. 

A new beginning 

After getting the job as a quality assurance tester and starting my first day, I was filled with excitement instead of the nerves I felt for my interview. It’s been fun and exciting meeting everyone, seeing what it’s like working at an in-person office job, and, of course, getting to try out the cool lunch program.  

What surprised me the most was my excitement about the actual product itself, ice. I was fascinated by its components, the significance it holds in the tech world, and how various pieces come together to create a cohesive whole. The demo was overwhelming, but I love overwhelming! I knew if I took the time to break up the components, I would be satisfied when I understood it.  

My role as a quality assurance tester 

I knew that this job would be challenging, but I was at a part of my career growth process where I wanted to expand my knowledge of tech as much as possible, so challenging was what I needed. Learning the workflow of how the company operated was also an eye-opening experience for someone who had only worked with small companies, and with smaller, more isolated teams before. I felt like a frog leaving the well.  

Seeing how functions are managed and how teams are divided and collaborate with each other under function owners really cemented that this management structure is what I’d thrive best in at a job – and hope to have in the rest of my career wherever it goes. Everything I did suddenly had more purpose than just completing something for myself, as it will now affect others. This was more than enough motivation to begin improving everything I wanted to work on: writing clearer instructions that others can easily follow, finding more creative/strategic ways a product could be tested, and learning how to consult developers all with different personalities and quirks.  
 
Ever since I joined ComputerTalk, I feel like I have continued to evolve alongside the product. The skills I have developed over the course of the year and the guidance I have received from my team, have played a pivotal role in shaping my professional growth  

As the product evolves, so do I—constantly learning, adapting, and finding new ways to add value to the team and our product, ice!