Transforming Tech on TikTok: QA Talks made easy
I’ve known Ksenia for a while, but never really connected. That’s until one of her TikToks appeared on my feed on Facebook. I was surprised to see she is bringing what is considered a bit stiff, technical, and niche - her profession as a Software Quality Assurance Engineer - on TikTok. A platform that is made for Generation Z, who only loves having fun, discussing casual topics or posting entertaining content. Should Software QA even be fun? What a plot twist! I was intrigued, so I had to find out more. And once I did, have decided to bring Ksenia’s story to you too, as it turns out to be an incredible inspiring one.
Ksenia and her family relocated in 2015 from Russia to Poland, prompted by a job opportunity that her husband received at the time. And as any other expat knows, a lot of challenges lay ahead when you move abroad. Ksenia could only speak basic English at the time and no Polish: “We were lucky enough to have the support of my husband’s employer in learning Polish language, as they financed our courses. But in order for me to find a job I had to improve my English first, so I joined intensive English lessons. And once I brought my English at a good level, I had to re-learn how to speak about my knowledge and my profession in Testing, in English too. In my opinion the best way for this was preparation for ISTQB foundation level certification. For practice I registered to utest.com and tested some projects there. After 6 months I was finally able to secure a job!”
She managed to learn 2 languages in just 3 months and declared that Polish was a lot easier than English. For Slavic language speakers, I am sure this makes sense. But for all the others (myself included), I can hardly call Polish language an easy one! :)
2 career reconversions until the Software QA Engineering role
Ksenia studied both Engineering and Finance & Economics. It’s a decision some students take to increase their opportunities. Sometimes we raise an eyebrow and think whether is even worth the effort or it would be better to focus on just one thing, and sometimes we look with a lot of admiration. For Ksenia, the efforts paid off, when after 3 years working as a Design Engineer, she moved from Izhevsk to Moscow, but was not able to find work in this area. The double specialization allowed her to find and secure a job in Finance and continue to support herself.
The bigger change came a bit later though, when after her maternity leave, she was analyzing her career development perspectives and how she could contribute in a more sustainable way on supporting her growing family. With her husband working as a Software Developer and a good friend who successfully reconverted to a Software Tester, Ksenia felt both pushed and inspired, but also supported to pursue a career in Software Testing. She started looking on YouTube for what Software Testers do, and completed two free courses (on portnov.com and intuit.ru), after which she received a certification.
She adapted her CV to reflect the work she did and knowledge acquired during those courses and through a recommendation managed to get hired on her first Software Quality Assurance Engineer role. She went working on a lower salary than she had before, but in just 6 months, with the support of her mentor, with hard work and successful projects, she was promoted and her salary increased significantly.
Motherhood only motivates her more
Ksenia is a proud mother of two and she thinks motherhood doesn’t stop you from building a career: “From my perspective, the most motivated person in the world is a mother that raises a kid and supports him/her in gaining their independence in life. That’s not an easy task. And being at work, in a calm environment, where you can have adult conversations and enjoy a coffee or a tea with colleagues during lunch time can help with brining the balance you need for both your family and your mental health. Of course, is not always easy to balance children’s concerts and important meetings or sick leaves and the responsibility of completing tasks, but it’s not a showstopper either, especially if the company is offering some flexibility.”
Launching a TikTok account about Software QA
JANA, KSENIA & YANA (from left to right).
During COVID, Ksenia found herself working from home, alongside her husband, having 2 small kids. She was already working in IT for 10 years and she felt stuck: “I couldn’t grow in the same rhythm I was used to, but my colleagues did. I wasn’t jealous, but I thought something was wrong with me. Technology was constantly evolving, technical problems required a lot of effort to solve, and I was finding myself advocating for the importance of fixing defects, clear and testable acceptance criteria, sufficient time for testing too.
I happened to be a speaker at Software Quality Assurance Days International Conference where I talked about burnout. When I saw 200 people in the room, I understood that I am not alone. I then decided to start investing more in myself and my passions. I decided that if I can’t grow vertically, I can always grow horizontally. ”
Accompanied by her 2 good friends, Jana (left) and Yana (right), Ksenia created a QA Talk Channel on TikTok. They all teamed up: Jana contributed her photography and art skills, while Yana partnered with Ksenia on the QA topic since Ksenia had mentored her and she used to work in QA. “We wanted to share with young professionals our love and curiosity for this profession. For free and in simple terms. We wanted to pass this forward” they said.
“Jana (below, left picture) is our camera person” Ksenia said. “She also does our internal video review before release and assists with video editing. Jana is photographer, psychologist, teacher, artist and art therapist, and mother of two beautiful girls. The logo of our channel was artistically crafted by her. We’ve met on a playground when our kids started to play together back in 2018 and we’re good friends ever since. “
“Yana (below, right picture), who is filming with me, she found a job in IT after I coached her for an interview. She worked as a QA for some time. She’s a great friend and a joyful mother to her son. Currently, she discovered the gift of clairvoyance and works in this area for helping people with their questions about self-realization and personal life.” Ksenia said.
Having supportive people around you is paramount
Their team grows strong day by day and they never forget to celebrate the milestones they reach together.
Reflecting on the journey so far, Ksenia stretched out the importance of having supportive people around her: “Without Jana & Yana’s non-judgmental and unconditional support I would never do this QA Talk channel. On top of that, there are another three people that are behind the scenes that made this possible: Natalia, Hanna, Valentyna – the QA expert team - who reviews the scripts about testing and examples that I provide. All the scripts are then verified by my English teacher - Chad.
You know, I was so afraid to release our first video because I was so self-conscious and aware of my accent, but my psychologist Rada’s encouraged me by saying I need to find time and courage for the things I am passionate about. I’m so grateful for this.
And last but not least, I’m also incredibly grateful to my family and my parents for their support and taking care of my kids during filming.”
This part left me thinking how important it is surrounding yourself by the right people. Not just for professional success, but for the wellbeing too. Teamwork makes the dream work indeed and this example confirms it.
Ksenia’s thoughts on professional success in Software Testing
Having experienced such a career roller-coaster, I had to ask Ksenia what her thoughts on professional success are. She had definitely shown resilience, consistency and determination in following a goal for a career in IT field and emphasized the importance of having the right support and a mentor. Yet, I remember how daunting it may be at the beginning of anything new, when you don’t know what to expect. She emphasized again the importance of having a vision for what you want to achieve, so that you know what to look for: “Work for a human oriented company with friendly atmosphere, chose an open-minded manager, connect with smart colleagues willing to help, get involved in interesting projects. Know your value and negotiate good conditions. This is how you will maintain your motivation, continue to grow, enjoy the work and be the most productive. And always be grateful for what you have. This is what you should strive for.”
Looking back, and having experienced the growth journey in Software Testing, she thinks she could have been more confident and learn even more about business processes, technologies and testing and from more experienced professionals: “Remember sometimes perfectionism may slow you down and no one is perfect, be consistent and don’t be afraid to network with others – at work, at events – communication is the key”.
Final thoughts
Ksenia experienced international relocation, faced language barrier and went successfully through career reconversion. It certainly wasn’t easy. Listening to her story I was amazed by the journey. I couldn’t help thinking what contributed to her success: she did have a goal she pursued, had a mentor and a support group, and showed resilience in overcoming challenges. She even made it meaningful, by launching her TikTok where she’s inspiring the Generation Z to pursue a career in Software QA. From where I’m standing, she did follow the career roadmap I published in a separate article.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to grow your career, follow this page for similar content.
And for ramping up your knowledge and your career in Software Testing, I encourage you to follow Ksenia on TikTok: QA talk (@qa.talk) | TikTok
Or on Instagram: QA TALK | SOFTWARE TESTING (@qa__talk) • Instagram photos and videos
Or on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@qa_talk?feature=shared
I am certainly happy to support such a constructive and creative initiative. Congratulations for your work and thank you for sharing your story, Ksenia!
