Yulia Iarujina is a vivid example of a successful career track. She started with a small position at Simpals and grew to Team Lead Manual QA. Perseverance, expertise and leadership skills helped Yulia to reach new heights.

— How long have you been with the company?

I’ve been with the company for 3 years, of which I’ve been Team Lead for a year and a half, although sometimes it seems that I’ve been working here much longer.

— How did your career at Simpals start?

It all started when I went to a QA Tester course. I was interested in becoming a QA Automation Tester, since it’s not just “clicking with your hands”, but programming and writing code. But the company had a vacancy for Manual QA, and I decided to try my hand at it.

— How deeply did you grasp the field of testing at the beginning?

From the start, my understanding of this field was nil. The courses focused on theory and Java, but there were no practical lessons at all. Things changed when I started working and actually practiced in the process of real tasks. I took on all the available work in order to get into the processes and familiarize myself with the profession as quickly as possible.

— How has your role in the company changed since you joined?

Back when I started, my role was simple: Junior Manual QA. But over time, it turned out that I was able to take responsibility, organize processes and handle tasks that went beyond the basic responsibilities. This gradually resulted in being entrusted with the Team Lead role. Now I manage a team of five people, and as it turns out, being an operations person is exactly my thing.

— What project or task gives you the most satisfaction?

Definitely “999.” It’s a versatile project with a huge amount of different functionality. It allows you to study the behavior of buyers, sellers and employers, which helps you to understand user needs more deeply and approach tasks from different angles. This multidimensional experience is highly valuable for me.

— What skills have you gained during your time at Simpals?

I have gained many valuable skills. I mastered manual testing of applications and websites, learned how to write documentation and autotests, and also gained expertise as a Team Lead. In the beginning I was unsure of my abilities, but thanks to the support of my Head and team, the transition to new tasks was smooth and easy. My Head always guided me: we often called to discuss current issues, and I additionally took courses from Simpals Academy. In general, the opportunity to learn for free is one of the biggest pluses of working at the company.

— How do you cope with stressful situations at work?

I see stress as an integral part of the work process, which helps to find the truth through arguments and discussions. Whatever stressful situations arise, it is important to come up with solutions and discuss them openly with the team. This helps in finding the best options. I am confident that any problems can be solved through a constructive approach. Moreover, advice from colleagues often opens up new perspectives, which I believe is a normal and useful practice.

— What skills have proved to be the most valuable for your professional development?

Responsibility and a conscientious attitude to work have been key skills that have contributed to my professional development. After 10 years of maternity leave, I was very “work hungry”, full of energy and motivated. When I took on any task, I would completely devote myself to it, striving to do everything as well as possible. This helped me to prove myself as a reliable and responsible employee, which became the basis for my professional development and career growth.

— What is the main advice you would give to those who are just starting out in the testing industry?

Don’t be afraid of responsibility. All newbies have the fear of missing a bug, but it is important to realize that bugs will always be there, even with expertise they are impossible to avoid completely. The main thing is to learn from your mistakes and move on. Don’t set yourself limits: take the initiative, do more than what is expected of you, and try to grow with your projects. If you put your heart and perseverance into your work, you are on the right track.