Oleksandr Zagrebelnyi, QA Manual at Innovecs: “Thanks to the corporate culture, the company exudes warmth”

— Who did you dream of being as a child?

I remember how in kindergarten I was asked what I want to become when I grow up, and I answered: “A driver like my dad.” The irony is that I still don’t have a driver’s license.

— How important is family support in becoming a person and a professional? Have you been supported in choosing your career path?

The situation is twofold here. In some cases, support can be important and affect the development of a person, while in others, its absence does not interfere with achieving goals. Ideally, there should be support and understanding from the family. But I think there is no direct relationship.

— What features do you think are the most important in your profession?

I think it is the inquisitiveness, attentiveness to the little things, resistance to stress, the ability to routinely find inaccuracies, and not to lose vigilance over time. Everything related to attention, involvement, concentration. It is necessary to develop the skill of the detective.

— What challenges do you face in your daily work?

For me, this is working with foreign customers. For example, we work with India, and accordingly, we understand their market, work conditions, and traditions, manner of communication. Besides the difference in time zones, there are cultural and mental differences as well. As for business ethics, in India, it is much broader and more voluminous, since the country has been independent for a longer period of time and is bigger in terms of capital volumes. In this huge state, the business has been going on for much longer than ours. Therefore, culture and business are intertwined. Everything is different: negotiation, tone, taboos. You can overlook some trifle and offend a person without even knowing it. We try to be as simple and loyal as possible to everything unexpected.

— How do you rate the cohesion of your team? How does this affect the result and the quality of the task performed?

My team is very close-knit. On Thursday we have an office day — we all (including those who work remotely) try to come to the office and talk about work and other topics. On this day, more experienced colleagues help beginners to deal with difficult moments. Occasionally there is a need for longer workdays, and every member of the team empathizes since we are all equally rooting for the project.

— Where do you need to start mastering your profession? What resources/courses/books can you recommend?

There are many courses, both free and paid. Their main difference is the completeness of the material, the duration of training. I would advise you to research the reviews to find something suitable. In terms of the required base, there are many resources for learning testing. You can start by studying basics, definitions, techniques before taking courses.

— What tools help you be effective?

In terms of planning, we have daily meetings. Leads ask questions about tasks, colleagues tell what task they are on, what they plan to do next. Having two such meetings a day, you can create a pool of tasks, consult about priorities. Plus, I have certain modules that I have to monitor the quality of, go through the flow, go through everything that the user goes through and make sure everything works. We also have a board in Jira, where each has its own area of ​​responsibility. The main tool that I use is internal self-organization.

— In your opinion, how will technology change your profession in the foreseeable future?

We have five testers on the project: three manual and two automation engineers. In fact, the future has already arrived. Some of the work that used to be done by seven to ten testers is now done by one who writes tests and runs the check. At the same time, I think that manual testing will probably not be in that amount. There will never be full and complete automation, and the human factor will not go anywhere.

— Do you have any new hobbies or activities?

Rather, the old ones were reborn. For example, I used to play table tennis. Innovecs contributed to my return to this game with the help of the tennis community, which includes training and tournaments. In addition, I am happy to participate in events and monthly activities.

— Is there a work/life balance and clear lines between work and life outside it?

It all depends on the person and his profession. For example, if you are a surgeon, it is difficult to switch abruptly. However, this needs to be learned over time, since otherwise, it will be difficult. From an IT perspective, it is quite comfortable to create this balance for yourself, since our work is not so morally exhausting in comparison with other professions. When you go home, you can train or mind your own business.

— Where are you looking for inspiration?

I am inspired by people, communication with them, and their stories. Inspiration is more the path itself, rather than the goal. If we enjoy the process, conversation, pastime – this is the goal. I like to travel, and play sports.

— What are you learning today, and what would you like to learn in the future?

There is always something to learn. There is a desire to constantly grow, become a more experienced and professional specialist.

— Which of the Innovecs corporate culture do you like best?

I like that the company is not indifferent to its employees as individuals. First, we are seen as people. Whereas other companies require time and effort from you to achieve their goals without giving anything in return, Innovecs cares about the emotional state of their people. Interesting events, entertainment, challenges are constantly held here, and communities are launched. That is, they do not let you get bored, they distract from the routine, they rally the team. This adds weight to the company. Any person needs a moral outlet.

— What are you dreaming about today?

I clearly differentiate between dreams and goals. Dreams are something abstract, while a goal has an end date or material outcome. I would like to travel, discover new countries and horizons.

— What’s the most interesting thing about your job?

It seems to me that the project itself should be interesting — its characteristics, benefits for the client, scale. If the project is boring, then no matter how much you love bugs and reports, the work will not be fun.

— What is the hardest part of your job?

Things you’ve never worked with, like new technologies. Senior comrades help here.

— You’ve been with the company for seven months. What motivates you to stay here? / What have you already appreciated?

I like the location as I live close enough. I also like the office itself, its equipment. I like the team — they are not only nice people but also experienced specialists who help you to develop. Along with corporate culture, the company exudes warmth.