The massive scope of Software Development Engineering is known to all! Its aspects like Quality Assurance and Testing are crucial in software development cycles to ensure well-functioning, high-quality product development.
And with product development taking the front seat for most organizations, the demand for SDETs (Software Development Engineers in Test) is at an all-time high.
But what does an SDET do, and what is the scope of the field?
We try to answer these questions and more with Surbhit Aggarwal, Senior Lead SDET, Quality Assurance, at Naukri.
1. Could you tell us a little about what you do?
I am currently working as a Senior Lead SDET at Naukri. Working in collaboration with multiple teams, I, along with all SDETs ensure that all Naukri’s mobile apps are of high quality and provides a great user experience to everyone on the platform.
2. Please walk us through your journey so far.
I am glad to have such varied experiences in my journey so far. From testing websites, to moving towards testing backend services and currently working with Mobile Apps.
The journey has been rewarding, exciting, and filled with new learning experiences.
3. What got you interested in QA Testing?
Working as a QA gave me the opportunity to look at a product from different angles and test it with different expectations.
It does not involve only testing a feature but allows you to contribute toward a better product by providing suggestions based on understanding what customers want.
It is challenging to develop the right mindset and to test the product with different aspects. The responsibilities are wide, and so are the learning opportunities.
Additionally, seeing your work helping and impacting so many lives is undoubtedly a satisfactory experience.
4. What does a day as an SDET Lead look like?
Our day generally starts with checking that there are no live issues causing inconvenience to the end users by using different monitoring tools.
Once we ensure that everything is in place, we start working on testing new features by closely working with the dev, product, and design team.
Our work includes both manual and automation testing and ensuring timely delivery of products without compromising their quality in any form.
5. What is the next big thing in the field?
When it comes to software testing, there cannot be a single methodology or step-by-step process to be followed.
The emergence of new ideas combined with new technologies like ML or AI can largely help in strategizing and revolutionizing the overall testing mechanisms and the entire product delivery life cycle.
6. What are the three things that you like & dislike about your field?
Every job profile has pros and cons, but overall, I find the QA role has more positives.
Likes
- We are involved in each stage from the conception of a feature till it goes live and thus possess a thorough understanding of the product.
- Working on different challenging and innovative products.
- Staying up to date with the latest tools and technologies.
Dislikes
- With limited time and tight deadlines, QA teams might be forced to compromise on quality.
- Even after giving your best efforts some bug/defect might end up reaching the customers.
7. Given the nature of your job, how do you maintain a work-life balance?
The role of the organization you work at and the management is critical to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
At Info Edge this has always been promoted, which ensures that we never find maintaining it difficult.
8. How has Info Edge helped in your career growth?
Info Edge has been instrumental in my career growth by providing opportunities to work on different challenging products with great teams and mentors.
Most importantly, Info Edge has always supported new ideas and gives freedom to try new things, explore and enhance one's knowledge.
9. Are there any mandatory skills one should develop when pursuing this field?
Some skills that will help those pursuing the field are:
- Good knowledge of any OOPs-based programming language
- Thorough knowledge of testing concepts and strategies
- One must have critical thinking and a knack for solving technical problems
- Looking at the whole picture rather than only the piece you are working on
10. What would you advise our readers planning to pursue a profession in QA Testing?
Folks planning to pursue a profession in QA should keep developing their technical skills along with analytical/logical thinking.
They should work on understanding testing concepts and get a good working knowledge of any programming language.
What is In Conversation with?
Seeking an expert's opinion is not always easy, so we are bringing the expert's opinion to you!
In this series, we aim to explore the career journey of people from different fields, backgrounds, and career stages who have tread the path and made a place for themselves in their specific fields.
Join us as we try to understand all about what they do, how they started, and where they are headed next.
Stay tuned to read more such articles. And to get insights into your desired field, send suggestions to guestpostnaukri@gmail.com!
