Monthly Wrap #1 🕰️ Careers in QA: "A note to your first-day self"

Miscellaneous
1

You know that version of you who just got the job?

The one who didn’t fully understand what a test case was, wasn’t sure if they were allowed to ask questions yet, and definitely googled “how to”

Yeah. We’d like you to write them a note.

If you could send one message back to yourself on Day 1 in QA - what would it say?

It can be:

  • :people_hugging: Kind (“You’re going to be fine, I promise”)
  • :joy: Honest (“Nobody knows what they’re doing either”)
  • :fire: Blunt (“Stop saying sorry in bug reports”)
  • :pushpin: Practical (“Learn to read logs NOW”)

Drop it in the comments. One line or ten - whatever feels right for you

We’ll collect the best ones and turn them into a little community time capsule at the end of the month. :love_letter:

Can’t wait to hear your story as always

Bella

2

I would just say : “You did well”

3

It would be -

  • Don’t assume - get every small doubt clarified.
  • If you are sure it is bug - can debate with anyone who says otherwise
  • Start identifying root cause early
  • Negative testing is where the real bugs hide. Happy paths are everyone’s favorite - break them anyway.
  • Be curious - you will never know everything
4

Don’t assume—ask the small questions early, read the logs carefully, and remember that the best bugs are found by challenging the happy path.

5

Dear Day 1 QA Me,

You think everyone else understands the product, the process, and the testing strategy better than you do. They don’t. They’re just a little further down the road.

Ask the question. Read the log. Reproduce the bug one more time. Take notes. Trust your curiosity.

And when you find a bug that nobody else saw, remember this feeling—because one day a new tester will be looking at you the same way you’re looking at everyone else today.

Also: stop apologizing for raising defects. Finding problems is literally the job.

You’re going to be fine.

6

I will say - “Life is much like driving a car on a foggy day”.

When the fog is dense, you can only see 10–15 meters ahead. As you begin to move forward steadily, every few meters reveal the next 15 meters stretch of the road. Gradually, without even realizing it, you cover long distances—perhaps hundreds of kilometers.

The key is to keep moving, stay patient, and appreciate where you are in the moment. Take one step forward, and the next steps will naturally become clear.

7

my advice to my firstday self would be:
learn the product before anything else. understanding how it works and how users actually use it will make you a much better tester than simply learning testing techniques

good topic anyway

8

i will say this Nobody knows what they’re doing either

9

I would say be practical, Learn everything around you