This week we spoke to Senior Test Engineer, Hannah Sanchez, who told us how she fell into testing and how her role fits into the software development process.
What's your ENSEK journey been like so far?
When I started at ENSEK nearly three years ago there was just me and one other (who’s now Head of Software Quality!) covering the whole testing process. As we grew and started to develop teams, I joined Team Energy and was with them for about two and a half years, until recently when I moved to the CSS Squad to work on a new project.
Tell us about your career background.
I started my career doing a BSc in Digital Media Technology at Nottingham Trent University, and gained a Development placement in the eCommerce department for a large fashion company. During this time I found I had a passion for software testing and fell into the role of a tester. I didn’t realise at university that testing is a role in itself or how important this is, so I feel really lucky that I found this out quite early on in my career path. After graduation I returned to the same company as a full time Test Analyst. I had the opportunity to work at a few different locations in the UK, but moved to ENSEK to join a smaller company with an office closer to where I grew up.
You said when you were at university you didn't realise the role of tester even existed - could you explain some more about the role itself for any people who might be in the same position?
At university, the testing and quality assurance process was seen as an end part to a project, where you conduct automated and manual testing to ensure the software you’ve created does its job and is free of bugs before you put it to use. In the real world, this is done by a different person or a team, who create test plans, merge and build code, manage defects, and run different types of tests on the software. I’d recommend anyone who’s at university and enjoying the testing elements of their projects to do some research into the role, as it’s a much bigger area than it seems.
What would you say makes a good Tester?
That’s a hard one, I would say someone who has an inquisitive nature and thinks outside the box. Also, not being afraid to speak up when something isn’t right, and having the customer at heart.
I know no two days are the same here, but can give us a brief idea of what a typical day looks like in your role?
The first thing I do is get a coffee so I’m starting the day ready to go for our morning stand up with the development team. I check my emails and messages, then check the team board to see which code items are ready to test. I have a checklist that I complete before I start working on anything, starting with the test plan. I’ll write the plan out then send to the developers for review. If there’s a plan already I can go straight into merging the code into a test branch, then build and release it into a test site so I can get to work making sure it does its job. Once the code is tested it’ll be submitted to be included in our next client release, and there’s some admin that comes along with that.
What is the best thing about your job and why?
I get to work with some amazing, bubbly and interesting people. People are a key focus at ENSEK, and you can see that with the people you work and interact with on a daily basis.
What do you miss about pre-pandemic life at ENSEK?
The office interaction, I miss seeing everyone’s smiling faces, seeing people in the kitchen when I grab a coffee, seeing my team face to face, and the office banter!
Is there anything about ENSEK working life that you think has improved over the pandemic?
Communications have improved massively; we do a lot more over Teams, and the technology we have has adapted to our new way of working. We have an Engagement Committee who provide regular treats when we’re in the office, and we’ve still been getting these delivered to us at home at different points throughout lockdown. It’s also great that we’ve been able to keep the social element of ENSEK alive through team digital socials.
ENSEK are always looking out for quality developers at all levels, whether based near HQ in Nottingham or slightly further afield. If you’re looking for a new challenge, head to our Careers page to apply.
Looking for a new role?
If you’re interested in a new opportunity with a fast-growing company and brilliant colleagues, click here to get in touch with the Talent team.
