Journey as an STE
Starting a new job is always an exciting but nerve-wracking experience. You don’t know what to expect, and everything seems to be a new challenge. I joined a sales-tech company called Applicate as a software test engineer, and my onboarding journey was a great experience that prepared me for the challenges that lay ahead.
The onboarding process at Applicate was divided into two rounds. The first round was all about understanding the general market functioning and the business model of the company. It helped me to identify the end customers and the needs that we fulfilled as a company. It was an insightful experience that made me realize the importance of knowing your customers and their needs to provide better solutions.
In the second round, I was introduced to my role and responsibilities as a software test engineer. I learned about automation using tools like Appium and Selenium, which was a crucial part of my job. I also learned about management tools like JIRA and Redmine, which helped me to track and manage my tasks effectively. In the final phase, I was introduced to many other tools like Postman, JMeter, and Jenkins, which were required for different phases of testing. It was a lot to take in, but the training was comprehensive, and I felt ready to take on the challenges of my job.
Once the training was over, I was assigned to a project. I was fortunate enough to be assigned to one of the most important projects of the company, which was the Unnati(Order ITC products). As soon as I was assigned, I was given a major project feature delivery to work on. It was a challenge, but with the help of my colleagues, I managed to deliver the feature successfully. Every day since then has been a new learning experience, be it technical skills or life lessons. I have grown a lot as a professional and as a person in this company.
Working at Applicate has not been without its challenges. As a software test engineer, I had to learn new technologies and work on integrating different systems. It was a steep learning curve, but my seniors were always ready to provide assistance and help in case of any difficulty. I also had to manage my work-life balance, and sometimes the workload was overwhelming. However, with the help of my colleagues and the supportive work culture, I was able to overcome these challenges.
After six months of working at Applicate, I was converted to a full-time employee. Since then, I have worked on integrating banking systems with two big fintech companies and delivered a bug-free product. I have also worked on integrating Moengage and continuously assigned new CRs. It has been a fulfilling experience, and I am grateful to be part of such a dynamic and innovative company.
In conclusion, my experience as a software test engineer at Applicate has been a roller coaster ride with surprises at each loop. The onboarding process, training, and work culture have helped me to grow as a professional and as a person. I have learned a lot about market functioning, business models, and various technologies. The challenges have been daunting, but the support and assistance provided by my colleagues have made it manageable. I am excited to see what the future holds for me at Applicate.