Log in to IT: Through seven handshakes, or I disassemble a calculator

The current hero of the “Enter IT” rubric is Olga Lukavenko, Honored QA in DataArt.

Now it is hard to remember that before I was not in IT. But, returning a couple of years ago, I understand how spontaneously I decided to go to work in an IT company.
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As is usually the case (and we all know about the theory of seven handshakes), the best friend told about his odnogruppnitsa, working in DataArt. At this moment, she almost chose the work of a barista in a Kharkov coffee house and the prospect of graduate school at the department.

But, having behind unfinished radio engineering education and a little skepticism in relation to office work, I decided to get involved in a small adventure. “It won’t lose me,” I thought.

Her friend's group mate was Kate, and she advised me to read “Testing dot.com” for Roman Savin and gave me links to a couple of useful resources. Savin was a great start. It is hard for me to imagine an easier and more digestible book for a beginner, and even without a special IT background. Already starting to read "Testing dot.com", I decided that I didn’t want anywhere except DataArt, despite the fact that there are a lot of IT companies in Kharkov. Therefore, everything that seemed important to me was recorded from Savin: types of testing, life cycle of bugs, examples of writing test cases and bug reports.

The ISTQB glossary was worse, because it is a dry description of terms, which can be useful except for testers with at least a minimum level.

I can say that I still believe that the "Testing dot.com" outlines everything you need to know about testing in theory. In addition, numerous examples (including from everyday life) easily help to get into the essence of the matter, and not just read letters and words.

Only at this stage it became clear to me where to go next. And here Google is to help, because I wanted to learn about such things as security testing, how to make injections, with what and why they automate. Just after Savin, questions began to arise in my head that I really wanted to get an answer.

However, this was not enough. Therefore, an entry-level SQL tutorial went into effect (the textbook was called “Master SQL yourself. 10 minutes per lesson”), html manual and C ++ repetition, with which I was familiar only in the field of microcontroller programming. At the Kharkov office, the position of the trainee was just opened, and until late in the night I sat and did test sql tests, tested pens, pencils, machines with a cola in my head, so that someone else would not grab the single desired job.

In addition, at that time I had many friends in IT who advised, among other things, to deal with testing methodologies and told how everything works in real projects.

I remember a terrible emotion at the time of writing a resume, and then a call from HR, an invitation to a technical interview and absolute calm only when I entered the rally room for a technical interview. Just somehow, everything was immediately felt familiar, "their".

By the way, Savin, among other things, also gives recommendations on employment for the first job. They still seem a little ridiculous to me, but if someone wants to feed themselves with confidence, they can also be interesting to read.

After going through several rounds of interviews, I still heard the desired “when are you ready to go out?”. Everything that I read was useful, from Savin to a cursory repetition of minimal C ++ knowledge. Now it seems that I was terribly lucky, and I got into DataArt extremely easily. But, remembering all the events of that summer, I realize how terribly I was worried, how convulsively I was preparing and how I didn’t want anything other than work in DataArt. Friends said that it was very imprudent to send a resume to only one company, I don’t know where I had confidence in the choice, but he didn’t let me down.

The first working day began with a familiarization with the company's policy, reading internal corporate documents. However, it did not last long, just an hour later my mentor of Light gave me the opportunity to get acquainted with the real project. And on the same day I felt all the love for my future work. The first bugs in the first hours of work, a lot of new unknown, and most importantly - a real opportunity to apply the knowledge obtained from textbooks in practice.

I taught a lot when I was already a trainer: I watched the video of Mikhail Polyarush on automation, a colleague helped me deal with Selenium WebDriver, firebug. I wanted to absorb all the knowledge that only exists in the universe and without fail to put it into practice without stopping.

Probably, even then the point of no return came, after which it is hard to remember my life before working in an IT company, no matter how naive and funny it may sound.

To say that I love my job is not enough - I adore it! Have you ever analyzed a calculator in childhood to understand how it works and what kind of magic happens inside? Do you remember this feeling? This is what I feel every day at work, when I take on a new, yet unexplored functionality!