This article is only available in Dutch 🇳🇱
Rosanne is a Software Tester at Move. She studied Sport & Exercise and Sport, Management and Entrepreneurship. After graduation she worked for four years at two sports apps in the customer contact, support and onboarding department. It was there that she came into contact with Software Testing and the similarities with jungle gyms. But more on that later.
When did you know you wanted to become a Software Tester?
'I worked for two sports apps. In both jobs, I got to completely tease out the complaints that came in about the app. As soon as I knew what the bug entailed, I linked it back to the Developers. Once they had fixed it, I then went back to test if the problem was fixed. I really liked this aspect of my job and the contact with colleagues. I wanted to become a full-time Tester, but unfortunately that was not possible there at the time. Because I was also very curious about what it would be like to be at the front of the chain, I decided to follow a traineeship to become a Software Tester.'
How did you end up at Move?
'During my traineeship I attended a seven-week boot camp, among other things. Then you spend three months working at a company as a trainee before you are allowed to stand on your own two feet at a client. Move was my third client. Before that, I had never actually thought about working at an agency. I was mainly looking for a fun, local organization that wasn't too big. I also immediately saw an important similarity. If you don't feel at home during your secondment, don't find a challenge or don't enjoy your assignment, you can say so and they will look for an assignment that suits you better. At Move, that's exactly how it is. That's one of the reasons why I fit in well at Move: you don't quickly get into a rut here.'
How did you experience the transition from secondment to in-house?
'I already felt 90% in-house. That's because of how colleagues treat you and how much you are involved yourself. Working in the office, walking after lunch and joining drinks, staff parties and Monthly Meetups ensure that you are quickly included, that you are in an environment where you feel comfortable. At one point, I started getting asked more and more, "When will you join Move? Move got me the last 10%. That consists of preconditions, a piece of experience and the feeling that I now really belong. For example, I now feel I can say if I don't like a project anymore and want something else. It is in balance.
Can you describe a workday as a Software Tester at Move?
'A lot of the time I'm doing exploratory testing: delineating a piece of the app, looking for bugs and picking out patterns. That's what I enjoy doing the most. It's basically just monkey caging. I also spend a lot of time testing features that the team builds together. I check whether they meet the acceptance criteria and whether the app is user-friendly. I test how many times you have to click to get somewhere and whether components are in a logical place, considering you do a lot with your thumb on a phone. But I also look at various non-functionals such as accessibility, interruptions by other apps, incoming calls, notifications and entering various dates. While testing, I put on different glasses; I try not to be biased. Thousands of people will soon be using our app and they all have their own way of doing things. Finally, I spend a lot of time providing feedback to Developers. With a good problem description and clear reporting, as a Software Tester you make the work of others much easier. If I see something and I know how to reproduce it, I describe it in detail - possibly with visuals - so the Developer doesn't have to figure it out again and can get right to the solution. So I see Development and Software Testing as one branch. My colleagues are often surprised at what I find and find me strict. I think that is just a nice compliment. They also indicate that strict in this context is positive. When I give feedback, I always give feedback on the subject matter. Never on the person. And if something looks nice or is right all at once, they hear it too!
In what ways does Move make you come into your own in your position?Â
'Through the monthly meetings with my Team Lead and the weekly team meetings. In these I can indicate what I need, how I experience my work and we discuss ideas and challenges. For example, on one project we recently started speaking English. From the Move Academy, I was then able to take the Business English refresher course. The internal training offer ensures that you can develop super fast. The next training courses I'm going to take are Team Collaboration and Assertiveness.'
Do you experience benefits from working at an agency? If so, which ones?
'Because I work on multiple projects, I have variety, stay stimulated and don't get 'stuck'. The team composition, set-up and dynamics differ per project. That requires speed, switching gears and short lines of communication. Super instructive, I like that in my work! I also like working on tangible, 'out in the open' end products. The fact that (almost) everyone can use the apps we make makes me empathize. Finally, Move gives employees a lot of responsibility. But if you need something, you can always knock somewhere. Everyone is willing to help and takes the time to explain something properly. Move has a real doing culture: by trying things out and asking questions, you'll figure it out together. I feel super free here in how to do my work. Of course you determine the content of the work together, but then it's up to you to carry out the work together with the project team. The content of the work is important, but I think how you feel in the space and in the teams is almost as important.'
How do you feel within Move and within the teams?
'It feels like a second home to me here, you don't have to look over your shoulder. Much more homely than a gray office building. Nice buzz around you from people also connecting privately or joking around. It's not always all about work. And if I do want to work in silence one day, that's fine. You can be yourself. My colleagues are lively and you can learn something from everyone here.'
Do you also want to work as a Software Tester? Take a look at the Move Amsterdam vacancy or the Move Zwolle vacancy.
