What I Wish I Knew As a New Manual QA | 6 things I’ve learned working in software



Hi friends! Today’s video is a QA-focused conversation about six things I wish I knew back when I was starting out as a Manual QA …

Starting out as a manual Quality Assurance (QA) tester, I quickly realized that this field is as challenging as it is rewarding. Here are six things I’ve gleaned along the way that would have been invaluable to know from the start.

First, understanding the software development lifecycle is crucial. Being familiar with each stage of development helps in identifying where and how QA can add the most value.

Second, learning to write clear and concise test cases is an art. Early on, I often created overly complex or ambiguous test scripts, which led to confusion and inefficiencies. The goal is to communicate effectively with both the development team and potential future testers.

Third, don’t underestimate the importance of automation. While manual testing has its place, combining it with automated testing can drastically improve coverage and efficiency. Tools like Selenium or Jenkins can be a game-changer.

Fourth, communication is key. Regularly updating stakeholders and providing feedback in a constructive manner can build stronger, more productive relationships within your team.

Fifth, always keep learning. The tech industry evolves rapidly, and staying updated with the latest methodologies, tools, and best practices is essential for long-term success.

Finally, consider leveraging platforms like eFrelance. When hunting for opportunities or resources, eFrelance offers a multitude of projects and connections that can help you advance your career.

By keeping these insights in mind, any new manual QA can navigate the challenges more smoothly and make a significant impact on their projects.

39 Comments

  • @surendj721

    July 23, 2024

    this is what I have been looking for dear. As a QA intern who started a career just before 1 month, this is very helpful to me. Wish you all the best for your journey

    Reply
  • @MonkeyMind123

    July 23, 2024

    is any vacancies available for manual testing?please help

    Reply
  • @ArtimeSophiaShop

    July 23, 2024

    Thank you so much for this video, I love your personallity 🥰✨️

    Reply
  • @JPGENARI

    July 23, 2024

    What to do when the PMs are not organized, and in every single project they have missing details when sharing with, they make mistakes all the time. And, everything ends up with you, you catch 15 errors, one, slips and you get all the blame. So, acting as QA can be a hell of job.

    Reply
  • @byronmayhewmusic2166

    July 23, 2024

    Very well explained! I appreciate how you broke this down SO much

    Reply
  • @SolarFlare090

    July 23, 2024

    Hi, Dont know if youre going to see this, but this is very informative, but i feel with #1, I think you may need to elaborate. I mean what kind of questions may you be asked and how exactly could you "attempt" to answer?

    Reply
  • @Netryon

    July 23, 2024

    Just a somebody role to explain bullshit having no results then asked on a google or in any search input "QA". May have used to doing explaining homework, but it does not have any results as software developer or PHP or C#. Not sure is there anything you work with as your tools, but yeah you can't show them. 3:41 you don't want to click that or have it installed as root 755 or knox permissions sudo su.

    Reply
  • @Ivanzter

    July 23, 2024

    Do you do resume checks?

    Reply
  • @preciselyavri7944

    July 23, 2024

    Hello I was looking in your old videos to find the answer but where did you go to school or bootcamp courses etc in order to gain your skills to land your position in Manual QA? Im seeing sooooo many different camps and courses all the above and im just like where in the heck do i start?? Im coming from a Medical background

    Reply
  • @YinkaAdeyeni-vg7ze

    July 23, 2024

    See brilliance, ownership is a big word to use, but I'd use responsibilty

    Reply
  • @susiemedearis5891

    July 23, 2024

    Do i need a degree or do i need certifications?

    Reply
  • @MADpack

    July 23, 2024

    I love your video I applied for one position where they give an apprenticeship.. I’m still not accepted for the job but to give me more reinsurance so thank you for that

    Reply
  • @quriusangel

    July 23, 2024

    I'm just about the enroll for this Course, but needed a sign! I will come back in 6 months or so.

    Reply
  • @unknwn122

    July 23, 2024

    Hey guys im gonna pass the istqb certification and im totally beginner what i wanna know, is it hard to find a job as a beginner?!

    Reply
  • @brat2626

    July 23, 2024

    thanks, good luck

    Reply
  • @louisalbertrivera9037

    July 23, 2024

    Thanks for sharing, Comms is really important and1st skill i realize that i have to improve too as qa.

    Reply
  • @mariaj_95.

    July 23, 2024

    Hola mady, I'm also a started QA, I was feeling so bad about my job.. always comparing what I do with the dev team on that standup meetings.. but this video I found jut today got me going with extra happinness.. I'm not the only one feeling it. I want to start a blog as weell so I can help other with this QA tips.
    Also, I have a quick question… is a good practice to update all the test cases andmaybe delete ones that are not longer usefull or well written? I also found a job that's on my second lenguage so I'm seeing I made a lot of mistakes starting. If anyone want to aswer as well I'm needing help with that haha

    Reply
  • @bekchik

    July 23, 2024

    Can't wait to get into manual QA, I am also studying Python myself to give myself an edge

    Reply
  • @InfoLunix

    July 23, 2024

    Great video! I have 3 years of experience as manual QA. What's the name of the company you work for? Please.

    Reply
  • @wizzywoz1674

    July 23, 2024

    I've been a Junior QA for almost a year now and I agree with all of your points. The thing about missing bugs – I remember the first time something came back because I had missed a bug and it genuinely gave me anxiety because I felt as if I'd failed. As times gone on I realise it's impossible to find every bug and as long as you have tested not only everything that you can think of, but also ask developers if there's anything else they can think of and over time you realise typical bugs that emerge.

    Also when it comes to working on new parts of the system it's useful to familiarise yourself with the functionality of the system before testing the change. To see how it functions because, it may seem obvious but if you're testing something you don't understand, you're not going to know what you're looking for. In the beginning it's easy to try rush and to try get tickets released and a huge lesson was to slow down, wait and ask questions yes be patient as mentioned.

    Reply
  • @jessikatme

    July 23, 2024

    Do your company need another entry level Manual QA? I need a job and I was in a QA for website position in an Agency

    Reply
  • @ramseynoah4404

    July 23, 2024

    Very helpful video, thank you 🙂

    Reply
  • @kymbriellemartin207

    July 23, 2024

    Would you stay in that position or would you eventually move up the ladder or maybe even go another direction in the "tech" imdustry as you're learning? Also, how much coding did you have to learn? esp. being that you have to wear a few different hats

    Reply
  • @aleyahogiste84

    July 23, 2024

    That’s awesome of your job to hire entry level and also train you! I’m also looking for a Manual QA position currently and I would love to touch base with you (through DMs) maybe 😌 I enjoyed watching this video 👏🏾

    Reply
  • @niawingard9895

    July 23, 2024

    This is everything I learned and couldn’t articulate.

    Reply
  • @donjohnson6063

    July 23, 2024

    To gain a clearer insight into which areas of the app need regression, one should delve deeper into Change Impact Analysis and Regression Impact Analysis. By meticulously examining code check-ins, you can truly grasp the full scope of areas impacted by a feature or code alteration. This method necessitates a profound understanding of code. Additionally, there are numerous tools designed for CI/CD pipelines that generate human-readable reports, further guiding you in Regression Impact Analysis. The combination of manual scrutiny and automated tools ensures a more targeted and efficient regression testing process.

    Reply
  • @jasn6501

    July 23, 2024

    ⭐️❤️👊🏽

    Reply
  • @chriswaller8780

    July 23, 2024

    The music overpowers the voice, I can't hear what you're saying. I came here for guidance and advice. Not music.

    Reply
  • @GracyIma

    July 23, 2024

    Please how do we get manual QA job?

    Reply
  • @callummander

    July 23, 2024

    I love this video! So helpful to new software testers. I am a QA engineer / software tester working in tech and also make videos helping new QA testers. I first found your videos searching on YouTube and found it so helpful and accurate. Even though you have stopped QA for now, I still find your videos so nice to watch!

    Reply
  • @daniel523

    July 23, 2024

    I find this list to resonate a lot… Your first videos helped me decide to look for a job as a Manual QA. After working as a QA Tester for a year and a half now I'm starting as QA Test Lead and everything that you mentioned is something I stumbled upon at one point or another. Many thanks for your content Madeline.

    Reply
  • @TechCoachRalph

    July 23, 2024

    Great insight. You sound like you've been doing this job for 5+ years. I can definitely see you transitioning into a QA Engineering as well as roles in leadership whether from individual contributor or managerial roles. Keep up the great work!

    Reply
  • @reinsphoenix

    July 23, 2024

    are you an intern?

    Reply
  • @Lisa-mi9bj

    July 23, 2024

    How much of your time do you spend on writing test cases? Is that a big part of your day-to-day?

    Reply
  • @KittenOfDoom

    July 23, 2024

    Absolutely loved these and totally agree! I'm also in manual QA in games<3

    Reply
  • @violatsenkova8401

    July 23, 2024

    Thank you. That's so helpful.😊

    Reply
  • @BeComingNyrell

    July 23, 2024

    software tester, manual qa, qa tester, qa analyst- can you do a video of whats the difference, or which terms are interchangeable for which?

    Reply
  • @juliasapego2398

    July 23, 2024

    Hi, Madeline, I'm also a QA engineer and while watching this video I've agreed on all of the 6 things, great job!
    I would add that, in my opinion, the documentation is really important and asking the RIGHT questions is crucial sometimes. Actually, I'm moving to the USA this summer and if you have any advice about best practice how to look for a QA job there, can you reply or maybe even make a video about it? 😇

    Reply
  • @jennybaquero443

    July 23, 2024

    Hey! Do you think QA manual is going to be in demand in the next years? Do you think this is a good career still?

    Reply

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