Another team member takes the stage in this month's The Faces of HackSoft edition. 🙌
Meet Stefka Zumerova, our talented Manual QA Engineer. In this article, you'll learn more about her, her passion for problem-solving, and the unique blend of skills she brings to our team.
Without further ado, let's see what Stefka has to share. 👀
Can you tell us more about yourself?
I am Stefka. I stumbled into the IT world quite by accident 2 years ago, and I’ve been actively enjoying it ever since. 😄
I started my career as an Application Support Engineer, moving very quickly to handling high-level issues. This helped me learn a lot in a very short time and I found that I love everything about software - how it’s built, how it works, and more than all - how and where it can break.
I’ve also attended several JavaScript programming courses, and I can say with certainty that I quite enjoy the coding part as well.
This is why the change to a QA position was the natural progression of things for me. 🔍🪲
What are you working and for how long? What languages have you been using?
I am working as a Manual QA Engineer in one of our projects at the moment, with the idea of moving to automation in the future.
Currently, my use of languages are limited to sticking my nose 👃 in the code every once in a while, and making sure that:
- the end-to-end tests I’m planning have all the specifics in consideration;
- I’m not testing an area that has already been more and better tested on a previous level;
- I don’t forget how to read Python. :) 🐍
Why did you decide to join HackSoft?
This was also a bit of a lucky accident.
I’d known about the company for a while from friends (who always made sure to mention in great detail how positive and growth-oriented the culture in HackSoft is).
When I heard they were looking for a manual QA with the plan to move to automation, I just had to try.
I’ve now been 6 months here and joining HackSoft has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. 🙌
What are your favorite technologies and why?
From what I use on a daily basis in work, I’d say: Django, Notion and Whimsical (the last two are helping a lot, and I mean a lot, with keeping track of all the technical documentation, as well as any QA test ideas, plans, and plain curiosities I stumble upon daily).
I also quite enjoy Playwright (with Python), but I’ve had very limited experience with it. I’m looking forward to learning more in the future.
What's the motto that motivates you?
Every mistake is a learning opportunity. ✅
What do you like most about your daily tasks?
They are various, dynamically changing, and often challenging. As a result, I’m never bored, and I am constantly learning and growing.
Name three HackSoft values that fit your personality?
🔸 Growth Mindset;
🔸 Overcommunication;
🔸 Balance. Manage your health and stress.
What are your hobbies/interests?
📚 Books: I’ve always loved reading and it’s remained one of my favorite pastimes, even with having less free time for it.
🧩 Jigsaw Puzzles: Yes, I love big jigsaw puzzles (nothing under 1000 pcs, please).
No, I don’t glue them and hang them on my wall. 😅
Yes, I enjoy the process more than the result, and I have no trouble putting them back in the box as soon as they are complete. 🫡
🍵 Tea: Christmas tea, Jogi tea - basically, any weird flower/fruit/herb tea combination there is, as well as good old classics as spearmint tea.
🚶♀️ Walks: these tend to be on the bigger side too. If I say “Let’s have a short walk”, these are at least 4-5 kilometers we’re in for.
Tell us 3 fun facts about you
1️⃣ I have a Bachelor's Degree in English Studies (Literature and Linguistics). Totally related to trying to break applications on a daily basis, of course. 🤓
2️⃣ When I said one of my hobbies is tea, what I meant is that I have a whole cupboard in my kitchen just for it. And I restock it regularly. And sometimes this involves lengthy online shopping research on where the most interesting, yet not expensive tea is...
Come to think of it, I do something similar with books and jigsaw puzzles too. 🤔
3️⃣ Prior to coming to HackSoft, I hated having my photo taken. Think of a vampire-garlic kind of situation. 🧛♀️🧄 Our fabulous marketing team seems to have cured me from it. Permanently. ✨😅
