People of Symphony starring Slobodan Popovic: Relentless enthusiasm and strong work ethics as the ultimate recipe for success

Meet Slobodan! He has been working as a QA Engineer in Symphony for a year now, but his career beginnings date back to 2014 when he first encountered the world of QA. He was introduced to QA testing during his Law studies, and he was instantly hooked. With very little experience but an enormous drive to learn and evolve in the desired field, he applied for his first job and started his QA journey.

Slobodan likes to say how everything starts with curiosity and a proactive attitude. He first started working as a manual tester, learning along the way and exploring the frameworks and technology on his own. After a steep learning curve, he slowly switched to exploring automation tests. Read his inspiring story and career path that brought him to Symphony. 

Breaking down the QA role

When asked what kept him in the QA role for over seven years, Slobodan pointed out that the creativity and freedom to choose how you approach work is what keeps him on his toes. It is the chance to be independent and have a clean slate in tackling any QA project while constantly trying to push the envelope. “When compared with software development, QA engineering gives you more freedom to design tests and more space to find new ways to solve problems, while in development, you have somewhat stricter procedures and practices to follow.” - he pointed out. 

Slobodan further shared his perspective on what the QA role entails, and he likes to refer to it as a bridge between the team and the client. In a nutshell, the QA Engineer makes sure that the client's needs are met, and they receive the best quality product. He combines technical and mediation skills and makes sure the communication between the business and development team flows smoothly. 

There are so many pieces that make the QA puzzle whole. QA is at the core of each development team, and Slobodan sees it as a mutual responsibility where all team members share their views and perspectives of tackling a problem, and finally,  joining forces in reaching the best possible solution. “Active problem detection is key. From the very start of the project, you need to set up a strong basis, identify obstacles, and work together on improving the product from the bottom up. For me, it is crucial to develop a set of different angles of approaching things, with the help of your team, and work on bringing the quality of your output to that next level.”

When it comes to the future of QA Engineering, automation tests, and processes, Slobodan noticed that the applications that are tested are more susceptible to change than the very QA processes, tools, and tests. The QA methodology remains agile, while testing techniques have very few variables. Cypress is gaining momentum regarding automation testing, but the overall methodology is changing at a slower pace, in his opinion. 

Symphony is currently on the lookout for QA Engineers with an impressive track record like our Slobodan, so make sure to apply here and join our fantastic team.

Investing in yourself pays the best interest

Slobodan marked his first year at Symphony in June 2021, and he describes the experience as nothing short of amazing. In his own words - “Working here is incomparable to anything in my career so far because I truly feel taken care of. I give 110 % in my work, but I also have the space and time to grow and experiment in areas I find interesting and valuable for my professional path. Symphony makes my day enjoyable while I focus on my daily tasks and projects. The little details mean a lot because they give you extra motivation to be better and do better.”

We asked Slobodan for a piece of advice from his extensive experience to younger engineers, and he said commitment is key, along with a personal stamp in everything you do. “Every effort and lesson builds your profile, both in the professional and personal sense. Work on your resilience, self-discipline, and initiative, and see how many doors will open in front of you.” - as he pointed out.

The mindset Slobodan developed over time is the guiding force he lives by to this day, and that is - Learn, evolve, stay motivated and always go forward despite the obstacles; there is nothing to lose and a lot to gain in the end.