Tester Review

My Role is a Junior Test Analyst as well as a Defect Manager. I work on a secure project and my day-to-day roles include execution of test scripts, the creation of test scripts. A review process of said test scripts as well as day to day meetings with members of the team to discuss bugs and other issues. My Defect management role consists of logging, taking care of and making sure that all defects that are raised on the project are chartered correctly as well as creating necessary and accurate Metric reports on them.

In my first few weeks of working I was enrolled onto the ISTQB Course (A primarily Testing course to gain an understanding of the basics) and have also now been recommended to take the CAT Course, a Certified Agile Tester course. Internal Training included teaching me the basics of testing and an understanding of the area's that I would be working in. This also meant that I gained an understanding of my managers roles as well as further ups and what was expected of me, mandatory training such as security awareness etc followed.

Work - In work I am given the ability to think freely and to partake in any activity I deem reasonable, as long as it is project related and it is okayed through my manager. The only limitation is that sometimes my area is very complex, meaning it is difficult to get the okay to complete an activity as there is limited view of my workload (Due to it being so complex). However working on this, there are regular meetings with key team members so that the understanding of the area is taken into account. Team - My team is somewhat of a small team and is quite split up around the country, with some working in London, some in Birmingham and some in Leatherhead. This is sometimes very useful as we are able to take time to create new ideas and have the review process in place to fix these issues. The only problem that has stemmed from this is that sometimes the communication lacks between the team and relies too heavily on the reviewal process. Company Culture - The companies culture is to take care of their employees and give them every opportunity to grow and expand. So far, I have not encountered this, due to the fact that my project is within the critical category, therefore my ability of movement within the organisation has been severely stunted, however this will change when the project becomes more stable and in a state of control. Expectations - My expectations of the role were uncertain when I begun working at the company, I was expecting to move into a BA role, however was put into a Testing role. This was not an issue as I understand the become a BA you must understand all aspects of the design process before actually taking part in the role. Therefore I feel quite satisfied with my role. Enjoyment - I enjoy my role thoroughly, as with any job it can be difficult and rather frustrating when things go wrong, however this is the same with any role. I have a large amount of responsibility, and this helps me with my job satisfaction. However sometimes can cause problems with my workload, as the amount of things that I must complete overwhelm me.

Appreciation from Manager - In my project there is a quick turnaround and little, to no time for good points from the project and/or individuals. This sometimes can get me down, however I do understand that work comes first and that the recognition will come in time. Internal Recognition - This is similar to the project, however on a much wider scale, CGI as a company gives recognition for extra curricula activities very well, creating a good atmosphere to express yourself in. External Recognition - I personally have not experienced this, however when CGI is represented by certain individuals, it is made sure that those individuals are given the recognition that they deserve and not glossed over. Involvement within Project - My involvement within the project has been extremely high, this was due to the project having very limited resources, so myself and my colleague were given important roles and a lot of responsibility early on. I enjoyed this and still do enjoy it as it makes me feel enriched in my job role, however as I previously stated, sometimes it can cause shortcomings I spare time.

Induction - This process was quick and informative, giving us all the details we required such as; Location of work, Projects, Times, Dates of work, Pay, Required hardware (Laptop and Phone) and other information. Training - Previously covered Support - There are many support options within CGI, including the Oxygen process and the MAPS process for physical and mental health, that is free, easy to use and 24/7 Mentor - You are supplied with a mentor at CGI and this is a very good process for checking your workload compared to your Uni workload, as well as helping you to understand where your priorities should be. Task Delegation - This is usually given out by your line manager/team leader, and this is a relatively easy process Team Hierarchy - All teams are different and therefore so is the hierarchy, it can sometimes be tricky to understand, so my suggestion is make sure you take your time and feel free to ask questions as they are very open to giving answers. Programme Organisation - The programme was organised well and the lines of support were easy to follow. The levels of escalation are quite tricky to work out however, so again, make sure to ask questions before taking things to the wrong people.

Mentor - More personal advice than anything. Your mentor is supposed to be your careers advisor, however I see mine as more of my friend, which sometimes is a real help especially when your social life and work life begin to clash. I would recommend making sure that your mentor is comfortable talking to you and you them about anything, within reason. Guidance - Somewhat difficult to find however it is there, once again, asking questions is necessary as well as navigating the intranet site to find the relevant information Attitude towards support - It is not only advised, it is required that everyone do their utmost to support you in everyway they can. This is both helpful and comforting as you don't feel worried asking for the help you need, personal or work related Enjoyment - I did enjoy it for the most part, the only area where I got slightly frustrated was finding the guidance to ask for the help to the right people.

Manager - Minimal however it is a good gateway to get the support you need from elsewhere HR Team - This is an online portal therefore this is a last resort, I personally prefer to speak to a person rather than log a complaint online Mentor - A high amount of support is given through the mentor system so that everyone feels comfortable talking about work to someone who can influence change. This is a great system as it helps to feel comfortable about making change. Accessibility - Previously covered Guidance with problems - This is a very slow process however with most issues a slow process is much better than a quick, fast approach (depending on the problem of course). This can also help people to understand whats wrong without it becoming a major issue.

I live in London, this means that my spending is significantly higher than most other students. My living costs are significantly high, meaning that my salary is 50% taken up by the Rent of my accommodation. Travel costs are around 10% of my salary. Daily can vary however overall I spend roughly 15% of my income. This leaves 25% of my income to be spent on what I like (or in my case, saved!!)

There are an incredible amount of opportunities from CGI, this is because of the "SSC" - or the Sports and Social Club. The SSC is something that every single CGI office has, for example there is a London, Leatherhead and Reading etc SSC. You pay £5 a month and are able to go to every event that is organised (by other members) for free or at a subsidised Price. I find it is definitely worth it as so far, after going to roughly 6 events, I have saved around £250 pounds. So well worth the money!

Yes

The opportunities that are supplied to you via CGI and their pathways are unlike any other company, the ability to move from any area that you wish is also extremely unique. The attitude towards change is also extremely different from most other companies that I have experienced, there is a much more open approach, with them giving you the opportunity to lead change within the organisation. This I think is important because it gives the everyone the ability to do and follow what they love.

There's not much to suggest when it comes to it. If you be yourself, be genuine and are a hard-worker, CGI will definitely Recommend you. Interview - Explain your strengths, your weaknesses sure, but most importantly what you're passionate about. Assessment Days - These are very helpful in understanding what is expected from you, it also helps with understanding the nitty gritty of your role, area of work and what you can do and not do as part of CGI. Things I'd have like to have been told - This is actually quite a difficult area to challenge, most of the information that you require is told, and the tools to find the rest of the information is then provided further via the intranet site and Emails, something I would have liked may have been understanding the process for my Clearance and the necessity of training (Mandatory) and its timely fashion.