How Did I End Up a Quality Engineer – First time I choose quality – 3
I had been working at my job at the brokerage firm for over two years and loved every minute. More PCs have been added to the brokerage office, and I have a high visibility position. I offer training classes as a group and personal coaching. I remember showing a colleague how to connect with a modem to a bulletin board that clients frequented.
Lesson Learned: Be indispensable
In addition to the new PCs in the office, I begin taking on responsibilities for the minicomputer. As upgrades are made, I am the person writing down what I need to verify and how to verify. I had no idea that this is called a test plan. I just understood that I needed a plan of attack. I also created separate plans for colleagues that used the mini computed for different tasks. I partnered with the college in charge of the minicomputer and when she left, my role was expanded along with my salary.
I was also enrolled in insurance classes at the local university. These classes started as training in the insurance industry. I had been a business major, and I was happy to attend classes at UCONN. If I completed all the classes, I could obtain my license.
Lesson Learned: Learn everything that you can about the business that you are in. The more that you know, the more opportunities you will have
I was well into my third year when the political environment started to change in the office. New management was sent to the office from the home office. I witnessed my former manager being pushed to the side. It took a few months, but it was happening. Nothing was changing in my daily life. I was just observing what was happening in the office.
One day, Dave, former head of the office, stopped by my office. He confirmed what I suspected, he was being forced into retirement. Confidentially, Dave said when he left, the major account will leave with the company. The office would not be able to support most of us.
Lesson Learned: If the new management respected Dave, and let him manage the major account, they would have prospered.
Dave prepared two paths for me to go forward with his connections. My first opportunity would be to follow a VP to the brokerage firm that would support the major account. I would become licensed in insurance. A different career but a good career. The office was local and was a good opportunity. The VP was the same VP I often coached on the PC and he would mentor me as a broker.
The second opportunity which I took was a connection with a major insurance company in Hartford. He arranged a meeting with an area that managed changes to the compute systems. I would be a business analysist which included software testing. I would also coach colleagues with PCs. The insurance background helped solidify the job offer. I don’t think I labeled the position as quality assurance, but that was what it was all the same.
I made a choice for quality. Over the years, different industries and always exciting.