People @ Proxiad: Stela Popova, Java Developer
Meet Stela Popova, Java Developer at the Proxiad Service Center! In 2016, Stela joined us as a QA trainee. From day one, she wanted to become a developer and managed to do it with hard work and а solid background from her days as a QA.
Let’s start from the beginning. How did you hear about Proxiad?
When I was in my first year at Plovdiv University, I went to the National Career Days where I first found out about Proxiad. I was really impressed by their trainee program that was presented by the HR team at the conference, but since I was still a freshman, I wasn’t looking for an internship yet.
So there was a gap between when you first learned about Proxiad and when you actually applied for a position here. What first attracted you to the company and made you apply a year later?
Yes, I was just starting my education at the university and my programming knowledge wasn’t strong enough. That’s why I decided to apply for a trainee one year later. I applied for a Java Developer Trainee, however, the offer I received was for a QA Trainee position. I was wondering for a long time whether to accept it or not. This QA trainee position was something that I had not taken into consideration up until that point so I had no idea what to expect. In the end, I decided to try and to this day I have no regrets about my decision. For the next 6 months following the program, I gained an extraordinary amount of knowledge and experience.
The main thing that attracted me to the company was the technologies that were being used for development. This and the great trainee program made my decision to apply for a position at Proxiad very easy.
What were your main responsibilities and how long did it take you to move into real projects?
The main responsibility that I had in the first 3-4 months was to accumulate knowledge. Every week, I had a specific topic that I would have to learn about and put into practice. Furthermore, from day one I had a buddy – an informal mentor of sorts – that helped me and gave me support with the difficulties I had during my new venture. Then I gradually got into real projects and after 6 months of training, I started as a Test Automation Engineer.
Is it safe to say that a QA position could help someone become a developer? How do you think your previous experience in quality assurance helps you now?
Yes, for sure a QA position can help you become a developer. As a Test Automation Engineer, I designed and wrote tests, identified bugs and proposed possible solutions for them. To find a bug, often you should dig into code and see how the given functionality works. This and test writing really helped me to get more proficient in my programming knowledge. Because of this, the transition from QA to developer wasn’t difficult at all.
A QA comes up with seemingly impossible scenarios to identify the problems. Now as a developer, I have this kind of QA thinking and the ability to find complex issues that may arise during development, so I am able to give my best in writing bug-free code.
You’ve been part of Proxiad for 5 years. Is there something that you find special about the company?
Definitely the people! My colleagues have always been very friendly and supportive. For sure, many of them are not only my colleagues but my friends too. We often go out and have fun together. Unfortunately, the pandemic separated us and I do not see many of them as often as I did. I hope we will be together again soon, as we used to be at the office and at Proxiad events.
It’s time for the final question! Can you tell us more about who Stela is outside of work? What is your hobby, what do you enjoy in your free time?
I love traveling and all kinds of outdoor activities, such as – biking, hiking, diving, kayaking. During the pandemic, I found comfort in floriculture and baking.
