From the Travel Industry and Emergency Services to Insurance
Before joining First Central in 2021, I was a Travel and Lifestyle consultant AND a Special Constable for Sussex Police in Brighton. I wanted a new challenge and to use the skill set I’d picked up within the police force so joined the Policy Analysis team which is a very interesting role within First Central. It has a great career path and ample opportunities, but I like to try to break and fix things and have a keen eye for detail so found myself switching over to be a test engineer. I test new software, functionality and journeys within our website and customer account portals.
I am a Test Engineer in the Product Engineering department.
As a Test Engineer I test new software, functionality and the look and feel of our website and our customer account portal before it gets put out to our customers. We are the last line of defense before that new bit of functionality gets released to the customer to use on the website, so we need to make sure it works and looks correct so the customer won’t be stopped during their online journey with us. If I find any issues during the testing stage I raise a defect for the issue to be fixed before it goes live to a customer in a release.
Participation in projects that make a difference
At First Central we want to make the online journey easier for users, whether it’s the Quote to Buy journey, Online Renewal journey etc. The good thing about these projects is that we are involved from early stages and attend story mapping sessions to go though ideas of how to simplify the journeys and to give our advice on testing approaches. It also gives us the opportunity to put out ideas the business may not have thought about. This is rewarding because once the project has been finished and has been released into the Live environment it’s being used by millions of customers.
Go above and beyond
Going above and beyond in your career can be a game changer. It’s not just about meeting expectations, it’s about exceeding them consistently. When moving to the Test Engineering team I had a lot to learn instantly and a few things that I could pick up once I got more confident in the role. To be more efficient I wanted to make sure I could do the more complex parts of the role so I taught myself how to do database searches and automation testing using Selenium in my own time. Going the extra mile not only showcases your dedication but also your commitment to the department and company. Going above and beyond can set you apart and open doors to new and exciting possibilities.
Succeeding in a new industry and career path
Looking back my greatest achievement is succeeding in a new industry and finding a career path I was completely unaware of. I immersed myself in learning, understanding the market and getting guidance from my new colleagues to enhance my skill set and understanding. Making this change has really taught me that with a growth mindset, determination and willingness to jump into the unknown you really can achieve success in unfamiliar territory. This doesn’t stop at work. I put it into my personal life by trying new things that I wouldn’t imagine doing like abseiling down the side of a castle for charity!
