Robert Gędłek - Principal QA Engineer, about his return to Backbase, his 20 years of experience and changes in the IT industry
About Robert
Developer in Tests - with over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, gained from working in large companies, as well as in smaller but equally exciting ones. My natural technical stack is the Java ecosystem, specializing in integration and API testing, but I also have experience with Gatling (performance tests) and Playwright/TypeScript (end-to-end tests). Currently, I am working at Backbase Poland, where I have a wide range of opportunities to be a tester, including API, end-to-end, mobile, performance, and accessibility testing.
This is one of our re-hired stories. Robert after he left Backbase, he decided to come back to us. Why did you decide to come back?
I believe the main reason is the people who are currently at Backbase, especially in the Polish office, but of course, not only there. In the Krakow office, there is a pleasant atmosphere, which makes it great to work there. When I left Backbase, and everyone knew I was leaving, I still received a one-year award, which, to be honest, I didn't expect to get. This gesture clearly shows that people are valued here.
“No man ever steps in the same river twice. For it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” If this applies to your situation, have you noticed any changes at Backbase over the time of your career?
For me, it was important that a strong team is being created in Poland, especially in Krakow, and that we start to establish our own brand here at Backbase. Previously, I found it challenging to work remotely with other people, but now I have the opportunity to work in the office directly with my team members. I value the ability to have direct contact with people, so I am very happy with the hybrid approach we have in my team.
You have a lot of experience working as a QA engineer. Do you have any thoughts on what the IT entry threshold looked like in the past and what it looks like now?
In my opinion, it is currently easier to enter the IT industry because there is a greater variety of job offers, and colloquially speaking, there is a higher chance of getting involved with a reputable company. There is a wide range of internships available. Additionally, there is much greater access to learning materials, and if you are willing and eager, you can quickly grasp the basics of programming or testing.
Furthermore, it is important to note that we are all immersed in the world of IT nowadays, making certain things as natural and easy for young people to learn as possible.
We currently have an employee market. Many young people choose to work in IT. In retrospect, what would you advise someone at the very beginning of their career?
I would advise learning the basics of either programming or testing thoroughly, without focusing on the details of a particular technology or language. For instance, if someone is planning to become an automation tester, general principles like object-oriented programming will be highly relevant, whether in Java, Python, or other languages. If one has a solid foundation in testing (e.g., ISTQB certification), these skills will be applicable in most companies, even if those companies are not explicitly aware of it.
What trends do you notice in the market? What do you think is the future when it comes to the world of quality assurance?
The hot topic at the moment is AI and how it will affect us. Personally, I think there will be several tools that will become helpful assistants in the work of testers or programmers. Additionally, I believe it will be crucial to be able to adapt quickly to change and be open to retraining. Changes that previously took place over a decade may now occur within just two years, for example.
Moreover, there is a chance that AI will significantly improve the quality of code or test generation tools, which, until now, might not have been the best in terms of effectiveness.
