In the Spotlight! Sahra - Account Manager

9am on Monday 18th March, with nervous anticipation I rang the bell of the Zoonou office, about to take the leap into my adventure as the new Account Manager. With a background in advertising, I wasn’t sure what to expect on this new path into the QA and software testing industry. But one thing is certain, it has been three full months of learning! Meeting new people, new experiences and challenges.

Everything we expect when we embrace a new job, right?

One Month and a Half as…a Test Analyst!

Wait! I know what you’re thinking… ‘Did she not say she was an Account Manager?’

Yes – I’m glad you’re following my story!

Before stepping into my new role, spending time with the Operations Team and being immersed in the day-to-day activities the test analysts undertake, was a must in order to understand how the industry worked but also to better manage clients’ requirements and expectations for the future.

Zoonou takes this adaptation phase seriously and has a dedicated Advanced ISTQB Technical Test Analyst, Suzi, to train all new team members, ensuring consistency and the highest level of training. Suzi took me under her wing and supervised me whilst I worked on different types of projects, ranging from websites and mobile applications to digital platforms. During my time as a tester, I learnt how to understand testing priorities, how to manage my time according to test plans, how to maintain consistent and clear communication, but especially how to find issues and raise them into issue trackers.

Being a tester is more than just looking for the obvious, it requires a person to be resourceful and to think out of the box. You need to be highly focused on detail and have a lot of discretion because you’re dealing with private, sometimes sensitive, information. It’s not a job you can improvise and that is why all Zoonou Test Analysts are fully qualified and ISTQB certified.

With all this knowledge in my hands, I was then ready to move onto the next step.

Welcome to the Client Services Team!

In the blink of an eye, my time as a tester was over. I truly enjoyed working with the Operations Team, but I couldn’t wait to jump into the next challenge as a Zoonou Account Manager. Speaking with clients, understanding their requirements, helping them to improve their QA process and making their products successful is something that I not only enjoy but also take great pride in. And it’s even more rewarding when you have a nice supportive team to collaborate with!

From developing strong relationships with clients and connecting with key business stakeholders, to preparing quotes and statement of works, my role is to ensure we understand our clients’ requirements and we deliver a test solution that meets them. My previous work experience means that I have a solid foundation of skills that lend themselves to account management. But Rhodri, our Client Services Director, guided me step-by-step into this new position, making me feel confident about my new acquired proficiency and keen to take on even more responsibilities.

And even if sometimes I have doubts or questions about a specific situation, I know I’ll always have someone in the team willing to help and encourage me.

Client, partner or employee, Zoonou places people at the heart of its priorities. This is something I attach great importance to, and I think it makes a big difference in the way you work and in the way you feel about being at work. So far, I feel very welcome, comfortable and valued in the company. Not to mention that the office is a-ma-zing! The perfect recipe to give the best of yourself I suppose!

What’s next?

Luckily, the digital industry never stops evolving and I still have many things to learn, discover and improve on. To start with, I’d like to know more about our technical services, in particular penetration and accessibility testing, but mostly I’d like to pass my ISTQB exam in a couple of months! Wish me the best of luck and I’ll report back on my 6 months at Zoonou in September! Stay tuned!

Do you want to join our team? Head over to our Careers Page to see our current vacancies. If you’d like to get in touch about anything else, please head over to our Contact page.