We are starting a new series of articles in which our specialists will tell you what everyday work at Ailleron looks like. Let us show you how we develop, what’s inspiring us and what is the most important for us. Are you curious about our first story? 

Meet Iza, who started as a Content Specialist and now is a Data Science Analyst. Her development shows that Ailleron offers many opportunities and chances to find your unique career path. It’s also a perfect example of our individual approach to #AilleronExperts. In Ailleron, we always give an opportunity to do what you really like and want to do. But check it out by yourself and enjoy reading our interview.

1 . Iza, How long you’ve been working in Ailleron? 

Time flies fast. It’s been 3.5 years for me.

2. What do you currently do?

I work as a Data Science Analyst now.  

3. Sounds mysterious, but what exactly are you doing?

I deal with data analysis, interpretation of data sets, preparation of reports that inform you about trends, patterns and predictions based on relevant findings, as well as preparation of data for classifiers, construction and evaluation of these classifiers. Inquisitiveness, precision and sympathy for numbers are definitely useful in this position.

4. Your career path was very dynamic, in this positive sense, of course 😉 Could you tell us in a few words what positions you held?

I started working in Ailleron in a Content Specialist position, where I spent 9 months. Subsequent changes led me to the role of Test Engineer. I held this role for almost 2 years and advanced from a Test Engineer II to a Test Engineer III. From June 2021 until now, I’ve worked as a Data Science Analyst. Overall, it was very diverse. 

5. What did you do in each position and what gave you the most satisfaction?

Starting as a Content Specialist, I dealt with creating conversations and writing content for a chatbot, i.e., bot-human communication. I have nice memories of analyzing conversations between the chatbot and testers from banks and correcting the data based on these conversations. My work improved the quality of the bot and had a real impact on its functioning. 

The next step was a Test Engineer. Back then, I was doing manual testing and, over time, test automation. The role of a Data Science Analyst was my next stage. Currently, I deal with topics related to the broadly understood AI – data analysis in Python and issues related to machine learning. 

In each position, the most satisfying thing for me was learning new things and the fact that they started to work and give good results. Each time I had the opportunity to cooperate with professionals from whom I gained knowledge and experience. I am lucky that, by the way, they were fantastic people with whom I have contact all the time and we also meet after work. 

6. Let’s talk a little bit about these changes and what motivates and drives you? 

During the first recruitment, I informed that I would like to learn to test in the future, and after manual testing, the desire to learn test automation naturally came. The company did not cause me any problems and met my development needs. The Analyst’s position results from several overlapping factors: willingness to learn new things, something other than testing. I am hungry for knowledge. 😉 

7. In that case, was the choice of career path conscious and planned? Or maybe you let yourself be carried away by the “fashion for the position” at some point?

The Content Specialist position was not planned, but I thought it would be a good gateway to learning to test. And so it was. The shift to manual and automated testing is a very conscious decision. At the same time, the role of a Data Science Analyst is partly the result of my experience in working on a chatbot project. So I found myself in the right place and right moment. A new project has just opened in the company, and I decided to try my hand. At the beginning of my career, I did not plan to connect my career path with AI, but thanks to support from people I met in Ailleron, I could go deeper into the subject.

8. What feedback did you receive when you asked to change your career path?

I got a lot of positive feedback during the transition from Content Specjalista to the tester. In fact, together with my supervisor, we planned what my next stage of professional development could look like from the very beginning. I received a lot of support from the team that wrote tests while learning about automated tests. When I started learning analysis, I got clear and transparent information about what I needed to improve. I was also given space for this study. 

9. Did you feel the support of the leaders during your professional journey? Who motivated you to change the most and helped you achieve your goals?

Always. Without it, I would rather not have succeeded. I felt the support of both the leaders and the team I worked with. I know it is different on the market, so I appreciate it even more. 

10. With such changes training is essential, improving competencies and giving confidence that you can achieve even more in a given position. Have you had the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills in assigned areas?

I’ve been participating in many trainings that allowed me to develop and educate myself in new fields I wanted to know better. Thanks to this, I learned programming secrets in C#, python and data analysis. I was also able to pass the ISTQB FL certificate. At the same time, I had great support from my employer, who covered part of the costs. Also, colleagues from work advised which courses I should attend to make the acquired knowledge valuable.

11. Is your career path a displacement or a horizontal growth? Or maybe these were changes in the search for “your professional place”?

I think a bit of everything. This is certainly a change in the industry from Content Specialist to Analyst, but I treat it as “my promotion”, because now I am in the place I was striving for with effort.

12. Does your chosen career path and career development bring you satisfaction and fulfillment?

Of course! The path I made in this company has given me much satisfaction. I am proud of it and very happy about it. It’s really fun to do what you like. 

13. In your current position and at the moment, do you feel that this is what you want to do?

At the moment, yes, although I know there is still much learning ahead of me. 

Iza, we keep our fingers crossed for your career! Thank you for the conversation and inspiration for changes and searching for your dream path. 

We hope, dear reader, that Iza’s story will inspire you to pursue your goal and look for a career path that will give you complete satisfaction. And if you focus on development and strive to be THE BEST, we invite you to our Ailleron team.