From test engineer to project manager: How my mentor helped my career

Just a few months ago, Anna was a Test Engineer at N-iX. Now she is a SCRUM master/QA engineer working her way up to project manager. It became possible with the help of Olena, Anna’s mentor within N-iX cross-company mentorship program.

How did your mentorship story start?

I worked as a test engineer and I got an opportunity to also become a project manager. I was excited to take up this challenge, but I had many doubts. Am I qualified enough? What if I fail? I understood that I needed an experienced person to advise me and support me in this transition. So I decided to apply for the mentorship program at N-iX.

Did you know your mentor before?

Yes. Olena was the one who interviewed me at N-iX. I remember that during the interview I thought, “This is my kind of person! I wish I could learn from her”. So when the time came, I applied for the program and requested Olena to be my mentor. Olena was open to help me and we started off.

How did the learning process go?

We had one meeting a week for a period of two months. First off, I explained my needs and expectations. Olena immediately understood me, my goals and challenges I faced. Every week we examined the new challenging cases that were coming up in my new role.

What did your mentor teach you?

I’ve read many books and took a SCRUM master course. However, books illustrate only ideal situations. My mentor, however, taught me many details not described in the books. She explained how to gauge the team’s mood, hold various types of meetings including one-to-one sessions, set personal goals for team members, facilitate their development, and much more. Also, she helped a lot with project documentation.

Do you keep in touch with your mentor after the program’s over?

Of course, we do. Olena made it clear that whenever I may have any problems, I can reach out to her. She is always there to help, and I can see her interest in my development. This gives me strong emotional support as I continue to work my way through everyday challenges.

What is the biggest value of mentorship for you?

After the program, I understood that I can do it. My mentor helped to build up my self-confidence and guided me in the right direction. She was invaluable support when I felt most stressful and most challenged in my career. She helped me to reduce stress and minimize the risk of burnout.