Senior Quality Engineer at Publicis Sapient
Rand is a senior quality engineer level 2 at Publicis Sapient, with eight years of experience. She designs and develops test processes based on different clients’ requirements, and runs the right automation testing tools that facilitate all types of testing (regression, performance, etc.), which allows the project to be delivered to the user free of any issues.
Why did you choose this career path?
I have been passionate about computers and technology since I was a young kid. That has driven my learning path toward software engineering, which I feel is the right place to be [for me].
How did you land this job?
I landed this job through a recruiter looking for someone who had the right qualifications in addition to the right attitude. Thankfully, I was the ideal match.
What do you wish you had been told before you started working?
One thing I wish I knew before I started working was the importance of the exit interview with the HR or talent team. This is an opportunity to give valuable and honest feedback about [your] experience and suggest ways in which things can be improved or enhanced for the next hires.
How do you compare your work life vs what you imagined it would be?
[I used to imagine that] I’d work hard, get promoted in six months, and earn a raise every year. The reality is you’ll work hard but raises and promotions will usually only happen when you ask for them.
What’s the most valuable lesson you have learned at work so far?
To build a personal brand. While I am still learning (and I don’t intend to stop), the biggest lesson I have learned so far is that personal branding is so important in your career.
What’s the best thing someone could tell you about your work?
When all my colleagues agree that there is no need to follow up on my work, they trust that I will get the job done. How I always motivate my team, how my energy is flooding through my team, how I’m always eager to learn and do new things, and how I put a delicious taste on my work.
What’s the worst thing someone could tell you about your work?
I receive all comments positively, whether it motivates me to keep up the great work or pushes me to improve, as this is a learning opportunity for me.
Who’s your role model?
My mom. My mom is fantastic, strong, and brave. When I think of the word “mom,” it almost seems impossible to come up with the right word to describe her. She has the biggest heart in the world. Even when something is dragging her down, she has taught me how to be strong and kind at the same time.
If not this, what would you be doing?
I would be a photographer or a public speaker. Why photographer? The satisfaction, the relief, and the appreciation that come after taking the photos. Maybe it’s the ability to see things in a different light; or the satisfaction of documenting something in the best possible way; knowing the story behind each detail of someone’s face; or even creating something which invokes emotion in the viewer’s mind. Why public speaker? I’m someone who likes to be loud and clear, and to make a difference for others.
What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?
I’m not worried about the future or the past; I just connect with my surroundings and embrace everything in the present: my career, social life, relationships, passions, and everything else.
The 30 Under 30 ranking was first published in Communicate's Q1 2023 print issue.
