Challenges Ahead

Transition gives RQA a big challenge to face. At first, we all thought that it would be an annoyance for everyone. A four-day a week working days was no longer practice, thus spending more overtimes. It was truly a hectic stressful experience but did we even know that a brighter opportunity awaits us?

As one door closed, another door opens. The first opportunity that transition gave us was to grow in number of people and resources! Many new tasks and duties, therefore more people to perform.

Another one is the chance for career growth and promotion. Previously, RQA was handled by only one Team Lead. Now starting on the time of transition, three Team Leaders lead us. They were the POS Release Team Lead, the Technical Team Lead (SME), and the Administrative Team Lead.

New skills and knowledge were introduced not only to the new hires like me, but also to our seniors in RQA. Some opportunities that opened up for us are in the aspects that will develop our Technical Skills e.g. preparation of the lab environment (implementation, backout, ISP/Linux migration), Planning Skills e.g. creating of test plans and Communication Skills e.g. hosting the semi-weekly Defect Meeting that is attended by onshore counterparts in the US and Canada including the project teams and vendors.

They always say a good leader is a good follower. By being a good follower before in WC, we now became a new leader in POS Release testing.

We have now the right to do it! We then drive our own path. The power is in our own hands.

And finally, the value of RQA Manila and the Safeway Philtech as a whole increased. It made us feel that we are really important in the Safeway POS Release Cycle. What we did will eventually contribute to the success of the whole organization. One deed is important to the deed of the other.

All of these were just a prelude to a more exciting life we will face sooner or later. Aside from the 100% POS Testing, sooner in the future, we will then test ISP. More work to do, more skills to grab, more chances to seize, and more challenges to face towards a bigger growth.

Changes are always part of life. Truly to change is difficult but not to change is fatal! As Rosanne Cash quoted, “The key to change…is to let go of fear!” It just simply denotes that we have to conquer our fears, face the challenge. For that challenge is a path for a greater and better growth leading to a more successful career. Transition in RQA is another form of change. It really changed us though difficult at first, but it ensures more accomplishments in due time. Leaving you with Charles Darwin thought: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change...!”