Why I Chose to Join Taplytics as a Test Automation Engineer

TL;DR

• I loved my co-op at Taplytics so much that I’ll be staying on part-time while completing classes online
• I gained a bunch of new skills from JavaScript & React, to how to improve automation
• Finding a balance between figuring out something on your own vs. asking for help can be tricky as a virtual co-op, but there’s a lot of value in asking for help when you need it
• Check out taplytics.com/careers…they’re hiring!

Why Software Engineering

Last fall I completed a co-op term at Taplytics as a Test Automation Engineer. I’m currently a third-year University of Waterloo student in Biomedical Engineering.  I knew I wanted to work in software since I want to gain perspectives from other industries during my co-op placements. In the future, I would love to have a career in prosthetics so I can improve the quality of life for people and I hope that software engineering will help me do that. 

Outside of work, I’m a pretty big runner! I ran my first marathon last November and qualified for The Boston Marathon 2021. One nice thing about working from home is that I’ve had a lot more time to dedicate to running without having to commute to and from the office; Taplytics even has a small (but growing) running club! I hope to be able to go to Boston later this year and take a shot at breaking my goal of running a time below 3 hours. 

Why Taplytics

Taplytics caught my eye right away, both from a technical and company values perspective. During the interview and recruitment process, it was evident that the people that I would be working with are “doing things they’re proud of” -which is not only one of Taplytics’ values, but something that aligns well with me and ensured me that this would be an engaging and challenging place to work that would support my growth as a co-op student. 

I also found the recruitment process was very transparent, which ensured me that the work environment would be respectful and honest. I clicked with my hiring manager immediately and it was clear from my conversation with him during the interview that he was passionate about his work and the team which helped solidify my decision to work on his team. Taplytics was also great at keeping me in the loop. Oftentimes as a co-op you apply or interview at a company to be left wondering what page the company’s on in the recruitment process. The Taplytics team continuously kept me in the loop which shows how much they care about the people they’re bringing onto the team.

Day in the life of a Test Automation Engineer

During my co-op term, I worked on improving our automated test code coverage. With that, I learned a lot of JavaScript & React, how to write rigorous tests with Cypress and React testing library. I’ve also improved my GitHub experience and learned how to analyze coverage reports. This is my second software-related co-op, so a lot of the things I worked on were new to me.

Along with learning new skills this term came a learning curve with lots of roadblocks and problem-solving. With a remote co-op especially, it is tough to find the balance between trying to work through a problem yourself vs. asking someone for help. In the office, it’s easier to ask someone a quick question or show them what you’re working on. When starting a job remotely,  it’s hard to find the balance between figuring it out on your own and doing it yourself. However, I found that there’s more value in asking. Whenever I asked a question, I often got back more information and insight than I was originally looking for. Everyone on my team was incredibly responsive and willing to help which encouraged me to continue asking questions.

Staying on the team part-time

While my co-op term at Taplytics may be over, my time at Taplytics isn’t! This semester I’ll be completing classes online but will also remain on my team part-time. I wanted to stay because of the people and the work environment. People at Taplytics have always been willing to help and having the opportunity to stay and learn while in school has been great. I’m excited to have the opportunity to continue the automation project I’ve been working on and to see it through. 

When deciding if I should continue working while taking classes, I reached out to other co-op students who reassured me that it would be a good choice. I love packing my day full, so I’m confident I’ll be able to manage my time to succeed in both my classes and part-time position. 

Advice for future co-op students

Completing a co-op term remotely is obviously different than going into the office. In terms of remote co-ops, I would say that it’s really helpful to build a daily schedule that works for you (that includes breaks!). Setting dedicated ‘focus periods’ throughout the day helps productivity and kind of simulates being in an office. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions! I found often that when I would ask a question, I would walk gain way more knowledge than I was initially seeking, which I always benefited from in the end. The people you’re working with have been in your position before and a lot of your co-workers might have completed co-op’s when they were your age so they know what it’s like to be in your shoes.