Hayley, a Qualitest software engineer from the UK, is an avid traveler who boasts of having over 25 different international stamps on her passport! The adventurous and outgoing Hayley loves trying new experiences and savors time spent with family and friends. No wonder she is adored by her nieces, who continually motivate and look up to her.
Hayley, a Brunel University graduate, attributes her successful career to her degree in Mathematics, Statistics, and Management, which laid the foundation for her IT career.
She adds that taking this challenging path taught her to plan and prioritize her time effectively while she can also have fun. She credits her choice of the challenging electives to expand her horizons in communications, analytics, and coding.
Hayley comes from a musical family and humbly admits that her saxophone skills are now quite rusty as she’s out of practice. Before joining university Hayley was also a UK National ranked swimmer, training 40+ hours a week and competing in events across various countries.
Hayley brings a solid IT experience to the table, and her 5 -year-long career has acquainted her with many-a-programming and test management tools.
It may be surprising that Hayley did not initially envision a career in IT and instead simply wanted a rewarding role where she could work with like-minded people. However, when she saw the ad for an SAP Test Consultant at Qualitest, she was intrigued.
Based on her past college experience with SAP, she immediately applied and interviewed. Hayley says that she found the creativity, thoughtfulness, challenge, and excitement of the assessment day fantastic.
“I knew then I would be grateful to work for this company. Luckily, they saw something in me too! I started as a Graduate Tester for Experior in May 2017 and loved the people, the projects, and most importantly, the culture. I tried my best in all I did and progressed through the grades. I have had the privilege of working with over 10 clients, with colleagues from all over the world, and have been able to work in both the US and the UK,” she says.
“Over the last 5 years, I have learnt and grown as a person and as a professional and have been guided and mentored by amazing people. I have made great friends I will certainly have for life, and have built a wide-reaching professional network that I am very proud of,” remarked Hayley.
Hayley offers some important advice for her younger colleagues who are thinking about a career in quality engineering.
“Things do not always go your way. Working hard and giving your all is the key to success,” Hayley says.
“You can only do what you can do, so as long as you have given your best there is no room for disappointment,” she adds.
Black History Month is a time to celebrate Black achievements and highlight the persistence of systemic racism. Qualitest believes in Black girl magic, and thankfully Hayley is an exceptional software engineer who brings her own magic with every client project.
Hayley also adds that Black history month is the embodiment of determination, resilience, integrity, and strength. She believes it to be the acknowledgment of what has come before, appreciation for what is now, and resilience for what will come in the future.
Hayley is a great baker who loves volunteering for her nieces’ school bake sales and other charity events. Her colleagues are lucky to feast on the extra ‘practice run’ batches.
When she’s not busy coding, you can often find her catching the newest flicks at the cinema or sneaking some time to eat & drink with friends in the evenings.
Hayley also loves a good book, with The Good Immigrant by Nikesha Shukla being her current favorite. And she gleefully admits that she strives every day to make her mother proud, and we are confident she has nothing to worry about.
