Here at Opinov8, Opinov8rs represent our culture. Cover Stories portray the richness within all of us, the differences that make us who we are.

In this edition, we will talk with Menna, O., our Manual QA Engineer. We talked about how to start a professional career in IT, be a woman in Tech, and how important always expand skills and learn something new whatever you do.

Get to know Menna a little more through this Cover Story, and don’t miss the opportunity to join us and be part of this gr8 adventure too!

What first sparked your interest in working in the Tech industry? How did you start your professional career and decide to try yourself as a Manual QA Engineer?

I have liked mathematics and physics since childhood. I was good at it, so I decided to become an Engineer and enter an Engineering University in Egypt.

The first spark was my programming course during my study, where my major was Electrical Power Engineering. ✨ After graduation, I worked as a Teaching Assistant for one year and another year as a Business Development Executive Engineer. I was inspired to learn more programming languages and fall into the Information Technology sector.

I started searching for a course or diploma in the Tech industry. I applied for a 9-month diploma in Information Technology Institute to join the Open-Source Development Major, which was the door to the IT sector. During this diploma, I took most of the core courses in IT, like Programming languages like Java, Python, and Ruby on rails, Database testing Html, and CSS Bootstrap. Also, I learned Business Analysis and a lot of other things related to IT. 🤓

During my study, I took responsibility for testing most of the applications we delivered despite the study that we were working as groups. I found issues that made me decide to be a QA Engineer, and another thing is that quality best fits my character as I am a detailed oriented person.

That's how it all started 👩‍💻, and after finishing this diploma, I found myself in testing and management. These were the two sectors that I was interested in. So, I started searching for a job in these fields and got accepted into testing. I started working as a Software Tester. I was responsible for the testing team and some management tasks, as a project manager, for three years. I was dealing with the clients, taking their requirements, assigning work to the team members, etc.

What was it like starting to work at Opinov8?

It would have been a big challenge if I had been offered to join Opinov8 before Covid. As I am very social, I was afraid I would miss interacting with my teammates in real life for a long time. But after Covid, when we all started working from home, working fully remotely became a new normal.

When I got an offer from Opinov8, I didn't struggle to work from home. I was excited to work in a multinational company with different cultures on the same team. At first, I was a bit worried as this was the first time I worked with many nationalities on the same team. But from the first day, I felt so welcome. 🤩

After joining Opinov8, I started visiting our English Club, where we shared our challenges and discussed several topics. This made me feel closer to my team and improved my English level. I felt that we, as one family and could communicate not only on business matters.

Also, I like the various activities that we have at the company that makes more interactions between the teams, like different sessions where we can discuss diverse topics, taking workshops, and sports sessions like yoga. And what brings me even more pleasure is our real-life gatherings in the Cairo Opinov8 office 😍, with fun activities that help us see each other in a different light, connect in a different setting, and break the ice.

Moreover, it's extremely important for me when teammates respect the time zone and personal life beyond working hours. I have never been asked to work after working hours which made me balance my professional and personal life.

What do you love most about your work in IT?

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In technology, you are never done. They are constantly evolving, and what works today may change tomorrow.

It makes me up to date with the recent technologies in the world, and I can participate in solutions that make life easier. 🙌

What is the biggest challenge or most innovative project you and your teammates have had to face so far?

The biggest challenge to me was during my study when we were a team of two and were asked to make the graduation project a complete mobile application in only two weeks, starting from scratch, and there was an actual client for that application.

We were excited after finishing that project as, at that time, we did not have enough experience to do that app with the level of quality we delivered it. Still, we did it, and the client was satisfied with our work. Another thing that made me confident after delivery was that we did good planning for that product's software delivery life cycle, starting from the requirement, design, implementation, testing, and delivery with a user acceptance test.

How to be a Woman in Tech?

Being a lady in Tech is not an issue, it is normal. Women are as good at technology as men.

It has been a long period since there were some preconceptions. When I was getting an education at University in the Electrical Power Engineering Department, 300 boys and only 27 girls were in the sector. So, it was challenging, more than working in Tech now. 😅

Looking back over the years, I would say that I have succeeded and achieved something because I have been willing to expand my skills, learn new, and never worried about whether or not I was doing what was expected of me as a woman.

If you have an interest and passion in something, that is the basis for everything. Wanting to do an excellent job and being willing to learn and improve constantly are important in whatever you do. 💪

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There is no need to feel limited in how you reach the top.

Do you think it’s important for more women to join the Tech industry?

It depends on the role and personality itself. Team diversity in gender, race, and age accelerates innovation. Each group can help bring in something new and unique.

The nature of the boys and the girls are different, so having collective points of view is better for business. Diversity in tech helps to look at problems holistically and provide effective solutions. A good starting point to get women into technology is creating a supportive culture in homes, schools, and the workplace. 🙌

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Almost every career starts with education. Don’t feel intimidated by tech classes filled with men. While it may seem like a lot, those classes need you there. Many women have made it in tech, which means you can

What studies would you recommend to someone who is starting their profession in IT?

I will not recommend a specific profession. However, before selecting the position, I will advise beginners to read more about what they might be interested in first and, if applicable, take any entry-level course to get deep into it.

The other thing is to speak with professionals in that field to gain more info about the nature of work as there are many professions in the IT Sector. 🤓

Do you have any mentors in your professional or personal life?

In my personal life, I have two mentors, my mother, and my sister, who always support me and stand by my side.

What is the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?

Most of us are familiar with a well-known proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” But many people never even get started on that journey and make big changes to reach their destination.

One day I attended the public speaking sessions of a life coach and heard one similar phrase which has heeded me.

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Doing a little bit daily is more important than doing a lot someday.

The thing about long-term goals is that they are not accomplished in a single day. So, I have started using this advice in many things, like trying to add a new routine.

Often the journey seems too overwhelming, the goal is too far away, too much that needs to be done, and the exact path may be challenging. You will only accomplish something big by consistently taking one small step daily at a time in the direction of your dreams.

This advice extremely helps me in learning. 🤓 For example, if you start with a large amount, you may begin to procrastinate and not continue, and when you start again after a time, you may need to revise what you have already finished, which takes time and more effort.

What is another passion that you have besides IT? What activities do you do that help you maintain a work-life balance?

I am a very social person who is open to knowing people with diverse backgrounds, ages, and experiences. I like to visit new places, see new people, and speak with them to gain life experience throughout their lives and talks. One fun fact about me is that most people who deal with me tell me that I am extremely friendly and thought they knew me before when they first met me. 😊

I maintain my work-life balance. Once I finish my work, I stop thinking of work issues and enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love cycling and free walks. Besides, some stretching exercises and yoga in my routine improve my mood and help me cope with stress by focusing attention on something new. Being active gives me a sense of calm and balance and positively affects my physical and mental well-being.

And, of course, going on trips sometimes to break the routine. I prefer the trips to nature like the sea, farms, and mountains. 🍃

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

I think it will be fantastic to read people’s minds. I suppose it could lead to a headache because of thousands of people’s thoughts, but reading their minds and knowing what is happening in their heads will be terrific. 🤭

Also, doing two things in two places at the same time could be nice and helpful now when we are in a hurry all the time. ⚡️

If you could say only one phrase to people starting their professional path at Opinov8, what would you say?

At Opinov8, you will find a friendly environment where you can work and learn. 💙

If you wanna join our Op8 Team, don’t hesitate to check our open positions or send your CV to careers@opinov8.com.