Joonas's Career Story: From Diverse Client Projects to Testing Expert

Joonas Malila has worked as a tester at Symbio for over four years. During this time, he has developed into a testing professional with experience in a variety of client projects.

Before moving into the testing field, Joonas had over five years of experience as a System Specialist. His career in testing began with a position as a game tester at a small company, which gave him his first taste of the testing world. He also completed the basic level tester certification (ISTQB).

In early 2020, a recruiter from Symbio contacted Joonas via LinkedIn to see if he was interested in new challenges at Symbio. After a phone conversation, a meeting at Symbio’s office followed. “At this point, I was already fully oriented and eager to work at Symbio,” Joonas recalls.

Joonas has particularly enjoyed the variety of different client projects: “It has been amazing to experience various client projects instead of doing the same thing year after year. You constantly learn something new.“

Diverse Client Projects

Joonas has been involved in several projects. He has tested IoT applications and web interfaces that relay data from agricultural machinery. This project also gave him his first experience with test automation using Robot Framework.

One of the most memorable projects was automating Jira’s billing process, where Joonas got to build and configure the system according to the client’s needs. Another unique experience was testing diving watches in a laboratory. This was a completely different project compared to previous ones, bringing new challenges and learning experiences.

The most recent project, which Joonas found particularly meaningful, involved testing the software for electric vehicle chargers. He tested the functionality of the chargers and created test automation for Android phones using Robot Framework. This project was especially enjoyable due to its ecological aspect.

Symbio as an Employer

In the future, Joonas hopes to join a client project where he can learn more about test automation. He has found a suitable career in testing, one that excites him with its potential for growth. He recommends a career in testing to those with a keen eye and ear, who are naturally attentive and notice details – “an investigative mind,” Joonas describes. In client project work, he also highlights the ability to empathize with end-users and envision what a good product or service would look like.

Symbio has provided Joonas with a supportive work environment over the years. He especially appreciates his skilled and encouraging supervisors. Symbio has also allowed him to maintain a good balance between work and personal life: “Symbio has been the best workplace for me. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work here.”

In his free time, Joonas has rekindled his interest in swimming after a long break. He has also been studying Filipino for four years through a language course, finding the process of learning a new language exciting. Other hobbies he mentions include spending time in nature, playing role-playing games and video games, and maintaining his own websites.