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Month: November 2022

Xenia got her IT job with no previous work experience. Today she is testing software for a German insurance company

Posted on by Zuzana Kocáková

The IT tester junior job can currently do without previous work experience. Because you can learn everything you need in a company that offers such an opportunity, just like our Xenia. She joined the company while still in secondary school and has steadily progressed thanks to her personal passion for IT. Read more about working in IT without experience in msg life Slovakia

How long have you been with msg life Slovakia?

I have been with msg life Slovakia since the beginning of 2022.

What job were you recruited for?

I started as an IT tester. At that time I didn’t know that I was going to be an automated and not a manual tester, which was really good news for me. The work on automation is much more interesting and complex.

How did you get into IT?

After high school I went to Germany for half a year to improve my language skills. Thanks to them I got a job at msg life Slovakia. I had no direct experience with IT before, other than what I had taught myself to create in a couple of programming languages. So I started as an IT tester with no experience.

What attracted you to working at msg life Slovakia? Why did you choose us?

The first thing that attracted me was the opportunity to work in IT without previous experience. Work without experience is not welcome everywhere. I was also impressed by the range and quality of company benefits, as well as the salary of the tester.

How is working for us different from previous work experience?

As this is my first permanent work experience, I can’t compare too much, but as a junior tester with no experience, I find it positive that if one wants to, one can learn a lot even in a technical field with no previous experience.

What does your normal working day look like?

I choose a test scenario from our database that I want to reproduce in an automated form. This means that in our internal tool for writing and running tests, I start writing an xml script corresponding to the instructions of the test scenario. So I write different commands and insert the necessary values. It’s not full-blown programming, but it’s far from it.

What is your job? What are you currently working on?

Testing. Tests are run at certain intervals. The point is that when a program is being developed, especially if a large team of people is working on it, it often happens that when new functionality is added, it can disrupt functionality, a process that previously worked without problems. This happens very often in larger projects. That’s why it makes sense, especially in long-term software development, to re-run such tests. Compared to manual testing, this speeds up the process a lot and ensures better bug detection. So we are currently working on this automation, writing scripts and optimizing the processes. In doing so, we often run into new problems, which I personally take as small challenges. This makes the work more varied and not monotonous. (Ed. note: In our company we are looking for a manual tester in addition to a automated tester – specialist.)

Who all are you communicating with to solve any problems?

Most of my communication is with people from a smaller team, I communicate mainly with Slovak colleagues, but when I sometimes need to solve something related to technical issues, regarding a project or development, I also turn to my German colleagues. They are also part of development, testing or management. An IT tester with no experience always welcomes help from colleagues.

IT testers with a good mood take their turn at the computer
The working atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed.

What project are you working on right now?

I’m working on the Debeka project. It is a software for employees of the insurance company that bears the same name. Debeka is therefore also the largest private health insurer in Germany, which until recently used solutions that ran on the very outdated KOBOL software. In spite of the great competition, they decided to create a new program in cooperation with msg life, which is certainly one of the company’s other achievements.

Do you have experience with other projects within msg life Slovakia as a tester?

I have only been working at msg life Slovakia for half a year, so not yet. However, I have also used advice, tips and tricks from colleagues working on other projects. Moreover, the Debeka project is still very new, so many things don’t work as well as on older projects. However, this is helped by very good communication within the team and the willingness of colleagues from other projects to help us.

What apps do you use at work?

I work mainly with SeTAK, or Selenium Test Automation Kit. It is an internal tool created by our developers. We write scripts and call tests in it. SeTak uses Eclipse, an integrated development environment that is used just as a space for writing xml files. Other programs include Git, Jira and Jenkins.

What skills are important for your job as an IT tester?

What is important is the willingness to continuously learn and improve your skills. Especially if someone is a tester with no experience. Independence is also an advantage, as is the ability to keep a cool head when things don’t go as planned. IT people know this very well. Technical knowledge is also useful.

What do you like best about your IT job?

What I love most is that I don’t see the work as monotonous. This is very important to me. Next, clearly the freedom that working remotely offers. For example, in May I went to the World Championships in Helsinki for two weeks and worked from there. Next, certainly colleagues.

Who are your colleagues? What qualities should your new colleague have to fit in?

Friendly, helpful and always accommodate requests. The whole team tries to be run in a very friendly spirit. We all chat, whether with Slovak or foreign colleagues. I don’t think it’s difficult to fit in. They all try to be very united, and as long as you share similar values, it’s not a problem for either an extrovert or an introvert.

IT tester xenia smiles behind the computer in the office of msg life slovakia
Experience our good mood and pleasant atmosphere

Which benefit do you like to use the most?

There are massages, shared lunches and breakfasts, team building events, which are organised really often, several times a month, and also two hours a week of German language courses.

Three words that come to mind when you hear msg life Slovakia?

Friendliness, growth, diversity.

How to write a salary increase letter

Posted on by Zuzana Kocáková

Request for a pay raise requires proper preparation or arguments. In this article we bring you effective tips. It is important that everyone is rewarded appropriately for their work. Asking for and negotiating for a pay rise is not usually an easy conversation to have with a supervisor. It’s just that what you don’t ask for, you usually don’t get. So how to ask for a pay rise and succed?

Map the current situation

Most companies tend to increase salary regularly along with employee reviews at the end of the year. This is especially true in a corporate environment. If you’ve achieved your desired annual goals, this is the perfect time for pay rise negotiation. If you want to apply your salary increase letter outside of this period, find out first:

  • how the company is doing financially,
  • what is the mood of the managers,
  • how you’re doing with your direct supervisor
  • what the job market is like in your field.

All of these circumstances have a major influence on whether it is appropriate to make a request for a pay raise at all. At msg life Slovakia, we value the quality work and commitment of our employees. We offer not only an attractive salary, but also Christmas, performance and special bonuses, a generous meal allowance or language courses and professional training. Take a look at our latest job offers, join us and take your career further!

Have compelling arguments when making a request for a pay raise

Fortune favours the prepared mind. This is doubly true when making request for a pay raise. Prepare a stockpile of arguments around which to build your request. You can use the principles of effective communication to negotiate. Don’t forget to rehearse the whole conversation too. For example, mention your achievements so far, an improvement in job responsibility and expertise that makes you more efficient and saves the company money. Also outline projects and other work that awaits you in the future. Don’t be afraid to share positive feedback on your work from colleagues or your strengths with your manager, too. Generally, the higher the pay rise you ask for, the stronger your arguments should be. Back them up with real numbers. Did the completed contract make a profit for your company? People with high-demand and scarce skills (e.g. IT or technical fields) have a stronger bargaining position.

Female applicant for pay rise shows charts to boss
Concrete arguments will help you when writing a salary increase letter.

Do a comparison of salaries that are common in your field and for roughly the same position. You can then argue that you would like to continue working for the company, but you are below the average salary level, which doesn’t seem fair.

Choose an appropriate amount

You may wonder how much pay rise should I ask for, as a rule, it is common to ask for a 10% pay increase. But of course it depends on the circumstances. Consider both your experience and how long you have worked for the company.

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Use an overblown mental anchor in the negotiation. Want a 10% pay rise? Ask for 15%. You’re more likely to reach your goal that way.

A salary increase letter with the right timing

The best time to do pay rise negotiation is when a major change has come. For example:

  • the expiry of the probationary period,
  • successful completion of the project,
  • acquiring a new customer or order,
  • promotion
  • extension of existing competences.

Another good time might be when you have interviewed with another employer and have received a specific offer from them. You can then use it as one of your arguments. However, do not threaten your employer with it.

Salary increase letter after probationary period

The question in the right place is also after what period of time can I make a request for a pay raise?

Salary increases after the probationary period are agreed before you start work and are usually part of the acceptance letter or employment contract.

Unless agreed in advance or supported in writing in an employment contract, it is not uncommon in the workplace to receive a salary increase before the end of the probationary period or before moving to permanent employment.

Schedule a meeting

Does your supervisor have an important presentation coming up? Then postpone the meeting. After all, you want them to be in a good mood and not stressed. You’ll reduce the likelihood of them rejecting you. Make an appointment with them in advance. Book a meeting room and set aside plenty of time on your calendar. Definitely don’t try to catch your boss during the day between meetings or when you go home.

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Prepare for your meeting with your supervisor in advance. For example, you could send them an email to request a meeting to review your work so far and discuss a pay rise.

Avoid these 3 mistakes

Don’t threaten to leave. Unless you really want to do it. Remember, this is not a fight, it’s a debate. So don’t get on the offensive, it could backfire on you. Don’t play on emotions. Unfortunately, your employer doesn’t care that you want a pay rise because you would like to take your family on holiday or that you have a sick dog at home. Communicate factually, concisely, decisively and specifically. Don’t take rejection personally. The outcome of salary increase negotiations depends on a number of circumstances, some of which are beyond your control. It’s possible that your boss simply doesn’t have the budget to give you a raise.

Failed? Want a clear plan!

The interview didn’t go as you expected? Don’t hang your head. Ask your boss what needs to be done to get the requested pay rise and how you can get it. Ask for a timetable after which you and your supervisor will revisit the issue of your pay raise.

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Plan for alternatives such as other benefits, training courses or bonuses.

Find an employer who will look after you

Your supervisor didn’t meet your demands? Then maybe it’s time to change employers. If you’re in IT, working at msg life Slovakia allows you to participate in interesting projects. You get attractive employee benefits including flexible working hours, further training and last but not least you get the opportunity to learn from the best in their field. At msg life Slovakia we value quality people. Join us!