From El Salvador Electical Engineering to Gaming QA Lead with Carlos Matal | Ep013

Episode Information

Show Notes

In this engaging episode of Career Downloads, host Manuel Martinez sits down with Carlos Matal, a seasoned QA Lead who shares his inspiring journey from El Salvador to becoming a key player in Las Vegas’s tech scene.

Episode Highlights:

• Carlos’s unique path from electrical engineering in El Salvador to software QA in the US
• Overcoming language barriers and cultural differences in the American tech industry
• The art of job hunting and standing out in a competitive market
• Transitioning from manual testing to automation and becoming a QA Lead
• Balancing career growth with family responsibilities
• The importance of soft skills and adaptability in tech careers
• Insights into the world of Quality Assurance and its role in software development
• Tips for breaking into the tech industry without prior experience

Key Takeaways:

1. Persistence pays off: Carlos’s story of repeatedly applying and improving his skills is a testament to the power of determination.
2. Continuous learning is crucial: From learning English to mastering new technologies, Carlos emphasizes the importance of always expanding your skillset.
3. Cultural intelligence matters: Carlos shares valuable insights on navigating cultural differences in corporate America.
4. QA is more than just testing: Discover the difference between being a tester and a quality assurance engineer.
5. Work-life balance in tech: Learn how Carlos manages his career while prioritizing family.

Whether you’re a tech enthusiast looking to break into the industry or a seasoned professional seeking inspiration, Carlos’s journey offers valuable lessons and insights for anyone looking to advance their career in technology.

Tune in to this episode of Career Downloads for an honest, engaging, and informative conversation about the realities of building a successful tech career from the ground up.

Transcription

Manuel: Hi everyone, my name is Manuel Martinez and this is another episode of Career Downloads where each episode I basically hit the refresh button, bring on a different guest to really learn more about their background, their job history and really try to uncover any techniques or tips that they’ve picked up along the way as far as how they’ve managed their career. So with me today I have Carlos Matal. So welcome Carlos.

Carlos: Thank you.

Manuel: And, if you can just real quick just tell me where you’re at now, like you know you can tell me your employer not tell me, but basically tell me what is your current role and just a quick summary we’ll get to it eventually but just so that people can now understand where you are currently at, give me your role and what you do there.

Carlos: So right now I’m working with the small gaming company, casino gaming company, since we’re in Las Vegas right, it’s the technology that you know like the industry that is kind of like the biggest industry in town. I work for this company and it’s my role is QA lead. I’ve been doing QA for a long time, it’s software QA because we also do manufacturing but it’s you know my role is more like it’s software versus hardware because we also have hardware guys but it’s separate. So I do software automation and I’m a lead but the company is pretty small, we don’t have more than I would say less than 10 engineers. So I only lead one person and a couple of interns in a couple of projects, not really I’m not really like a manager or a supervisor, I just kind of like decide what we’re doing when it comes to testing.

Manuel: Got it, okay and what I’ve been doing all with all my guests now, so now we kind of know where you’re at now, we’re going to go back and if you just can give me a, again share as much or as little as you want but just giv