Misunderstood, Undervalued, but Essential: The Real QA Mindset

TL;DR: If your company thinks QA is just a formality or if you’ve ever been told your personality isn’t a “culture fit,” this post is for you. QA isn’t broken. The way companies and teams perceive it is.

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QA Isn’t the Problem—Your Company’s Mindset Might Be

Too many companies still treat QA as a last-minute check, not a critical part of the development cycle. If your leadership believes testers are “just clicking around” or that bugs are inevitable, you’re dealing with a culture problem—not a QA problem.

When QA is undervalued, the entire product suffers. Not because testers didn’t do their job, but because no one listened to them.

It’s time to stop asking whether QA is necessary. The better question is: Does your company deserve good QA?

🧠 Read the original post here: Undervalued QA? Time to Rethink Your Company

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Being "Difficult" Might Be Your Superpower

Let’s talk about the traits companies label as "negative": stubbornness, overthinking, being too blunt or too intense.

In QA? Those are assets.

You want someone who won’t let things slide, who challenges assumptions, who keeps asking “what if?” even when the team’s ready to ship. Those traits aren’t toxic. They’re how we catch the bugs no one else thought about.

Stop apologizing for being the person who slows things down to do things right.

🎯 More on that here: Leveraging Negative Traits for QA Excellence

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QA Isn’t a Personality Type. It’s a Mindset.

You don’t need to be agreeable. You need to be relentless.

QA is about asking uncomfortable questions. Standing your ground. Thinking five steps ahead of the happy path. Whether you’re a natural skeptic, a control freak, or just someone who’s been burned by production bugs—you belong in QA.

If the system makes you feel undervalued, challenge the system. Or find one that sees your value.

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🛠 More raw takes and QA leadership insights at qajourney.net