This month’s newsletter is especially exciting for us. Along with everything we have planned for January, our main feature is a conversation with Durga, someone who meets testers every single day and understands the people behind the profiles better than most. Her insights, stories, and perspective make this a read we’re really proud of.

Here’s to starting the year moving, connecting, and breaking the loop — together.

Durga is a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist at Moolya. Over the last year alone, she’s spoken to hundreds of testers — from freshers to test managers — making her one of the clearest mirrors of what the testing job market really looks like today.

We sat down with her to understand how hiring has changed, what makes candidates stand out, and what testers should keep in mind when navigating their careers.

Mathew: To start with, tell us a bit about yourself and your journey.
Durga: I’ve been in recruitment for about seven years now. Currently, I’m a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist at Moolya, and I exclusively handle testing roles — exploratory testers, automation testers, test architects, test managers, the whole spectrum.

Before this, I worked on broader tech hiring, including developers and designers. Moving fully into testing recruitment was actually easier than I expected — testers tend to be very eager, curious, and motivated to grow.

Mathew: Roughly how many testers do you speak to?
Durga: In the last year alone, I’ve spoken to well over 200 candidates. On busy days, it can be 20–30 conversations. You start noticing very clear patterns after a point.

Mathew: From a hiring perspective, what do you look for in an ideal tester?
Durga: The first thing is communication. Very strong communication.
Not just fluency — but clarity.

How clearly can you explain:

The second thing is stability. Frequent back-to-back switches are a red flag. It raises questions about whether the person will stay long enough to create real impact.

And finally, adaptability. Are you upgrading yourself? Are you aware of what’s changing — automation, AI, new testing approaches? The market is moving fast, and candidates need to move with it.

Mathew: How important is education when you’re screening profiles?
Durga: Education does matter — colleges often indicate exposure and fundamentals. That said, it’s not everything. What matters just as much is career clarity.

When I ask why someone is looking for a change, their answer says a lot.
If it’s only about money, that’s not a great sign.
If there’s hunger to learn, grow, and do meaningful work — that stands out immediately.

Mathew: What are some immediate green flags during conversations?
Durga:

Attitude matters a lot. If someone shows arrogance or resistance during a screening call, it usually shows up later with clients and teams as well.

We also look at things like career gaps — not to judge, but to understand. Honest explanations build trust.

Mathew: How has the testing landscape changed in the last couple of years?
Durga: Candidates are far more proactive now.
Manual testers are actively learning automation. Exploratory testers want to upskill faster. Clients increasingly want hybrid profiles — testers who understand both manual and automation concepts.

Earlier, many candidates were comfortable staying in one role for years. That mindset has changed.

Mathew: And hiring itself — what’s different now?
Durga: Tools and AI have changed everything.

As a recruiter from a non-technical background, earlier I had to rely heavily on intuition. Now, with AI tools, I can:

AI assessments also help us evaluate strengths, gaps, and readiness more objectively.

Mathew: What should candidates absolutely do before an interview?
Durga:

I’ve seen technically strong testers fail final rounds because they couldn’t clearly explain their decisions.

Mathew: Experience vs skills — what matters more?
Durga: It has to be a combination of both.
Experience without skill stagnates.
Skills without experience lack credibility.

The good news is — today you can build both in parallel.

Mathew: What about early-career testers?
Durga: Starting with a startup or small company can be very powerful. The learning curve is steep. You take ownership. You figure things out on your own.

That kind of experience stands out later when you move to larger companies.

Mathew: What’s your view on switching companies for growth and salary?
Durga: Stability is important — but blind loyalty isn’t.

If someone with 8 years of experience has worked in 7–8 companies, that’s a red flag. Most clients won’t even consider such profiles.

Ideally:

If the work culture is bad or there’s no growth, switching makes sense. But every move should add something meaningful to your journey.

Mathew: Any final advice for testers exploring opportunities today?
Durga:
Have clarity.
Be adaptable.
Keep learning.
And don’t chase growth blindly — build it intentionally.

The best testers I meet are the ones who can think independently, learn continuously, and explain their work with confidence.

Upcoming events

We’ve got exciting updates, fresh faces, and some serious fun ahead. If you’re not in the group yet, join us at moolya.com/breaktheloop to find out more!

Check out the photos from last Sunday’s chill session! We went climbing, eating and golfing!

Want to participate, volunteer, or co-organize our trip?

Amit Vyas runs a WhatsApp group dedicated to sharing relevant job openings for testers — across experience levels and domains.

If you’re actively exploring or just want to stay informed, this is a great space to be part of.

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the BTL Newsletter. We’re grateful for this growing community and for everyone who shows up — on the field, at events, and for each other. We’ll see you soon at one of our January activities.

And if you haven’t yet, subscribe to the BTL Rundown for more interesting tidbits from the QA world.