Interviewer: Oliver Smith, Digital Marketing Manager at Zahara and Jordan Davies, QA Tester at Zahara
Q: Could you introduce yourself—your name, age and position?
Jordan Davies: Hi! I’m Jordan Davies. I’m 27 years old and I work as a Software Quality Assurance Tester here at Zahara.
Q: Quick fire round—coffee or tea?
Jordan: Coffee all the way. Take away my citizenship, but coffee.
Q: Cats or dogs?
Jordan: I actually have both, but right here is my little cat—so I’ll say cats today, just to make her happy.
Q: Emojis—yes or no?
Jordan: 100%. If I’m not using an emoji in a sentence, something’s probably gone wrong.
Q: If you could pick any activity to do at all, what would it be?
Jordan: I’d love to try an adult obstacle-course challenge—think Ninja Warrior style—so you can just be a kid again.
Q: If you could have any superpower for a single day, what would you choose?
Jordan: Flying—but only for a day. After that, I think it’d be too depressing to land and go back to normal. So, mind control for purely nefarious reasons… Hah ha ha.
Q: How did you first get into QA testing—was it planned or a happy accident?
Jordan: Totally a happy accident. I graduated in 2d animation and even dabbled in game development, but then I moved back to the city of Bath and browsed Indeed for “software jobs.” One QA tester role said “no experience needed,” so I applied without really knowing what QA was. I didn’t get that first job, but they kept my details—and about a year later they emailed me saying a position had opened up. No second interview was needed, so I jumped at the chance!
Q: You’ve worked remotely in other countries—where did you go?
Jordan: Most recently, I worked from Lisbon, Portugal, and I also spent a week working in Italy.
Q: What was day-to-day remote working like, and how did being abroad affect you?
Jordan: Day-to-day, the work itself didn’t change much—I’m used to remote days in the UK. But the change of scenery made me much happier. Evenings and weekends broke up the routine, and everything felt more “temporary” and freeing—you still have to cook and clean, but you’re just enjoying being somewhere new.
Q: Did you have a favourite local dish?
Jordan: I’m not the biggest fan of Portuguese food overall, but I fell in love with the Francesinha: a sandwich stacked with layers of cheese and meat (mine was vegetarian), doused in a beer-tomato sauce, and topped with a fried egg. So hearty and delicious. And, of course, the pastel de nata was a must.
Q: How do you stay focused and connected when you’re not in the office?
Jordan: Discipline is key. I put on headphones, play some music low, and narrow my vision—blinkers on, really—so I don’t get distracted. That’s how I lock in.
Q: What was the biggest challenge or surprise working remotely abroad?
Jordan: Noise and distractions. In Lisbon I stayed in shared accommodation, so there was always chatter in the kitchen or dogs barking outside. And the heat—it was sweltering. It wasn’t the country itself, but just being somewhere unfamiliar threw me some curveballs.
Q: Is there a tool or gadget you wouldn’t live without on the road?
Jordan: My wireless mouse—I can’t go back to a trackpad—and I always carry a little back-massager. It’s a lifesaver when you’re hunched over a laptop all day.
Q: What’s something about you that would surprise your coworkers?
Jordan: People are usually surprised when I mention that I lived in New Zealand for three years. I’m also a fully qualified personal trainer—something that tends to catch people off guard!
Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting out in QA testing today?
Jordan: Always keep your network tab open. When errors pop up, you might not know how to recreate them otherwise. Pressing F12 brings up stats, and anytime there’s an error, it’ll appear there in red. It only tracks from when you open it, though, so keep it open.
Also, don’t get too excited about finding your first bug—I remember that feeling of excitement, but it does get less thrilling over time. Finally, embrace making mistakes and breaking things. You’re trying to break things intentionally so that once they’re fixed, no one else can. Be destructive—it’s part of the job!
Thanks so much, Jordan, for sharing your story—and thanks to everyone for reading Zahara Insights. Stay tuned for more conversations with the people behind our products!
