Sophia’s Journey: From Stay-at-Home Mom to QA Engineer

Sophia’s Journey: From Stay-at-Home Mom to QA Engineer

ByEvan Parker

Three years ago, Sophia and I were living in what felt like a perpetual “Groundhog Day.” I was logging into standups from random Airbnbs, and she was the full-time CEO of household chaos. We’d both dreamed about a more balanced setup, but life always seemed to get in the way—so when Sophia floated the idea of switching from stay-at-home mom to QA engineer, it felt equal parts exciting and, honestly, terrifying.

The Moment Everything Changed

Sophia’s journey started on a rainy Tuesday. She’d spent the night comforting our youngest through a fever, and by breakfast, she looked at me and said, “I want my own thing, too.” We poured some strong coffee and started mapping out what that “thing” might look like.

The truth? We had no roadmap—and zero idea if we could actually pull this off with two kids, a mortgage, and me already working remotely.

Why QA?

We talked through options. Coding bootcamps? Too intense with the kids at home. Design? Not her jam. QA, though—problem-solving, checklists, and a lot of methodical thinking—that sounded like Sophia. Plus, tech is a rare field where starting salaries are actually enough to move the needle (we’re talking $55k–$80k/year for junior QA in North Carolina in 2023).

But how do you go from zero to QA engineer, especially when you’re running on three hours of sleep and the only thing you’ve tested lately is whether the baby monitor works through thick plaster walls?

The Real Deal: Our Playbook

Here’s the unvarnished, practical version of what worked for us. Spoiler: it wasn’t about “hustle harder”—it was about getting strategic and using every tool (and neighbor) we could find.

Step 1: Set Realistic Micro-Goals

  • 15-minute sprints: We carved out short, focused study blocks—literally between naptimes or during a Bluey episode.
  • Weekly wins: Sophia aimed to finish one mini-course or module every week. Udemy and Test Automation University were our go-to’s.

Step 2: Build a Support Web

  • Nanny-sharing: We split childcare with a neighbor two days a week (cost: $60/day per family—way less than a full-time nanny).
  • Daycare drop-ins: On crunch weeks, our local daycare offered half-day slots. Not cheap ($40/half-day), but a sanity saver.
  • Spousal scheduling: I blocked my least meeting-heavy hours for “dad duty,” so Sophia could study without interruption.

Step 3: Get Hands-On—Fast

  • Test on real stuff: Sophia started with our family’s apps: grocery delivery, budgeting, even our smart thermostat. (Ask her about the time she found a bug in the shopping app—free groceries for a week!)
  • GitHub portfolio: Every mini-project, bug report, and test script went public. Recruiters love receipts.

Step 4: Network (Without the Cringe)

  • Slack/Discord groups: She joined Women Who Code, Ministry of Testing, and a local tech moms channel. These were more useful than LinkedIn spam.
  • Mock interviews: We did 20-minute practice runs with friends who already worked in tech. Honest feedback, no judgment.

Step 5: Apply, Iterate, Repeat

  • Batch applications: Sophia sent 10–15 targeted resumes per week, mostly via niche job boards (AngelList, RemoteOK, We Work Remotely).
  • Custom cover letters: Painful, but crucial. She used ChatGPT to tailor each one—saved hours.

How the Numbers Shake Out

Expense Cost per Month Notes
Online Courses $40 Udemy, Test Automation U (free for some tracks)
Nanny Share $480 2 days/week, split with neighbor
Daycare Drop-ins $160 1 half-day/week x 4 weeks
Resume/Portfolio Tools $15 Notion, GitHub Pro
Total $695

Checklist: What Actually Worked

  • Pick a learning goal you can hit in 15 minutes (not 2 hours).
  • Use low-cost, flexible childcare—even if it’s just for crucial interviews or deadlines.
  • Practice on real-world apps (bonus if you find bugs and report them).
  • Document everything—GitHub, Notion, whatever, just make it public.
  • Lean on community (women in tech groups, local Slack channels).
  • Don’t go it alone. Even one reliable neighbor is a game-changer.
  • Apply in batches, not one resume at a time.
  • Use AI tools (ChatGPT, Grammarly) to save brainpower for the actual interviews.

Favorite Tools & Resources

Where We Are Now

Fast forward to today: Sophia’s a junior QA engineer at a fintech startup, working 30 hours a week. The mornings are still a little wild, but we’re both working, the kids are happy, and we have a nanny (and neighbor) who’s now basically family. It wasn’t easy, but honestly? It’s one of the best moves we’ve made as a family—and as partners.

If you’re reading this in sweatpants at 2 a.m. and wondering if a career switch is possible with young kids: yes, it’s hard. But no, you’re not alone—and the right tools make a world of difference.

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