Feeling stuck—should I switch domains or stick to testing?
Hi everyone, I could really use some guidance on my career direction.
I graduated in 2022 and completed two internships—one in full-stack development (3 months) and another in AI/ML. Post that, I did some graphic design freelancing to earn passively before joining Capgemini in September 2022.
Initially, I worked as a Cloud Ops engineer, then moved into testing. For the past 9 months, I’ve been doing manual testing in my current project. I’ve gained solid hands-on experience, and I’m fairly comfortable with the work now.
But here’s the catch—I’ve always been drawn to frontend development. I enjoy coding and creating clean, functional UIs. So I’ve been upskilling after work hours, trying to build my frontend skills. It’s exciting but also exhausting.
I’ve made up my mind to switch into a dev role this year. Ideally, I plan to resign around August/September and look for a frontend role. If that doesn’t work out, I’m thinking of going back to freelancing—I have some contacts that could help me get started.
That said, I’m constantly bouncing between feeling super motivated and completely unsure. Some days I’m ready to take the leap, and other days I feel like sticking with testing is the safer choice.
Given the current job market, would it be smarter to: • Stick around and try for an internal switch, • Move out and pursue frontend roles directly, • Or stay in testing a bit longer and grow here?
Any advice or perspectives would be greatly appreciated!
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Ohh how are you getting freelancing ?
Before joining, I used to receive freelance opportunities through local merchants, college projects and freelance platforms.
I am a tester from last 3.7 yrs. Dont stay in testing, there wont be any scope.try for an internal switch. Gain atleast 6 months of experience. Then try to switch externally. Because outside they are asking fro experience.
You've got the clarity most people spend years chasing; now it's just about channeling it smartly. If frontend excites you, start showcasing projects on GitHub and LinkedIn now while still in testing. Try for an internal switch first; it gives you a dev story with stability. And hey, on days when the self-doubt creeps in, talk to someone who's walked this path. Hiked.in connects you with real mentors who’ve made bold moves too.
Thanks so much—that really means a lot. I’ll definitely give that a shot and start putting things out there!