Career PathsJun 23, 20266 min read
Career Path: QA Engineer to SDET in Delhi NCR
For every sdet we've placed in the last 18 months, we asked what they'd have done sooner. The list below is what they said.
Year 2 — get the title adjacent
Move internally to a team where sdet work sits next to yours. Internal moves are far easier than external ones at this stage.
Year 2–3 — rewrite the story
Rebuild your resume and LinkedIn around sdet outcomes, not qa engineer tasks. Recruiters screen on the story, not the intent.
Year 3 — make the external jump
Apply as a sdet with a portfolio of real work. Target teams that value your qa engineer background as an edge, not a gap.
Traps that delay the jump
- Applying externally before your resume tells the new story.
- Waiting for permission to do the work of the role you want.
- Targeting only the biggest brands, where the bar for switchers is highest.
Map your skill gaps with Upplio's Resume Score — it shows exactly which competencies to build next on the way from qa engineer to sdet.
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