Meet the Lingers: PP

Meet Sorawich, the multifaceted Junior Quality Assurance Analyst bringing youthful energy and dedication to Ling's team in Chiang Mai! Known by his nicknames Pokpong, PP, or Sora, this 22-year-old has grown from a freelancer to a full-time QA professional, embodying Ling's commitment to nurturing talent and fostering growth from within.

Hello, Sorawich! Thank you for taking some time out of your busy schedule to chat. Before we start, how should I address you for this interview?

Hi! Actually, my nickname is Pokpong, but since I'm working with Ling, I have 2 more names, which are PP and Sora (short for my first name, Sorawich)! Because I think it's easier for foreigners to pronounce then my nickname ??

Let's start from the beginning. How did you find out about Ling? What was your interview process like?

I first discovered Ling through the Facebook group page called ??????? ?.?. (Luk Chang Mor Chor), which is a community group for Chiang Mai University students.

At the time, they were searching for freelancers or part-timers to take on administrative roles, which is where I first met Ling. Interestingly, I never actually went through an official interview process to join Ling I started as a freelancer during my third year at the university, taking on administrative responsibilities such as managing office supplies and documents.

Over time, I transitioned to working in customer service and then moved on to proofreading content in the Ling app.

Eventually, I had the opportunity to work as a tester and intern in mid-2023, gaining experience in almost all of Ling’s departments. ?? Later In 2024, I was offered the chance to join the Product team as a full-time Junior Quality Assurance Analyst.

How long have you been with Ling?

In 2022, I started working as a freelancer at Ling, handling office tasks, customer service, and software testing. Then, in 2023, I interned at Ling for 3 months. Now, in mid-2024, I’ve been promoted to full-time as a Junior Quality Assurance Analyst at Ling. So, I’ve been with Ling for about 2 years and 4 months now!

What does a normal day at Ling look like for you now as a Junior Quality Assurance Analyst?

I usually wake up at 7.30 and drive to the Taste Cafe every morning to get a coffee before work! I recommended this coffee shop, the coffee taste is amazing!

Every morning, I review all my ClickUp and Slack notifications to catch up on any pending tasks or meetings from the previous day and to plan out my day ahead.

Then, I joined the Daily Standup with my team. After the standup, I check for any bug reports and production issues that fix needed or any app testing I need to do and wrap up the work before the End of the Day ????

After work, I usually go to the gym with my colleagues almost every day and we have dinner before the gym, that’s a nice activity, right? Keep staying young and fit ??

Where are you from and where are you based now?

I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Chiang Mai, Thailand, so I have lived here for 22 years now. haha

Wow, 22 years. You must love it so much here that you haven't left. What do you like most about living in Chiang Mai?

I really enjoy living in Chiang Mai because of the beautiful nature and the pleasant weather! Whenever we can find the time and it’s not raining, I love going hiking with my friends. The weather, especially during the winter, is perfect for a night out or traveling in the mountains. That’s what I love most about Chiang Mai.

The one more thing I love about Chiang Mai because of the chill vibes. You can go anywhere (A LOT of places in 1 day!) and the cost of living here is not that expensive, so you can get the delicious food at very low prices!

What's your favourite thing about working at Ling?

The work environment in Ling is great! The people in the office are very supportive!

When I first joined the full-time I hadn’t really caught up on the work yet, Ethan, Minh and everyone on the team always helped me go through the lists, that’s why I really appreciate the support in the team and the office.

One more favorite thing is the flexibility of working, you can work remotely on Mondays and Fridays or anywhere! And we have a lot of activities to bond the people in the office ??

What's been a highlight for you, career-wise, while working at Ling?

A career highlight for me at Ling as a QA has definitely been helping to make the app better and working with such a great team focused on quality. Fixing tricky issues that were messing with the app or setting up processes to catch bugs before they got out of hand has been super rewarding. Lately, a big win for us has been starting to automate some of the testing. With the developers’ help, we’ve set up automated tests, and it’s been awesome to see how much smoother everything runs now. It’s been a real team effort, and it’s made our workflow way better!

Can you share a funny or heartwarming anecdote of you and your coworkers that you'll never forget?

We once went to Chiang Dao Mountain on a Buddhist holy day, but one of my coworkers accidentally sent us the wrong map. We ended up at what looked like an abandoned house in the middle of a cornfield! It was dark, super quiet, and kind of creepy. As we got closer, we found ourselves almost driving through the cornfields, and that mix of fear and fun had us nervously laughing and even letting out a few panicked screams. We all just trying to escape the weird vibe of that place ??

Other than Ling, what's another app you've been loving right now?

Other than Ling, I’ve been really into Instagram lately. It’s such a fun way to stay connected with friends, Plus, it’s been awesome for staying in touch with my boyfriend since he moved to Bangkok. We share updates and moments from our day, which makes the distance feel a lot easier to handle. It’s like our go-to way to stay close.

Tell me a word you like, either in your own language or a foreign one, and why.

??????! (Pang Mak)is my favorite word lately, It means very fabulous I'll show you how to use it: ????: Hey, I just dated with the guys last night, he's so handsome and warm! ??: Really! ????????!! (Pang Mak)!

Can you share an inspirational quote/proverb, either in your own language or a foreign one, that inspires you to keep going?

In Thai, a similar sentiment could be expressed as: “??????? ???????????? ????????????? ???????????????????????” (Jai yen yen, koi koi tang satee, leaw took hyang ja dee kuen eang), which translates to "Stay calm, take a moment to think, solve the problems slowly, and everything will get better on its own" This reminds me to keep my head up and appreciate the journey, no matter how chaotic it may seem!

If you could give one piece of advice to your fresh-out-of-college self, what would it be?

If I could give one piece of advice to my fresh-out-of-college self, it would be to just go for it and embrace every opportunity that comes your way. Don’t be scared to step out of your comfort zone and try new things It's all about figuring out what you love and what you’re good at. Also, make sure to connect with people, you never know how those relationships can help you later on. And don’t forget to be patient with yourself; success takes time and every little experience counts!

Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to work in your field?

If you’re looking to dive into QA or development, start by getting a handle on the basics of software testing, like the difference between manual and automated testing.

Hands-on practice is key Try creating your own test cases, explore different apps, and see if you can break them!

Good communication skills are super important for working with your team, so pay attention to the details where bugs can sneak in. Stay curious and keep up with the latest tools, and don’t forget to document what you learn to improve your processes. Embrace challenges as chances to learn, and most importantly, have fun celebrating your wins with the team!

As PP continues to thrive in his role at Ling, his journey serves as an inspiration to fresh graduates and aspiring professionals. His advice? 'Just go for it and embrace every opportunity that comes your way.'

With his positive attitude, team spirit, and passion for quality, PP is not just testing apps – he's helping shape the future of language learning technology at Ling.