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Tips on How To Become a Software Tester

Business News Daily Editor

Business News Daily Writer
Aug 05, 2019

Interested in testing software? Follow these steps.

Software testers play a critical role in application development. They are quality assurance
experts who put applications through the wringer to root out bugs, poor performance and funky
interface issues. To do this, they run all kinds of tests – stress, performance, functional,
scalability, user acceptance – at different stages of the software life cycle. Because software
testing is so important to the quality and usability of the final product, testers are typically
brought in at the planning and design stage, and often remain involved throughout post-release
support. 

Most testers work on teams that develop vendor software. Today, a lot of software is pushed
through DevOps (development + operations) teams, where development, testing, and delivery
are on a continuous loop using the Agile, Lean, or Scrum frameworks. 

The software tester is an unsung hero for most development projects. They save end users from
working with highly buggy software or applications that just don't work well, greatly reducing
tech support calls from frustrated customers. They also make the development team and the
software vendor look good in the eyes of customers by ensuring that there are no critical bugs
that prevent the software from operating as designed and advertised.
Essential education, background and skills for software testers
Many employers look for software tester candidates with a bachelor's degree in computer
science, math or engineering, although it's not always required. If you've got a lot of experience,
a stable work history and solid references or letters of recommendation, it's possible to land a
job without a college degree. An intermediate-level position typically requires three to six years
of direct experience in software testing, or some combination of education and experience. 

Regardless of how you prepare for a software testing career, here are the skills you should have
or plan to develop: 

Create and document automated and manual test plans and procedures, execute tests,
analyze results, and report on test problems and anomalies (document bugs) 
Perform software testing in all phases of the design-develop-test-release-maintain
software life cycle 
Understand various development methodologies, such as Agile and Scrum, and software
testing platforms or environments 
Possess thorough knowledge of several testing tools 
Be fluent in UNIX, Linux and/or Windows as well as scripting and command-line tools 
Be a multitasker 
Be an excellent communicator (written and verbal) with development, operations, product
management and customers 
Have knowledge of various programming languages, such as Java, JavaScript, C# or C++,
SQL, Python, PHP and Ruby on Rails 

Some positions require programming skills and an understanding of databases. You don't
necessarily need years of programming experience to be a tester, but it doesn't hurt. 

Many government or military jobs in national security and intelligence, as well as some federal
contractors, require a TS/SCI clearance. TS/SCI is short for Top Secret/Sensitive
Compartmented Information. It's sometimes referred to as a "TS/SCI poly clearance" because a
polygraph is usually part of the process. If you already have a TS/SCI clearance, that gives you a
significant competitive advantage in the software tester job market.

Must-have certifications
Software testers should consider getting one or more certifications to prove their mettle and to
get the attention of hiring managers. Most software tester certifications are vendor-neutral,
and recognize knowledge and skills applicable across all facets of software testing. 

Here are the two most popular software tester certifications: 

ISTQB Certified Tester: The American Software Testing Qualifications Board (ASTQB) offers
the vendor-neutral ISTQB Certified Tester credential at the Foundation and Expert levels.
ASTQB also offers Agile Tester, Advanced Test Analyst, Advanced Security Tester, and
Advanced Technical Test Analyst certifications, among others, aimed at mobile app
testing, test automation engineers, test managers, and business analysts. 
 Certified Software Tester (CSTE): The International Software Certification Board (ISCB)
supports eight certifications for software testing, quality assurance and business analysis.
In addition to passing a certification exam, the CSTE certification requires (1) a bachelor's
degree and two years of experience in information services, (2) a two-year degree and four
years of experience, or (3) six years of experience. Plus, you must prove you've worked in
software testing within the last 18 months. If you don't meet CSTE work experience
requirements, consider the Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST) as a starting
point. 

Vendor-specific or platform-specific software development certifications are plentiful, but it's

harder to find vendor-specific credentials that focus on testing. However, if you have experience
with a specific software testing platform and want to work on projects built on that platform,
find out if the vendor has a certification program and whether any of its developer
certifications include a testing component.

Software tester training and resources

Candidates interested in software tester training can take advantage of some free starter
courses available online. Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) offers several relevant courses, such
as the six modules in the Software Testing Fundamentals suite and Live Unit Testing in Visual
Studio 2017. And the ASTQB website has a New To Software Testing page that includes its
glossary of software testing terms in PDF and online searchable formats as well as sample
ISTQB exam questions. 

Interested candidates should also check out the Association for Software Testing (AST) website.
This site is full of resources, including a link to the AST YouTube channel, which features
webinars and keynote presentations from the group's annual conference. The International
Institute for Software Testing (IIST) lets anyone sign up for interactive and on-demand webinars
and live seminars in select U.S. cities, when available. 

If you're willing to pay for training, head back to the AST site to read about the four-week Black
Box Software Testing course and then follow the link to see other AST courses on test design,
bug advocacy, and so on. Udemy's QA Software Testing Training Course has 27 hours of on-
demand videos. At $100, it's a bargain and can cost as little as $12 during Udemy promotional
campaigns. Lynda.com, a well-known subscription-based training/learning service, also offers
testing courses as does Pluralsight. 

You'll find plenty of other software testing courses and boot camps by doing a quick search on
the web.

Surveying software-tester opportunities

PayScale says the average salary of a software tester in the U.S. is almost $56,000, but it can
climb much higher depending on the company, city and your qualifications. 

Like any other career, getting started usually means spending time on job boards like Monster,
Indeed, Dice and LinkedIn Jobs. Consider posting your resume on each site, and be sure to set
up alerts to be notified of new software testing and quality assurance job listings so you can
apply right away. 

Once your resume is online, you'll probably be contacted by recruiters with inside opportunities
at companies that don't necessarily advertise publicly. And if you want to work for a specific
company, cruise its online job board regularly and reach out to HR to make a contact. 

Take advantage of free resources like LinkedIn software tester groups, Reddit, and other forums
and online communities. They can be great sources of information about good/bad employers,
which tools you should learn and leads on jobs.

Business News Daily Editor,

Business News Daily Writer

Business News Daily was founded in 2010 as a resource for small business owners at
all stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Our site is focused exclusively on giving
small business advice, tutorials and insider insights. Business News Daily is owned by
Business.com.

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