Software testing is a growing field at the moment, but that doesn't mean that anyone with a bit of programming knowledge can walk right into a testing job. There are certain attributes that set a tester apart, and will serve you well in this career choice if you have them. As with almost any career based qualities, these are all things that you can work on to improve even if they're not aspects that come naturally to you.
It's often overlooked in people who view testing from the outside, but a good software tester needs to be creative. Programmers sometimes seem to think that they have the monopoly on the inventive side of the process, but for many projects the opposite is true. While programmers have to stick to a strict brief, testers can approach their side of things from whatever angle works. This can mean devising your own box tests, and thinking about user interaction as well as analysing code.
That's not to say that testing is all excitement. In fact, like all aspects of programming, it requires a lot of patience, and a high level of concentration. Businesses at the moment have got wise to testers that don't put the hours in, and then blame faults on some other factor when they emerge after release. The job will require you to take responsibility, and to make sure you maintain your commitment, even if you're facing a lengthy task.
Perhaps most obvious of the qualities required is a basic understanding of the process of testing as a whole. This demands a good knowledge of coding, as well as the above mentioned abilities to adapt thinking and approach things in new ways. A good way of showing that you have these qualities is to gain an ISTQB qualification, especially to a higher level, as this will show that you're an asset to the workplace.
Different tasks within testing require different attributes, and different levels of skills too, but these are the basic qualities that underpin all good work in the field.
It's often overlooked in people who view testing from the outside, but a good software tester needs to be creative. Programmers sometimes seem to think that they have the monopoly on the inventive side of the process, but for many projects the opposite is true. While programmers have to stick to a strict brief, testers can approach their side of things from whatever angle works. This can mean devising your own box tests, and thinking about user interaction as well as analysing code.
That's not to say that testing is all excitement. In fact, like all aspects of programming, it requires a lot of patience, and a high level of concentration. Businesses at the moment have got wise to testers that don't put the hours in, and then blame faults on some other factor when they emerge after release. The job will require you to take responsibility, and to make sure you maintain your commitment, even if you're facing a lengthy task.
Perhaps most obvious of the qualities required is a basic understanding of the process of testing as a whole. This demands a good knowledge of coding, as well as the above mentioned abilities to adapt thinking and approach things in new ways. A good way of showing that you have these qualities is to gain an ISTQB qualification, especially to a higher level, as this will show that you're an asset to the workplace.
Different tasks within testing require different attributes, and different levels of skills too, but these are the basic qualities that underpin all good work in the field.
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The istqb foundation certification is always a good idea for any career into software testing.
