What is Software Testing?
Before serving the food, mothers usually ask to taste whether the salt is as expected or not or if she has to make any changes to it to have better results.
Similarly, Software testing career includes the process of checking the software before bringing it up in the market. It is also the process of keeping the software error free.
Companies have expectations out of what they have created and to know if the results are same as expected or not they test the software. For example a car, a car is being put up for a test drive before launching it. All the parts, speed, distance is being tested through the test drive to make it error free when it launches in the market. It’s similar with the software when it comes to testing.
If you are looking up for better results Software Testing is very essential as bugs in the software can cause huge financial, technical and human loss.
A lot of companies and organization closed, faced heavy losses and damages because of errors in the Software. A lot of airplanes crashed because of the same.
Why Do We Need Software Testing? (Infographic)
How to become a Software Tester?
Software testing engineers play a very risky role in the developmental process.
They have to go through all the testing process that might end up having damages and loss. They take risk to make the software bugs free by testing it without a wrinkle of fear.
Usually every company hire software testers with bachelor’s degree in engineering or math. However, it is not always the case. You can still be a tester and get a job if you are experienced, have done internships or have letter of recommendations. A degree is not always what matters but experience. A lot of students get so many degrees yet not knowledgeable and capable enough to get hired.
To become one you must be familiar to using computer and its software. You must go through interviews of testers about how they started their journey as a tester. Constantly work on software to get the experience on how can you make it bug free.
What’s the common process in software testing career?
- Learn LINUX, Coding, and Windows.
- Read articles on how certain software tests were done.
- Learn programming languages such as C#, C++, PHP, Python etc.
- You need to be fluent in scripting tools and be a multitasking.
Skills Required to become a Software Tester
1. Web and mobile technology –
Every tester is required to be familiar with technology, so they know how to tackle software with bugs.
2. DevOps and mobile methodology –
Learning Agile and DevOps help testers meet deadlines faster.
Automation – It is important today to know Automation techniques as manual testing alone cannot do the job.
3. SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) –
Testers are advised to learn software life cycle management skill so that they understand how to plan cycles easily.
4. Social Networking –
Social networking helps one engage with new things, resources and content, get experienced etc. It also let one get connected to different media, chats and conversations with experts.
Demand and Salaries of Software Testing Career
It has been noted recently that software testing has grown a lot in few years. A lot of company have realised the importance of testing software before its launch. Due to incidents and accidents that have happened in the past, this field is giving the most importance.
Testers are paid great salary, but according to their experience. One can go from a tester to a senior tester in no time because of how valuable testing process is.
Average salary in US | $63,070 Glassdoor |
Average Salary in UK | $29643 Glassdoor |
Average salary in India | $5270 |
Testers are in great demand for their valuable work. Many companies have gone from bad times to perfect growth after including software testing as one of the process before launching a product in the market.
Before the salary range wasn’t as good as it is today. Nobody valued testers and their work for how much wrong anticipation they had for the products they made. Now every company knows its value and every company is in need of testers.
Anybody can be a tester today as it is more about experience. The more you know how to tackle the situation the more you learn new things about testing. A beginner goes from a tester to a senior tester and the manager. It has great scope in short..
Career Path of a Software Tester (Infographic)
Software Testing Free Online Courses:
- Alison: Alison is an online website that let you learn Testing free with a certificate. It offers 10 free testing courses. It will help you learn techniques, strategies, testing theory, help you develop a professional testing resume etc.
- Introduction to software testing – principles, and methods.
- Learn advanced testing techniques such as conditions etc.
- Black box strategies and white box testing.
- Diploma in testing.
- Level and object oriented program. etc.
- Guru 99 is a website that provides tutorials for free regarding testing. They use real-life examples to help you understand better. They have a series of tutorial that goes from basics to advance.
- Basics of software testing
- Software testing important principles
- Testing as a career path. etc.
- International Institute for software testing provide with free recorded webinars. All of the webinars are from experts and professionals who describe testing issues and bugs.
Software Testing Paid Online Courses:
- Cyber success offer paid courses starting from $136 and placement assistance. Their focus is on core component and principles of testing. Cyber Success provides verified certification at the end of the course which is well recognized throughout the industry. They have certain packages such as:
Diploma in testing
Manual testing
Selenium testing
ISTQB certifications
Mobile Automation
- You will be provided with demo videos and can continue with the course if you are satisfied.
- Prepares you for placement.
- Cyber success has successfully placed over 3000 students in Pune.
- International Institute of Software Testing: IIST is an online website focusing on software related courses. This website offers testing fundamentals and practices course at $325.
- Presenter: Dr. Magdy Hanna.
- Duration/length of recording: 8 hours 29 minutes
- Also offer general testing, mobile testing and automation testing.
- All of the courses are listed according to Body of Knowledge.
- Certification is provided at the end of the course.
- Edx: Edx is providing with Testing Management course. It focuses on the fact that engineers need to also manage the testing of software.
- You will learn how to successfully plan, schedule, estimate and document a software testing plan.
- No previous programming knowledge is required.
- Focuses on management aspect of testing.
- Fee: $249 if added verified certification, otherwise free.
- Duration: 8 weeks.
Here is one of the best free online video tutorials to get started with software testing (Video).
You have been doing great all this while. You chose to learn more about it was your one amazing decision. Keep learning and experimenting until you feel that satisfaction in yourself. This is your time to be a software tester. Have a good future ahead.
Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort.” – John Ruskin.