Career in Software Testing
- Thursday, October 1, 2009, 16:15
Gone are the days when software testing was a side kick to the whole software development process. And for those who believed that software testing is inferior to software development need to get a sanity check done. Software Testing has now become a full fledge industry domain. If you are one of those who can think out of the box and way beyond that, can evaluate a situation from different perspective and angles, can withstand work related stress and crack an application using stress tests then you can look forward to building a career in software testing. Career in Software Testing not only provides tremendous opportunities for growth but also a decent remuneration.
No organization, big or small, wants to face the embarrassment of their software failing just because of a small mistake that goes unseen. So the organizations have started bringing in the Software Testers to avoid such defects from the start. Some companies have started positioning themselves as Independent Software Testing (IST) service providers who provide specialized software testing services to other organizations, to test their products or to device software testing practices for their processes. The rapid growth seen in Software Testing has erased the myth that if somebody can’t make a career in development, then only does he settle down into testing.
In India
As of now in India Software Testing, which was once considered as an integral part of the Software Development, is considered to be independent from development. Testing, which was once considered to be a post development activity, is today considered to be an integral part of development right from the requirement definition stage. This increased attention to Testing has turned it into a serious career option for software engineers in India. If we talk about the money factor then Testing in our country can be compared with any other IT services in terms of revenue for the organization and remuneration for the individual.
Software Testing as a career in India is not just open for software professionals but also for professionals from other industry, because today software testing is not just confined to application testing but to the whole process of development and also to the need to adhere to quality norms. Its not just about the propriety of the software code and software knowledge, instead it is more about the scenarios the software will be subjected to in this speedily growing economy. Indian market will require approximately 1, 65,000 testers by the year 2013, as per the projection.
Skills at Hand
If you have mastered the fundamentals of computer science and also have an instinct to understand the pattern of a problem and also the idea to solve these problems then you stand a better chance above the rest to be a part of this growing job opportunity. Analytical skills and creative thinking to fulfill requirements of a customer and million others will be an added advantage. Software test engineers need to have knowledge of programming languages like C, C++, VB and scripting languages like VBscript, Shell, Python, and Pearl. These skills are in demand with the increasing demand for automation engineers. The technical skills should be supplemented with domain expertise to form a holistic team for testing. If you have an experience in handling prominent automation testing tools from companies like IBM, HP, Mercury etc can act like catalyst to get you a job as a Software Tester and particularly if you are a fresher. If you are a fair hand at test automation tools for regression automation and performance testing, database, analytical and lateral thinking, programming skills and have a great knowledge of test management and test processes and of the platform used for developing the application it will be the icing on the cake.
Opportunities Ahead
In the current scenario if you are a Software testing professionals who wants to design his or her career there are many interesting opportunities open based on individual preferences. A fresher who enters the industry as a test engineer, can choose the testing line or else move towards the quality assurance line where he can become QA lead and then QA manager. A typical career path for a professional tester would unfold as a junior test engineer, test engineer, test analyst, test lead, QA manager, followed by program manager/COE head.
Courses and Certifications
Academic knowledge in software testing is the starting point which brings in more awareness of the available career options in IT industry. This needs to be further enhanced with specialized trainings in different areas of testing based on individual preferences and market needs. A stamp of approval from a credible institute by means of certifications improves the confidence of the employers as well as clients on the testing professionals. Tool specific certifications are available from OEMs such as IBM, HP, Borland, etc. Obtaining certifications like CSTE (Certified Software Test Engineer) from recognized institutions or from online certification site can help strengthen your resume. For fresher, the organizations themselves train them on various testing tools and quality standards. But, a test engineer who has already gained some experience can look forward for a specialized certification to jump-start his career.
Your Call
If you have seen a future for yourself in Software Testing than you should be in the opinion and understand that it is more than just a part of Software developing. The market is on a lookout for the Software Testers so grab the opportunity and make the most out of it.
