subject: The Ins and Outs of Launching a Career in Software Testing [print this page] The Ins and Outs of Launching a Career in Software Testing
You don't need a degree to begin a software-testing career. However, IT degrees may make an entry-level position as a software tester easier to obtain. On the other hand you do need specific skill sets, and it is usually required that the software tester have at least basic knowledge of simpler computer programming languages such as C or C++. A software-testing career is different from that of a job in software testing. A career is a lifelong occupation and one where the individual plans to master the subject. A job is more of a temporary situation where the expectation is that the tester will eventually move on to things that interest them more. OVERVIEW OF WHAT A SOFTWARE TESTER DOESSoftware Q and A is all about catching faulty code and bugs before they ever make it deep into the code. This process starts early (hopefully) in the software development life-cycle. Not all companies have software Quality Assurance positions and instead depend upon structured checks and balances built into the system. However, software Q and A careers are not the same as the role of a software tester. The software tester starts to work when the software is completed. The position may sometimes be viewed as adversarial by developers. However, a software tester should approach their career with the belief that they are there to assist the designers by finding flaws quickly. The more the tester knows about how code works the more likely it is that if there is any huge flaw it will become apparent to them.When conducting tests on software, there are structured procedures as well as tests designed to answer the question, "can I break it". While the designer would never consider doing some of the things a software tester might do, the tester's job is to think like the regular user who may be a little uncertain how things work. Testing software consists of more than just doing a set type of tests, but instead working to ensure that even the user prone to doing the unexpected will not break the application.LAUNCHING YOUR SOFTWARE TESTING CAREERMany software designers and programmers transition to software testing if jobs in their fields are in low demand. Others may find they meet the requirements for a posted tester job in the company that currently employs them. Still others pick up the basics of programming either from self-study or from courses, and keep submitting their resumes to software companies both large and small. In other words, there is no single path to the software testing career. Most companies acknowledge that even with a degree, a new software tester will require a lot of on the job training and learning. Thus, they often are open to hiring testers without degrees but with the necessary aptitude and interest in the job. Getting into a software testing career requires an inquiring and logical mind, a moderate amount of software programming knowledge, and the confidence to keep submitting your resume until you land your dream job.
