Start a successful career as a QA tester by reading this article about the different skills QA testers need, how much they get paid, and what kinds of jobs are out there.
Quality assurance (QA) testers are very important in a world that is becoming more and more digital. As a QA tester, you can help make sure that software and websites work well and do what users want them to do. This can be a very rewarding job.
When a website crashes, it can be a mess. Bugs in software can make people leave. You probably know what it’s like to be frustrated by digital technology that doesn’t let you do what you want when you want it to. As a QA tester, you can make sure that good websites and apps work the same way every time. Check out the skills, degrees, and salaries of QA testers and learn more about their jobs.
What is a QA tester?
A QA tester checks software or websites to make sure they function properly. A QA tester works to stop customers from using broken software or other types of technology. To do this, they first conduct a number of tests while the product is still being developed. The QA tester performs both manual and automated tests to attempt to malfunction or break the product. This enables developers to make the required fixes prior to the product’s release.
QA testing’s value to business
The demand for QA testers is growing as a result of how crucial QA testing is to business. Here are some of the advantages of QA testing in more detail.
It saves time and money
A continuous step in the development process is QA testing. You can find problems early on by testing as you go. Something might be much simpler to fix earlier on in the product’s life cycle. If not, you might have to go back and change a lot of things. While developers are still thinking clearly about that code, it is more cost-effective to make changes.
Protects business reputation and image
Digital options are plentiful for users. They don’t have much patience. QA testers use their expertise to foresee potential problems and take action to avoid them. By doing this, a company avoids releasing a product that has bugs when customers try to use it. QA testing abilities can also stop a website from crashing when too many users attempt to add an item to their cart at once.
Ensures that a product or service is competitive
Scalability is also supported by QA testing. Early involvement of a QA tester helps ensure that new features won’t jeopardise security or user experience. You can create a product that can be launched and scaled later with effective testing.
Enhances product safety
To test, record, and report their findings, QA testers adhere to a set of rules. These testers typically work outside the development team and offer an unbiased perspective on the product. Their objectivity helps deliver a secure and safe product. QA testers make sure that not only are user expectations met, but also industry and governmental standards.
Essential types of QA testing
You must gain technical knowledge if you want to become a QA tester. You’ll need exposure to each of these crucial QA testing aptitudes if you want to improve your QA tester skills:
Unit testing
The first step for the QA tester is frequently unit testing, which involves testing specific testable product components or individual software functions. You can more easily determine what needs to be fixed by dividing the testing up into smaller, more manageable pieces. Individual unit testing is followed by component testing, which connects numerous code units.
Integration testing
The various code components must then all function together, which must be checked next. QA testing combines various code units and runs tests on them simultaneously. If they fail to function after integration, developers must work harder.
System testing
This testing phase, also referred to as end-to-end testing, examines functionality more comprehensively. System testing aims to simulate how customers will use the product in practise.
Performance testing
When a website or piece of software is being developed, a small team works on it. However, the asset may need to manage hundreds of users at once when it is released to the public. Performance analysis shows that the code is able to keep up. It contrasts user system performance and puts the application under pressure to find any bottlenecks or other issues.
Regression testing
At this stage, you examine the effects of the changes on the product. Making sure that solving one issue doesn’t lead to the emergence of new ones.
User Acceptance Testing
User acceptance testing (UAT), carried out near the end of development, confirms that the product or application performs as expected and as intended by the developers.
Mobile testing
This testing ensures that the product or application can run on mobile devices, which is taken into account given the large number of users who use them. Mobile testing, for instance, takes into account factors like smaller screens, less memory, battery life, and what happens if a user receives a call while using an app.
Key characteristics of QA tester jobs
QA testing is typically carried out in cycles as the product is being developed. As a tester, you are responsible for many tasks. You must know how to create and execute test cases, evaluate and record test results, and plan your testing, whether it be manual or automated.
QA testers are frequently flexible, analytical thinkers with the capacity for creative thought. After all, it’s your responsibility to identify mistakes, bugs, and other glitches. You’ll have to keep track of, report, and troubleshoot any flaws.
You’ll research new technologies, tools, and testing procedures in addition to reviewing test procedures and creating scripts. You ensure a product is of excellent quality by cooperating closely with the product and development team and other stakeholders in the QA processes.
QA tester job requirements
The typical starting point for a successful QA tester career is a bachelor’s degree. Employers might also be on the lookout for certifications in a particular industry and knowledge of fundamental models for software testing.
Skills and qualifications
A bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, information technology, or a related field is typically the prerequisite for becoming a QA tester. Employers also seek candidates with experience using test management software and solid coding skills. It usually helps to have at least a year of QA testing experience. Regarding your expertise with Agile frameworks and regression testing, prospective employers might inquire. Employers frequently look for QA testers with strong analytical skills and great attention to detail because of your familiarity with computers and testing. You must pay close attention to spot problems that might present difficulties for users. Strong verbal and written communication abilities are also beneficial. You’ll have to report your findings to the development team verbally and sometimes in writing. Simply stating what you want to people to do isnt enough
QA tester certifications
Getting QA tester certifications broadens your knowledge and generally qualifies you for more job opportunities. The certifications that are most appropriate for you correspond to the sector or specialty you work in. For people with various levels of experience, there are QA tester certifications available.
- For a fundamental knowledge of QA testing, obtain the Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST) certification.
- A professional level of proficiency in QA is shown by the Certified Manager of Software Quality (CMSQ) certification.
- To demonstrate your familiarity with version control, bug database software, and various client and server architectures, become a certified software quality analyst (CSQA).
- Numerous related certifications are available from the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB), including the Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL), Test Analyst, Test Manager, Agile Tester, Strategic Test Management, and others.
- Achieve Certified Test Engineer (CSTE) status to demonstrate your proficiency with QA principles and practises.
Important software testing models
Software testing can be approached in many different ways. Waterfall, Iterative Development, Agile, and Extreme Programming are the main models. One phase is finished before the next in the Waterfall model, the traditional Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) model. A feasibility study is where this lifecycle starts. Analysis of the requirements and specification determination follow. The following steps are design, coding, unit testing, integration, and system testing. Upkeep is how this model comes to an end. The Iterative Development model, a variation on the SDLC, employs a more cyclical method. The stages of planning and requirement gathering, analysis and design, implementation, testing, and evaluation are incrementally repeated over and over again. This is supposed to make the subsequent iteration better more quickly.
Agile is a team-oriented approach to QA that puts the needs of the customer first. Usually, this idea uses an incremental, iterative approach. To adapt to changes in software development, everyone works in brief sprints and collaborates to identify the most effective approaches for achieving the project’s objectives. As a QA tester, you could also work in an environment that uses Extreme Programming. This method, which is an iteration of Agile, prioritises client satisfaction. This QA testing seeks out ways to solve issues quickly and get the software in the hands of the user sooner rather than being constrained by a deadline or predetermined stages in a model. Testing gets underway as soon as possible.
Job outlook and career prospects for QA testers
QA testers are needed in the digital world. The QA tester plays a crucial role as products and services from all industries are developed and offered online.
How much does a QA Tester make in a year?
As of 2021, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [1] reported that the median annual salary for QA testers, QA analysts, and software developers was $109,020. The future of employment is also promising. The BLS projects growth of 25%, which is significantly higher than average.