Is Software Testing A Good Career?

Software testing is the art and science of evaluating software or application to identify defects, errors, bugs, and malfunctions from the standpoint of an end-user. The purpose of software testing is to ensure that the software is functioning as intended and meets the specified requirements. Software testers are ultimately responsible for quality assurance in software.

Software testing involves the execution of various test cases on different units of a software's source code or Application Programming Interface (API) or other code segments integrated into it. These testing use cases help in uncovering errors or defects in the software. Testers design these test cases based on client requirements or software requirements. They cover the different aspects of the software, such as performance, functionality, usability, security, and compatibility.

They also find defects in the program execution and report it to the product manager. According to a research report, the software testing and testing services market size is growing to $34.49 billion from 2021 to 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.39%. Such massive growth shows that the demand for software testers is still at an all- time high.

According to a report, the demand for software testers and software Quality Assurance (QA) engineers will continually grow by 25% in the next 10 years. This statistic reveals that software testers are in great demand. If you want a software testing career, having knowledge of various technologies, programming languages, software testing tools, etc, is a must.

If you are into software development or have studied software engineering, you would have come across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Software testing is an essential part of this software development process. Here are some reasons why software testing is necessary:

• Identifying Defects and Errors
  Testing the software the right way helps to identify defects and errors in the software before it is released. This ensures that the functionalities are intended and meet the specified requirements.
   
• Ensuring Software Quality 
  Testing the software assures both enterprises and product managers that the software will get released as expected. Also, that it is meeting the quality and needs of the end-users or customers. Various quality checks such as functionality, performance, security, usability, and compatibility, are thus undertaken.
   
• Reducing Unnecessary Errors and Repetitive Fixes
  By identifying and resolving flaws or errors early in the development process, testing can help to lower development costs. Developers do not have to release multiple versions just to fix bugs repeatedly.
   
• Improves Customer Satisfaction
  Software testing can improve customer satisfaction by identifying and addressing software issues that may frustrate or confuse users. It ensures that the software meets their needs and expectations.
   
• Compliance with Regulations and Standards
  Software testing can help to ensure that the software complies with all the latest ordinances and standards. It helps businesses avoid lawsuits and reputational damages.

Software testing can be of different types. These variations occur mainly because of the different ways or components a test is performed. If you want to become a software tester, you must know how these testing types vary from each other.

• Unit Testing
  It is the technique of testing a software or large application project by dividing them into individual units or components. Modern software testing uses automated testing tools to analyze the software units. Unit testing helps in:
  • Identifying bugs early
  • Ensuring whether any new code is causing an execution-level issue
  • Checking the reliability of the app
     
• Integration Testing
  Integration testing checks how one unit of a program interacts with the other unit after integration. We all know that different software units get designed by various software developers. This testing verifies whether the different software units can work together as intended after combining them as one project. Different types of integrations are top-down, bottom-up, and Big Bang integration testing.
   
• Beta Testing
  The beta test is a software testing type that gets executed at one or more customer sites. The beta release of the software gets tested by the genuine end-user of the software. Companies release such versions for a limited time period or to a limited number of users for testing in a real-time environment.
   
• Performance Testing
  Many software and application projects depend on multiple technologies like cloud, web APIs, Graphic Processing Units (GPUs), etc. That is why software testers have to check the performance of the software. It tests the runtime application performance in the context of an integrated system. The test reviews the swiftness and efficacy of the program's loading and running. It is also called load testing.
   
• Stress Testing 
  In this type of software testing, the testers make the software go through unfavorable or extreme conditions to check whether they can handle the stress. Tests like maximum memory utilization, software crashing threshold limit test, etc., come under this test. 

A Software Testing career requires some preparations, and you can check out the required skills, valuable certifications from Careervira, and various career prospects to pursue.

A career in testing requires both technical or hard skills and non-technical or soft skills. Let us then explore these 2 categories in detail:

Non-Technical Skills

Here are some non-technical skills needed to become a good software tester:

• Analytical Skills
  If you want to become a software tester, you must have sharp analytical skills. Through dynamic analytical skills, software testers can better understand and prepare test cases, logically divide tests into multiple units, and analyze the solution rationally.
   
• Communication Skills
  If you want to be a good software tester, communication skills often play a significant role in becoming a team player. Such skills help software testers communicate flawlessly with other software developers and project managers. It can also help write clean documentation and test case explanations.
   
• Time Management
  Often projects have tight deadlines and shorter testing cycle times. Thus, testers who deliver their testing reports and assessment on time are valued tremendously in the software development market.

Technical Skills

Here are some technical skills to become a good software tester:

• Software Engineering
  Software engineering is a subject that software testers must have a basic knowledge of for testing applications. A SDLC helps testers understand how the applications get developed. A deep understanding of the SDLC cycle also helps testers predict intricacies in the application and help them guide developers in taking suitable measures beforehand.
  
  If you want a hands-on understanding of SDLC, Careervira offers excellent courses like:
  • Developing Secure Java Web Applications - Lifecycle (SDLC) 
  • Developing Secure .Net Web Applications - Lifecycle (SDLC)
     
• Basic Knowledge of Programming
  Programming is an essential tool of software development. Programmers write the logic for the software that they run through programming languages. Software testers and quality assurance engineers have to check whether the programs are bug-free and are working appropriately or not. Also, a basic understanding of data structure and software design is necessary. 
  
  If you want to learn data structure and software design to build a career in the software testing and engineering vertical, Careervira has resources for you:
  • Data Structures and Software Design
     
• Instinctive Documenting and Reporting
  For becoming a good tester, you must know what it means to report and document software tests appropriately. Testers get paid even more for bringing clarity to the test report of the software. The more conclusive and precise a document becomes, the better the tester gets appreciated.
  
  There are different types of reports based on software testing types. Some are related to software or security bugs, while others remain associated with stress tests or how much the software can withstand pressure. 
   
• Understanding Frontend and API Integration
  If you wish to stay ahead of other software testers in the market and crack software testing interviews, you must know how the frontend application section works. You should also know how API integration happens. Without apt knowledge of various frontend development skills and languages like HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and other frameworks like Bootstrap, React, NodeJS, and Django, it will not be possible for a tester to have a good command over software testing. Again, you must know how API keys and integration is taking place so that if you encounter any integration issue while testing, you can report it. 
  
  Careervira is an excellent platform that offers different frontend and API-related courses like: 
  • MERN Stack Front To Back: Full Stack React 
  • Redux, and Node.js
  • Developing APIs with Google Cloud's Apigee API Platform 
  • Frontend Web Development Bootcamp
     
• Knowledge of Version Control Systems
  Version Control Systems (VCSs) are software solutions that allow project developers to manage and keep track of software development and source code changes made or other files over time. Even other SDLC team members can collaborate on these tools for different purposes. It enables multiple professionals (developers, testers, project managers, etc.) to collaborate on a single project and keep track of all changes made to the codebase. 
  
  Automated software testing projects can get integrated easily with continuous integration tools while testers test the system. Relevant acquaintance with the version or source control systems can help testers manage and test integrated codes closely with the software developers. 
  
  Careervira is an excellent platform that offers different courses on version control like:
  • Version Control
  • Version Control with Google Cloud Source Repository
  • Version Control with Git  
     
• Writing Automated Tests and Tools
  After a few years of manual testing and understanding how testers carry out software testing, testers get automated testing tasks. Once they master the manual testing skills, companies provide them with automated testing tools to test a particular software on different test cases. 
  
  TestRigor, Test Complete, Selenium, Virtuoso, QA Wolf, and ZeuZ are well-known test automation tools. However, only knowing the names of some automation tools isare not enough to crack any interview. If you aspire to become a software tester, you must have good hands-on experience.  
  
  Careervira offers some excellent industry-level courses on automated software testing like 
  • Automation Testing With Selenium
  • Software Testing, and Automation Specialization
  • Automation Testing using TestComplete 11.0
     
• Hands-On Experience in Software Defect Tracking Tools
  Detecting defects in software is a significant aspect of the software development life cycle. Defect tracking is incredibly critical to managing and becomes essential because it can lead to data failure or any other malfunction. Every team member should know about the defect, including project managers, software developers and QA engineers.
  
  Some well-known tools used for logging defects and maintaining track of all those defects are Bugzilla, QC, Jira, etc. Aspirants who want to go for software testing as a career must have hands-on experience with defect-tracking tools. Careervira offers some exciting courses on defect tracking and quality control tracking tools like: 
  • JIRA Fundamentals
  • 7 QC Tools Training Course
  • Learn JIRA with real-world examples (+Confluence bonus)

Some well-known software testing certifications are: CAST (Certified Associate in Software Testing), CSQA (Certified Software Quality Analyst Certification), International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Certification, Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST), Certified Software Tester (CSTE), ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL).

So if you are planning your career in the software testing vertical, ensure you have a graduation - preferably a technical graduation or a diploma in IT. Additionally, certifications and online industry-standard courses, can help you in the software tester career path and stay ahead of competition. 

If you are passionate about becoming a software tester or want to join any enterprise as a software testing engineer, there are various career roles ranging from entry to senior-level jobs. Many software and app development companies hire software testers who are graduates or diploma holders in computer science or software engineering.

• Junior Software Tester or QA Engineer
  These are entry-level software testing roles filled in by candidates having an IT background and possessing basic software development and testing knowledge. Companies often hire and train them for manual testing. Even individuals who are working in the app development and IT industry can move to software testing jobs. They manually identify bugs, check the code, see the unit interactions, perform stress tests, etc. According to Salary.com, on an average, a software tester gets a salary of $42,903-$78,705 (depending on the enterprise they are working with).
   
• QA Analyst
  A QA analyst is responsible for developing and enforcing testing processes to guarantee software quality and user satisfaction. They work closely with software developers to identify and fix any bugs, malfunctioning, or stress issues. All in all, they ensure that the software meets the client's requirements. 
  
  They help senior QA analysts develop test plans, execute tests, build test cases, report defects, and document the entire testing. They are also responsible for collaborating with developers and stakeholders to prioritize and resolve any issues that arise during testing. According to Salary.com, on an average, a QA analyst gets a salary of $84,144.
   
• Test Manager
  A test manager is a senior-level role. Aspirants need a few years of experience to get into this position. They are responsible for leading and managing the testing team. They also ensure that the software testing gets completed on time and within the budget. Testing managers work with stakeholders to define testing objectives and priorities, identify testing resources, and manage testing schedules and budgets. 
  
  If you are an experienced software testing or QA professional with 5-8 years of experience, you can directly apply for this job role. According to Salary.com, on an average, a software tester gets a salary of $116,4520-$135,271 (depending on the years of experience a candidate possesses and the company’s policies).
   
• Performance Tester
  Performance testers are specialized software testing roles. They responsibly measure and analyze the performance of software applications by performing stress testing, performance testing, smoke testing, and other specialized testing using a manual approach and via testing tools. If you get this role after completing any specialized courses on software testing, you have to work with other developers to optimize the application's performance.
  
  You must ensure that the software meets the required performance standards. They check app services like heavy user loads, network congestion, and other factors. According to Salary.com, on an average, a software tester gets a salary of $89,575-$115,783 (depending on their experience and the company policy).

We hope this article gives you a clear insight into the software testing industry, why testing is necessary, and the various types of testing. Through this piece , we hope aspirants understand the  technical and non-technical skills needed to start a career as software tester, the different career roles in software testing, and their corresponding salaries. For choosing a self-paced course for yourself, visit Careervira today!