Kazeem Razaq @K.Razaq / 5:00 PM EDT. September 16, 2022.
A software testing career is a great way to start in IT, but it isn't quite as simple as you might think. If If you're looking to have a successful software testing career, there are some simple things you can do before you begin. I've found the best ways will help set the stage for your career and provide insight into what it's like working on software teams.
From building and deploying software to conducting performance testing, a software tester has a lot to do. But don't be overwhelmed with the amount of work that goes into becoming a tester. If you've just started your testing career, here are10 things that you can do to enjoy testing more, feel at ease with it and even find your passion in this profession.
The Importance of Software Testing
If you’re a software tester and you’re ready to join the ranks of the software testing community, then it’s important to understand how testing works.
Software testing is an essential component of many IT projects. It helps ensure that software projects are completed on time, within budget and with quality that meets business requirements. It’s also what ensures that your company doesn’t face costly delays in delivering new products or services.
The good news is that there are many ways you can enter the field of software testing without having any prior experience in this field. You can choose from a wide range of options when it comes to your career path as a software tester, such as:
Test automation specialist
Project manager
Quality assurance engineer/tester
QA analyst.
When you decide to start a software testing career, there are many things that you need to do before actually starting. The following is a list of 10 things that will help make your journey as successful as possible:
1. Determine the testing type
Unit Testing: A unit test is a small piece of code that tests one function or part of an application. The goal is to ensure that each function works correctly and produces expected results while minimizing the impact on other parts of the application. For example, if you were building a program that handled customer information, it would be necessary for your program to handle customer information correctly to not disappoint customers expecting accurate data about their orders and payments. You could write unit tests for this aspect alone (for example: “If I send an order through our system here at Company XYZ Inc., we should receive back exactly what was entered into our database by another employee over there who just did those same steps).
Integration Testing: Integration testing is where you make sure everything works together seamlessly within one system or program (for example: If I make changes in my codebase here at Company XYZ Inc., they need not affect anything else).
2. Find ways to develop and show your interest in technology
If you want to be a software tester, it's important to understand the technology that makes testing possible. In order to do this, it's critical that you learn how computers work and how they affect our lives. You can show your interest in technology by spending time with other people who enjoy learning about the latest advances in technology. Or you could even try learning something about the field yourself - check out our busyQA courses.
3. Work on your communication skills
Communication skills are a must for software testers. Communicating effectively with your co-workers is important in any job and can make all the difference in whether you find a new job or not.
The most common communication skills that software testers need include listening, speaking and writing. In addition to these three areas, many other aspects of communication come into play when working with others on projects or interacting with customers through online chat rooms or email chains. For example:
Listening - This is an essential part of being a good listener because it means paying attention to what others are saying without interrupting them or jumping in too quickly; instead try asking questions about what they mean before commenting on their remarks yourself!
Speaking - When taking part in conversations at work (or anywhere else), practice using phrases like "I see", "Is my understanding correct?" etc., so that when someone asks for clarification about something specific later down the road they have some basic facts ready at hand right away rather than having had time wasted looking back over old emails/chat logs trying desperately remember where exactly things went wrong last time around..."
4. Make an effort to deal with stress
This tip will help you with lifestyle wellness in general. Stress is a normal part of life. It's easy to get caught up in the stress of your job, but it's important not to ignore stress or try to hide from it because dealing with it will help you become more productive.
It's also important not to feel ashamed about being stressed out when you're trying your best and still struggling through an assignment or project. Try taking some time off each week, even if just for an hour or two if necessary, so that you can focus on yourself without feeling guilty about neglecting work responsibilities as well as personal ones.
If possible, try removing any stressful situations from your life as much as possible—for example: don't go to work when there's traffic; stay home if possible instead of going out with friends; avoid answering calls right before bedtime—so that they don't cause additional tension in your body during those times when they seem unavoidable!
5. Learn the basics of programming and software testing
Programming is a valuable skill to have, and it can be used in many different fields. Programming skills can help you find a job in software testing or other fields. The ability to write code is an important part of any job, especially for software testers who often work on projects that require them to build new software systems from scratch.
Programming requires knowledge about programming languages like C++, Java or Python; the syntax for each language has its own rules and contains its own vocabulary. As you learn these languages, remember that they all follow certain principles: They're all imperative (you tell the computer what action should take place) rather than declarative (you tell the computer what outcome should happen). This means that when solving problems with computers in these languages—like writing code—you needn't worry about how much memory your program uses up at once but instead focus on which objects need access over time so they don't get corrupted by each other while running concurrently within one application space (or process).
If you want to become a software tester, then you'll have to learn the basics of software testing. It's important that you understand how the testing process works, what kinds of software testing is done and what other types of tests are necessary for your success in this field. If you don't know any basic concepts of software testing, it will be difficult for you to make any progress in this career.
6. Learn how to learn on your own
Learning how to learn on your own is the first step to becoming a great software tester. This means that you should spend time learning from other people, from books, and from the internet and your mistakes.
The more experience you have with software testing, the better at it you'll become over time. However, there's no substitute for real-world experience—learning on your own provides that opportunity!
7. Take part in various courses and obtain certificates
Even the most skilled IT professionals need to constantly upgrade - and they do this with certificates. Certificates can help you land the job. For example, if you have a certificate in web development, it will make it easier to find work as a developer or software engineer. Certificates also give you more options when it comes to choosing the type of career path that best suits your skill set and interests.
Certificates can also help move up in your career. If you want to work at an organization that requires testing skills, but don't have enough experience yet, getting an online test preparation course might give you enough knowledge on basic concepts so that when they hire someone new who needs training (whether they're just starting out or want some additional training), they won't need too much hand-holding before they're ready for the job!
Getting these types of credentials can also help build up your resume because employers will see them as proof that someone has been able to successfully complete tasks related directly to testing projects and this makes them far more appealing than simply listing off any personal projects done outside work hours (which might not necessarily reflect well upon oneself).
8. Read relevant books
Reading is a great way to learn new skills and expand your knowledge. You can also find useful information in books that will help you develop as a software tester, including how to write good bug reports and what tools are available for testing.
9. Watch relevant tutorials
Self-learning is so important, especially if you don't have formal education. Be sure to try and learn as much as you can from any sources that you can. This means watching video tutorials (YouTUBE has a wealth of good resources), reading relevant books and taking excellent courses.
10. Start now!
Don't wait until you've got years of experience to start doing something useful. Start now and start small, and ask questions as you go along. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, learn new things and try something that seems impossible at first glance—you'll get better with practice!
It’s never too early to start preparing. You can’t be successful without preparation. If you want to be a truly great software tester, it will take years of hard work and dedication, but one thing is certain: if you don't prepare for your career now, then when do you plan on getting started?
If you will like to pursue a career in software and you don't know how and where to start, busyQA can help you get started. Our software testing course covers everything you need to succeed including Manual, Mobile, Web Service, SQL, and Automation. Not only will you learn what you need, but you will also get hands-on experience with our in-house paid co-op, which will give you experience that will able to blow the competition away. Our graduates have gone on to work for each of Canada's Top 100 companies - and you can be next. Ready to land your dream job? Click here to see our schedule.