How to Become a Software Tester | Ultimate Guide

Do you want to know how to become a Software Tester? You’re in the right place.
I would like to share my personal experience with you about how I became a Software QA.Â
I always wanted to become a Software Developer. But I got a college placement as a Software Test Engineer. I didn’t want to accept this offer. But I had to accept the offer. I was only hoping that somehow I would get an opportunity to switch to Software Development. Since then I have never left the Testing profession because I enjoyed this profession.
Few of you may also have the same state in life. An experienced QA Tester knows the value of it. Check this out to learn more about “Why I Choose Software Testing As A Career“.Â
Hope this guide will help you to start your career as a Software Test Engineer.
Many people don’t have a programming background so they want to start their career in Software Testing. I will list the most trivial skills that you must have to become a Software Tester.
Must-Have Skills To Become A Software QA
#1. Logical Thinking
Although candidates appearing for Software Tester roles should know the basics of Software Testing yet good Software Tester is evaluated on the basis of logical thinking rather than theoretic concepts.
Employers look for the approach to a problem and out of the box thinking ability with a good educational background.
#2. Education Qualification
I was asked what is the software tester education requirements.Â
Most companies demand a Bachelor’s degree in computer science for software testers. But along with education requirements, I would say communication skills also play a crucial role in succeeding in this profession.Â
#3. Communication Skills
Effective communication skills are crucial for Software Testers. Your job involves much time sitting in meetings (not only within the team but also with stakeholders and C-level executives) providing or receiving status updates.
Testing artifacts (like test cases, test plans, test strategies, bug reports, etc.) created by the software tester should be easy to read and comprehend. Also, you have to respond to tons of emails, calls, and meeting invites. You need to communicate with both technical and non-technical people.
Dealing with developers (in the event of bugs or any other issue) will require a shade of discreteness and diplomacy. Also, you need to understand the technical jargon. This will become easy only when you are thorough with Software Testing Concepts.
#4. Software Testing Concepts
Basically Software testing is important in the IT industry as it is cost-effective, it provides security. It provides product quality and provides customer satisfaction. Software tester ensures that software is free of bugs and is working completely fine. Testers identify the gaps in the requirements or missing elements in the projects.
Talking about technical skills, basic knowledge of software testing is required such as Functional Testing, UI testing, knowledge of HTTP, Website testing and mobile testing, etc.
Testers need to test software according to an end-user perspective in order to ensure the satisfaction of the end-user. You should know the software development lifecycle and software testing life cycle. You should know how to write test cases, design test plans.
You can refer to this Manual Testing Tutorial to learn Manual Testing concepts and approaches required to perform Software Testing effectively.
#5. Certifications
Definitely, Certifications are an added advantage to get the attention of hiring managers. You can appear for ISTQB certification.
While preparing for ISTQB your basic concepts of Software Testing will be cleared. Also, certification will help in appearing for jobs in well-reputed organizations. If you don’t want to mug up yourself with lots of resources, I will advise you to check this guide on how to prepare for the ISTQB exam to get detailed knowledge about exam structure and tips and also good approaches to clear the ISTQB exam in the first try.
#6. Analytical skills
A good software tester should have sharp analytical skills. Analytical skills will help break up a complex software system into smaller units to gain a better understanding and create test cases.
#7. Passion
To excel in any profession or job, one must have a significant degree of passion for it. A software tester must have a passion for his/her field. As the IT industry is growing day by day, testers can survive in the IT industry if he/she has a passion to learn new technologies and tools.
#8. Testing Tools
The core area of Testing lies in Test management. There are lots of Software Testing tools for Test management. The IT industry is moving towards Agile. So you should know the bug lifecycle. You should know about defect tracking tools like JIRA or Bugzilla to report, manage, and to deal with the developers’ team and the project managers.
#9. Technical Skills
If you ask me what exactly a Software Tester has all the technical skills, then the list will be very long. Different skills are required at different stages of the Testing position.
For example, an entry-level Tester would be required to know just the basics of software testing and 1-3 years experienced would be expected to know about database testing, Linux commands, and any test management tool. Further for 3+ years experienced professionals, Load testing tools, UI automation tools, API testing knowledge would be preferred.
#10. Database Testing
There are lots of areas to learn in the IT industry. If you are an entry-level Tester or you are appearing for a Software Testing role, Basic knowledge of databases will ease your job search. It is good to have but not mandatory to enter a Software Testing career.
If you have 2+ experience in Software Testing, you are required to have database knowledge at least basic level if not Pro level. You can learn SQL in a week or less. You just need to have the zeal to make Software Testing a profession. Don’t worry I have a good database testing tutorial too.Â
In the end, I would say if you are really interested in Software Testing, keep updating your technical knowledge as well as Soft skills.
#11. Software QA Tester Resume
Once you complete learning Software Testing Concepts, prepare your own resume. Follow our guide to prepare a Software Tester resume that lands you your dream job.
Bookmark this post for your future reference.Â
Must Read: Why I Choose Software Testing As A Career
Final Thoughts
Hope we have mentioned all the good stuff here. If you have any other queries related to Software Testing, let us know in the comments.