How to get a software testing job with no previous experience

Software Industry has seen a lot of technological changes in the last decade. These changes have brought in changes in software testing field as well. Software testing has become more and more adoptive, agile to deliver high quality products. Gone are the days, when testing was done at fag end of software development life cycle and testing teams used to be isolated from rest of the teams. Nowadays, testing is highly integrated practice and is going hand in hand with other development fields in adopting new technological advancements.

Tester in an organization does varied roles including but not limited to:

• Analyzing user stories/requirements for validity and feasibility and carving out test conditions from them
• Collaborate with various teams and even customers to understand end-to-end user journey
• Plan and execute all types of testing - System Testing, Regression Testing, Performance Testing, etc.
• Apply process gateways to ensure quality of deliverable is maintained.
• Provide support and documentation.

Looking to start a career in software testing?

After completing your degree, are you still thinking if you should take up an entry level QA job or not? You may also be a bit doubtful what testing as a career holds for you? However, remember that one little step in the right direction is enough to make your career flourish. It is always a good idea to start as a Software Tester as testing an application gives you an entrance into consumer minds and opening door to far more career options.

First, let’s understand that Why software testing is a good career choice?

• Testing demand will exist: With so many software app developments happening, the demand of testing is not going to fade away. If software apps have market, need of software testing personnel will be always humongous.
• Testing involves coding:  Yes, you heard that right! It is a myth that testing is joined by people who cannot code. With so many advancements in test automation, new age test engineers write code and hence expanding the career scope exponentially.
• Integrating with Business: A software tester usually tests the application end to end unlike a developer who is aware of his/her own code. Hence, Tester’s knowledge of application is always more and hence he/she has more business integration as compared to his development counterparts.
• Payouts: Testing pay scales can be at par with development counterparts if you have the right skills making testing an equally viable career option.
• Multiple Career paths: Being a Software QA Engineer, one can extend their career as freelancer, Auditor (if you are good at processes) or Business analyst (if you are good in domain knowledge) as well.

Skills needed to get a software testing job

Now, if you have decided to make a career in testing, the next step is to know what skills must for a career in testing are:

· Understanding of the application or the software: As a QA Tester, understanding how the software works (also how it’s developed) will give you a heads up in your career. If you understand how application is designed and how code is written, it is easy for you to design test cases which break the application in real life.

· Technical Skills: There are few technical skills which must be known to a tester as a fresher.

• • Basic knowledge of DB and SQL
  • Knowledge of SDLC models
  • Knowledge of STLC
  • Basic understanding of coding processes
  • Basic understanding of APIs

With experience, one should add below skills to give your career a specialization booster:

• Knowledge of test management tool
• Knowledge of various testing tools
• Automation Testing
• Performance Testing
• Security Testing
• Domain knowledge like Insurance, Banking, etc.

· Aptitude and Analytical skills: Analytical skills help to get ahead into testing career. Understanding application design and connecting it to finding bugs and linking to how and where the bugs impact the application requires a good thought process and hence is a must have skill.

· Thinking from user perspective: A tester is the user representative in IT world. Thinking from user perspective helps to identify missing requirements, missing design components and thus creating a world class product.

· Attention to detail: Attention to detail is the one trait which distinguishes you from rest. An attentive analysis of an application can help you identify not so obvious bugs making you a good test resource.

· Effective Communication skills: A tester is the one who communicates with a lot of parties in the whole application life cycle- He/she communicates with developer, release manager, business analyst and sometimes even a customer. Hence, good communication skills are necessary to flourish in a software testing career.

· Discipline: Discipline is important in any career path. However, with testing it is very necessary since testing can be repetitive and it is easy to lose focus. Being disciplined, organizes testing work, and hence helps in long run.

Now when we know what skills are required for testing, next step is to know how to start on a career in software testing.

· Software Testing Training: As a fresh graduate, you might not have exposure to testing practices. In such a scenario, you can join a training institute which provide training in software testing. It will give you a good exposure to software testing best practices as well as some hands experience. These days there are many institutes and online platforms offering the courses on software testing based on experience and narrowed skill set. If you prefer books to learn, there are a number of books available online and in the market.

· Software Testing Internship: Another step which you can take is to opt for software testing internships. QA internship can provide you a practical experience which is highly desirable by potential employers. QA Internships are usually a smart recruitment strategy by companies serving as “long interview assessment” for full-time/permanent QA jobs. If you are looking for software testing internship opportunities, you can go to niche job portals like Qualitican.com

· Crowdsourced Testing Websites: Crowdsourced testing is also called as “Crowd Testing”. Instead of carrying out testing within one organization, crowd testing uses a dispersed, temporary workforce of multiple individual testers. It is a quick way to get your app/portal tested. As a fresher, you can register for crowdsourced testing websites to get practical experience in testing and earn some money as well.

· Software Testing Certifications: Nowadays, most job openings require you to be a certified tester. It provides you a competitive edge over the rest. Many tier 1 companies have made it mandatory to have a basic testing certification as a qualification criterion. If you want to make a career into testing, Basic certification like ISTQB is a must have. With experience, you can become certified in automation testing tools like Selenium, WorkSoft Certify, Tosca, etc.

Software Testing Job Search

Next comes the most important part. How to hunt the job you have been looking for? What are the steps which bring you closer to the job you want?

• Write a perfect Resume: How many times have you applied for a QA job and never looked at what job description is? If you are one of those people who make a standard resume for all kinds of QA jobs, you are mostly going to get a standard reply as well, i.e., “Your qualifications do not match our requirement”. Hence, always customize your resume based on the QA job requirement. However, that does not imply to fake your skill set. Ensure, whatever you write reflects your skills as well as your personality in general. Instead of trying to apply to different employers at a stretch, apply to just a few relevant ones which match your skill set. The chances of a call back are going to improve.
• Upload your resume on job sites: Once you have prepared a resume, next step is to upload your resume to job sites. Niche job portals like Qualitician.com which are leaders in testing related jobs can help bring you closer to your dream QA job. There are other job sites as well where you can upload and make your resume visible.
• Network, Network, Network: Approach experienced QA professionals through LinkedIn or personal networks to learn from experts and present your skillset. Getting a job is all about networking. Ensure your profile is always updated. Experienced professionals can help refer you in their respective companies. You can join groups on LinkedIn to get in touch with professionals in QA line.
• Learn how to present yourself in an interview: Since you are a fresher, there are not many expectations with respect to domain or skill knowledge. However, there is one expectation in every interview that is “Attitude”. The way you present yourself in an interview matters a lot. Many managers can easily infer if you have really worked on projects or if you are faking an experience. If you do not know any answer, be truthful instead of trying to fool the interviewer. Ensure not to bad mouth any previous employer/work experience. Keep practicing your QA skills and you can even highlight them in your interviews.

Conclusion: Testing as a career can be rewarding if the right approach is taken. You can choose your niche and grow into it. Specialists are always preferred over generalists in any career path, including software testing. Always remember- A tester can make a software better, if not make better software.