How to find a job in software testing as a fresher?
Are you passionate about Software Quality? Looking to start a career in software testing? you have come to the right place. We will talk about what is really required to find a job in software testing, what are the pre-requisites you should know and the action-items for you.
Let’s discuss about the pre-requisites before applying for a software testing job:
1. Software Testing Fundamentals: First and Foremost, read a book on “Fundamentals of Software Testing”. This is mandatory to gain knowledge on why testing is needed and the fundamental test process that testers should follow.
2. Software Testing Training: You can join a software testing training institute where you can learn the software testing basics. Select an institution that offers training on real-time software testing project as part of their course, so you can gain some practical knowledge. There are online platforms offering software testing courses for beginners. Enroll in a software testing course and learn at your own pace.
3. Knowledge of SDLC models — SDLC stands for Software Development Life Cycle. The SDLC process involves several distinct stages, including planning, analysis, design, development, testing, deployment and maintenance of software. You should have basic knowledge about popular SDLC models like Waterfall, V-Model, Agile and other models.
4. Knowledge of STLC — STLC stands for Software Testing Life Cycle. It is an essential part of SDLC. STLC involves a sequence of activities that software testers need to complete to ensure the quality of software. If you’re planning to build a career in the software testing domain, you must know about the STLC in detail.
5. Knowledge of Test Management Tools — A test management tool is a software that helps to keep track of all testing activities. It facilitates teams to plan and write test cases, execute them, log defects and generate different types of reports. There are several commercial and open-source test management tools available today. You should be familiar with at least one test management tool.
6. Defect Life Cycle — In software development process, a defect lifecycle or bug lifecycle is a specific set of states that a software bug goes through from its discovery to resolution. You should have a clear understanding of different stages in defect lifecycle.
7. Knowledge about Operating Systems — As a software tester you are required to test software on different operating systems. So you should have fundamental knowledge of different operating systems like Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, etc.
8. Knowledge of Databases — You should have basic knowledge of databases such as Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle etc. Also, to interact with databases and to verify the data stored in databases, you need to learn about SQL queries.
9. Programming Knowledge — It is not mandatory but to advance career in testing, it will be good to learn at least one programming language. For example: Java, Python, Ruby etc. Programming knowledge is required for entry level automation testing jobs.
10. Software Testing Certification: This is not mandatory, but there are some organizations that prefer certified software testers only. So if you have time, prepare for ISTQB Foundation level certification. This will help you in increasing your chances of getting shortlisted for a job interview and you can also learn the concepts of Software Testing.
11. 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 QA jobs. If you are looking for software testing internship opportunities, you can visit niche job portals like Qualitician.com
12. Practice Software Testing — Crowd-sourced software testing is the practice of delegating software testing tasks to a community of testers through an online platform. As a fresher, you can sign up on crowd-sourced testing sites for practical experience and you can also earn a little money for completing software testing tasks.
Once you have ticked all the pre-requisites, note down the action-items for you:
1. Write a perfect resume: You should have a polished resume which demonstrate your education, skills and projects that you have worked on.
2. Upload resume on job portals: Once you have prepared a resume, next step is to upload your resume to job sites depending on the Country you live in. You can also upload your resume to qualitician.com, the software testing job portal. There are several software testing companies located across the globe. Visit the careers section of a software testing company website and upload your resume.
3. Create a LinkedIn Profile: Create a LinkedIn profile and treat it like your real portfolio. Recruiters might approach you based on your LinkedIn Profile. Approach people and spread a word that you are looking for a job in software testing.
4. Join Software Testing Communities: You can also join Software Testing Groups to get in touch with recruiters hiring for QA positions. Also, experienced testers in groups can help refer you in their respective companies.
5. Software Testing Interview Questions: Read the most frequently asked software testing interview questions and answers online so you can clear your first software testing job interview easily.
We hope this will be helpful to you especially when you do not have any previous experience in software testing field.
