How To Become A Software Tester
Software testers are the unsung heroes of app development. Here’s a closer look at what they do, and how to become one.
Very few workers in a company’s software development cycle are enthusiastic fans of software testers. Developers silently resent software testers for discovering all of the bugs and other flaws in their code. Technical writers fume at the documentation changes the discoveries of software testers make necessary. And product managers get stressed over the pace of thorough testing when sales deadlines are looming.
But software testers play a critical role in application development. They are the quality assurance experts who place themselves in the customers’ shoes, acting as a user advocate for everyone who expects an application to be as flawless as possible. While bugs do exist in released software (Hello, Windows 10!), dozens of flaws are discovered by software testers and sent back to the developers to stomp on.
As a technical writer who has worked with software companies over the last decade, my appreciation and respect for software testers is genuine. They are the unsung heroes of application development — methodical, precise, and diligent in their assigned task.
Becoming A Certified Software Tester
- Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD)
When it comes to professional software tester training and certification, the Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) certification, Application Lifecycle Management track, is a well-recognized industry credential. The key exam in this three-exam certification is 70-497: Software Testing with Visual Studio. The training for this exam drills deep into creating software test plans, managing test cases and running test executions.
- ISTQB Certified Tester
Another relevant certification is the vendor-neutral ISTQB Certified Tester credential offered by the American Software Testing Qualifications Board (ASTQB). This certification is divided into Foundation, Advanced and Expert levels, along with an Agile Tester “extension exam” at the Foundation level.
- Free Software Tester Training
Candidates interested in software tester training can take advantage of some free starter courses available online. Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) offers the Software Testing Fundamentals course. There is also the Udacity course Software Testing: How to Make Software Fail. And the ASTQB website has a New To Software Testing page that includes its glossary of software testing terms in PDF download and online searchable formats, as well as sample ISTQB exam questions.
Interested candidates should also check out the Association for Software Testing (AST) website. The site is full of resources, including a link to the AST YouTube channel, which features webinars and keynote presentations from the group’s annual conference.
