Logo

Navigation
  • Home
  • Services
    • ERP Solutions
    • Implementation Solutions
    • Support and Maintenance Solutions
    • Custom Solutions
    • Upgrade Solutions
    • Training and Mentoring
    • Web Solutions
    • Production Support
    • Architecture Designing
    • Independent Validation and Testing Services
    • Infrastructure Management
  • Expertise
    • Microsoft Development Expertise
    • Mobile Development
    • SQL Server Database and BI
    • SAP BI, SAP Hana, SAP BO
    • Oracle and BI
    • Oracle RAC
  • Technical Training
    • Learn Data Management
      • Business Intelligence
      • Data Mining
      • Data Modeling
      • Data Warehousing
      • Disaster Recovery
    • Learn Concepts
      • Application Development
      • Client Server
      • Cloud Computing Tutorials
      • Cluster Computing
      • CRM Tutorial
      • EDI Tutorials
      • ERP Tutorials
      • NLP
      • OOPS
      • Concepts
      • SOA Tutorial
      • Supply Chain
      • Technology Trends
      • UML
      • Virtualization
      • Web 2.0
    • Learn Java
      • JavaScript Tutorial
      • JSP Tutorials
      • J2EE
    • Learn Microsoft
      • MSAS
      • ASP.NET
      • ASP.NET 2.0
      • C Sharp
      • MS Project Training
      • Silverlight
      • SQL Server 2005
      • VB.NET 2005
    • Learn Networking
      • Networking
      • Wireless
    • Learn Oracle
      • Oracle 10g
      • PL/SQL
      • Oracle 11g Tutorials
      • Oracle 9i
      • Oracle Apps
    • Learn Programming
      • Ajax Tutorial
      • C Language
      • C++ Tutorials
      • CSS Tutorial
      • CSS3 Tutorial
      • JavaScript Tutorial
      • jQuery Tutorial
      • MainFrame
      • PHP Tutorial
      • VBScript Tutorial
      • XML Tutorial
    • Learn Software Testing
      • Software Testing Types
      • SQA
      • Testing
  • Career Training
    • Career Improvement
      • Career Articles
      • Certification Articles
      • Conflict Management
      • Core Skills
      • Decision Making
      • Entrepreneurship
      • Goal Setting
      • Life Skills
      • Performance Development
      • Personal Excellence
      • Personality Development
      • Problem Solving
      • Relationship Management
      • Self Confidence
      • Self Supervision
      • Social Networking
      • Strategic Planning
      • Time Management
    • Education Help
      • Career Tracks
      • Essay Writing
      • Internship Tips
      • Online Education
      • Scholarships
      • Student Loans
    • Managerial Skills
      • Business Communication
      • Business Networking
      • Facilitator Skills
      • Managing Change
      • Marketing Management
      • Meeting Management
      • Process Management
      • Project Management
      • Project Management Life Cycle
      • Project Management Process
      • Project Risk Management
      • Relationship Management
      • Task Management
      • Team Building
      • Virtual Team Management
    • Essential Life Skills
      • Anger Management
      • Anxiety Management
      • Attitude Development
      • Coaching and Mentoring
      • Emotional Intelligence
      • Stress Management
      • Positive Thinking
    • Communication Skills
      • Conversation Skills
      • Cross Culture Competence
      • English Vocabulary
      • Listening Skills
      • Public Speaking Skills
      • Questioning Skills
    • Soft Skills
      • Assertive Skills
      • Influence Skills
      • Leadership Skills
      • Memory Skills
      • People Skills
      • Presentation Skills
    • Finding a Job
      • Etiquette Tips
      • Group Discussions
      • HR Interviews
      • Interview Notes
      • Job Search Tips
      • Resume Tips
      • Sample Resumes
 

So you want to be a Software Tester?

By Exforsys | on June 8, 2005 |
Testing

So you want to be a Software Tester?

Author: Carol

My best friend is actually one of the best software testers I have ever met. When I began testing for her consultating company I sincerely thought I’d found the perfect job. I could stay at home and work independently.

I received my projects, I completed them and I got paid. Alot. It seemed the perfect scenario until one day I realized that I just didn’t enjoy what I was doing. Testing was repetitious, often boring and I found myself dreading the receipt of each and every new project. Trish, on the other hand, was a testing maniac. She saw each and every project as a challenge and the satisfaction she gleaned from finding more bugs than any other tester was almost frightening. Even with her help and coaching, however, I just couldn’t get it and finally realized that even despite the excellent pay and flexible schedule, I just wasn’t cut out for the wonderful world of testing.

I soon realized that like every other job, testing required a certain personality type and I just wasn’t it. Consequently knowing exactly what I am not, I can tell those you who are actually considering this profession, exactly which personality traits will suit you to this industry. First of all, you have to be able to sit still for long periods of time; you need to be well organized and willing to systematically work through a project from the beginning to end. If you’re easily bored or find yourself jumping from one task to another, testing will prove to be frustrating and confusing.

Secondly, you’ve got to be just a little bit intuitive. Quite often, Trish would identify problems within a program that my mind simply could not have even considered. When I’d ask her how in the world she thought to test it that particular way, she’d simply reply, "I just knew." In the world of testing, you’ve got to trust your gut and in most cases, you’ll find that instinctively, you knew just how a program would respond. Many other testers I’ve spoken with will dismiss the intuition and insist that experience makes all the difference, but quite honestly, I believe some people are just born for this job.

Thirdly, you’ve got to be able to focus on the little windows inside the big picture and most importantly, I believe you actually have to have a secret desire to break things. The best testers I know were always taking things apart when they were children and trying to put them back together with a different result. Testing is chaotic, it’s fast paced and you’re often working under extreme deadlines. Communication skills are a must as you attempt to show everyone else what they’ve done wrong without getting them angry with you.

In the good old days, testing was something that was done at the end of a project. Today, however, testing is a part of the process from the very beginning. The ability to work within a team is essential. While automated testing is making a few waves, I find it extremely difficult to believe that it will ever replace Trish or any of the other born-to-be testers of the IT world.

In fact, automation is not designed as a replacement for manual testing but rather simply supports the skills that most testers have already developed. If you’re considering software testing as a possible profession, I’d highly suggest that you find a mentor. Someone who’s been in the business. Someone like Trish. Then spend a day with them at their computer. Borrow their project and give it a run yourself. You’ll know very quickly if you’re meant for this job or not.

« « 5 Steps to a Great Cover Letter
Application Class and Message Class » »

Author Description

Avatar

Editorial Team at Exforsys is a team of IT Consulting and Training team led by Chandra Vennapoosa.

Ads

Free Training

RSSSubscribe 417 Followers
Ads
  • Popular
  • Recent
  • Unit Testing: Why? What? & How?

    January 8, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • Usability Engineering – Usability Testing

    May 7, 2005 - 0 Comment
  • Automated Testing Best Practices

    May 29, 2005 - 0 Comment
  • Integration Testing: Why? What? & How?

    January 22, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • A Unit Ttesting Framework for the Oracle PL/SQL Language

    May 7, 2005 - 0 Comment
  • Bug Life Cycle & Guidelines

    October 25, 2005 - 0 Comment
  • What is Regression Testing?

    January 22, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • Best Practices in Automated Testing

    May 15, 2005 - 0 Comment
  • Technical Terms Used in Testing World

    October 25, 2005 - 0 Comment
  • System Testing: Why? What? & How?

    January 22, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • Software Testing Best Practices

    July 20, 2009 - 0 Comment
  • Bug Reporting – Art and Advocacy

    January 11, 2008 - 0 Comment
  • Software Testing Myths

    November 10, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • Challenges in Testing Web Based Applications

    June 7, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • Auditing Software Testing Process

    June 5, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • Testing for Agile Software Development

    June 4, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • What is User Acceptance Testing?

    January 27, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • System Testing: Why? What? & How?

    January 22, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • What is Regression Testing?

    January 22, 2006 - 0 Comment
  • Integration Testing: Why? What? & How?

    January 22, 2006 - 0 Comment

Exforsys e-Newsletter

ebook
 

Related Articles

  • Software Testing Best Practices
  • Bug Reporting – Art and Advocacy
  • Software Testing Myths
  • Challenges in Testing Web Based Applications
  • Auditing Software Testing Process

Latest Articles

  • Project Management Techniques
  • Product Development Best Practices
  • Importance of Quality Data Management
  • How to Maximize Quality Assurance
  • Utilizing Effective Quality Assurance Strategies
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA
  • Trademark Information
  • Contact Us
© 2021. All Rights Reserved.IT Training and Consulting
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Necessary Always Enabled