If you’re here, that simply means you’re stuck making a vital decision: Should you choose software testing to bolster or even start your career, or not?
Is software testing the right fit for you? Where should you start? What should you do? Why should you go with it? And a thousand more questions …
There are many articles out there assuring you as to why or why not, and you surely must have gone through them as well. But we’re here to help so you’ll no longer have a dilemma.
Here, we have compiled a comprehensive list that will help you decide. So, let’s get started.
Software Testers Are Made for Challenging Work Environments
If you’re someone who loves to embrace new challenges, software testing is for you.
And we are not just claiming that. Software testing offers a lot of challenges on a daily basis. On some days, the challenge is to work for long hours at a stretch, while on others, the challenge is to keep repeating the same process over and over again without getting tired in order to find the one bug that is shaking the complete system.
Software testers love challenges, and they have the ability to find bugs before most other people can.
You Can Enjoy Every Day of Work
Software testing is an entirely dynamic field. It is ever-changing. In the world of software development, no single technology has been able to rule the world for very long.
As a software tester, you learn about amazing new technologies arriving every day in your industry and also have opportunities to work with them. There is no chance of getting bored due to a monotonous work routine.
Apart from that, the myth that those who cannot code become testers is getting busted day by day. For instance, a lot of automation testers write pieces of code to automate test scripts. Thus, being a software tester does not mean that you are going to have a fixed and monotonous routine. Sometimes you will be on a testing spree, while on other days, you may be writing scripts or talking to clients.
Flexible and Fun Work Environment
Software testing is a flexible field. You don’t absolutely need to be committed to a daily desk job if you are a tester. You can work while you are on the go, in the comfort of your home, or in the nearest Starbucks.
Not just that, you also get to interact with a lot of people and have some real fun! You get to discuss projects with clients and exchange information and experiences. Who doesn’t love that?
It’s Creative
After reviewing the general job profile of a software tester, it can be said that the job is somewhat more creative as compared to that of a developer.
“No amount of testing can prove a software right, a single test can prove a software wrong.” Amir Ghahrai suggests that you have to be creative enough to find that one single test from various ideas and tricks that can prove a software wrong.
So, you get a chance to be familiar with never-before-seen functionality almost every month. You get to design test cases and think creatively to make sure you have covered all that a user could possibly ask for. Needless to say, all of this requires creativity.
It Is a Secure Career Path
Being a software tester is trendy, and it is not going to be out of style any time soon. The field is ever dynamic and is constantly witnessing the rise of new technologies and avenues. The methods have changed from being manual to automated, and testing platforms have gone from computers to mobile devices, but it is still in demand!
In fact, the demand for software testers is so high that it’s outpacing the supply. Finding good software testers is nothing less than a challenge for employers. In such a scenario, being a qualified tester can get you handsome payment for your skills.
There Is Attractive Remuneration and Room for Growth
Almost everybody at some point in time has dreamt of working less and earning more. (I have also wished the same.)
Software testing, as a career, has amazing growth opportunities. This is one of the prime reasons behind choosing it as a career path. According to Payscale, the average salary of a software tester in the U.S. is $55,565 per annum.
For newcomers, the remuneration may be comparatively less, but that’s to be expected. As you climb the ladder, the remuneration will naturally start getting boosted.
A lesser known fact is that experienced testers are earning more or less the same amount as developers. In fact, a lot of companies are willing to pay impressive amounts to automation testers because they see testing as a worthwhile, long-term investment.
After all, you would not be a tester forever! A tester with a few years of experience and skills can often get promoted to the post of a test lead, project lead, automation architect, or even test manager.
Intriguing, isn’t it?
There Are Many Chances to Experiment
Software testing is all about experiments. New technologies and techniques are being introduced rapidly, which will leave anyone amazed at the possibilities for the future.
For instance, a few years back all the testing used to be manual, and nobody even cared about cross browser testing. But now, we have seen a huge increase in the number of devices that gave rise to cross browser testing, and we have a lot of cross browser testing tools as well to help us in cross browser testing.
As technology advances, software testers get a chance to experiment more and learn more.
An Academic Background Isn’t a Necessity
The best part about going into software testing is that you don’t need to have a hard and fast degree. All you require is passion, enthusiasm, zeal to learn and experiment, and problem-solving capability. But if you have a background in software engineering, IT, or computers, then that is a plus for you! That experience can put you ahead of the hiring curve.
It Opens the Door to Many Other Career Paths
Software testing opens the doors to a lot of other amazing career opportunities for you. Once you have mastered manual testing, you can explore your potential further and become a business analyst, performance tester, or simply an automation tester.
In the image below, you can see how many career options a software tester has.
Choose Your Path Wisely
We hope you are already feeling excited enough to explore where software testing can take you.
Your career choice or job is not something you do for a living. It is something that consumes a major chunk of your lifetime and makes a deep impact on who you are as a person. Hence, it is crucial that you select your career direction very carefully and not feel any regrets later.
Consider all the pros, and weigh all the cons until you’re ready to take action. If you have more doubts, feel free to leave a comment here, and I’ll be happy to help you out.
Happy testing!
Published on Java Code Geeks with permission by Deeksha Agarwal, partner at our JCG program. See the original article here: Why Choose Software Testing As A Career Path? Opinions expressed by Java Code Geeks contributors are their own. |
I would add that any kind of work requires hard- and soft-skills. If the person has it then will be easier become a real specialist. But anyway to be a tester is funny and interesting. This kind of job requires a lot of different activities.