Want to try your hand at testing but aren’t sure? In this article, we will discuss all the pros and cons of this profession to dispel your doubts.
The IT industry allows you to scale your career with constant professional improvement. Miscellaneous opportunities are attracting more and more people to this area. Is it possible to self-actualize in QA without technical education and how to enter the profession? Read about this in the article.
The specifics of the profession
Let’s take a look at the case. You buy goods from an online store. You have selected products and sent them to the cart, have chosen a payment method, but the “Checkout” button does not work. You will have to go to an offline store or find products in another online store. This situation creates a negative experience for the buyer, which harms both the business and the users.
A software tester is a person who helps timely identify such defects or prevent their occurrence. Experts check the operation of the software product for compliance with technical requirements, ensure its reliability and safety.
The QA process begins with an examination of the application requirements and business logic. Next, experts draw up a test plan, determine the order of checks, and write test documentation. The QA team identifies code errors, communicates with the development team, and checks the spotted defects for reproduction.
Benefits of working in QA
- Professional perspectives
It is a relatively young industry. Digital transformation is a persistent trend of the last decade that creates a demand for quality software. Large and small companies use QA specialists to improve their software products.
Also, QA provides many career options. The traditional path of professional growth is from a junior testing specialist to a QA lead. You can develop horizontally. Delve into business analysis, management, software development.
- Low entry threshold
You don’t need to have a technical background or deep knowledge to start learning. Courses prepare software testers from scratch.
Many companies are interested in training newcomers, so they provide grants or organize internships. Beginners work with a personal curator who shares professional secrets.
- Creative component
A software tester needs to be smart as he performs consistent and non-standard software tests. Experts find defects when they mimic atypical user behavior. The tester examines the software product from different angles to identify any bottlenecks.
- Continuous professional development
For many, the reason for the transition to IT is the routine at the old place of work. QA is a constantly evolving field. You have to learn new tools and literature regularly, so you won’t get bored. To meet the requirements of employers, you need to continuously improve your competence.
Disadvantages of working in QA
- Monotony of tasks
It is typical for starting a career. To move on to the complex checks, you have to run hundreds of different tests. But this is natural to start mastering the profession. If you want to try something new, take a look at test automation. It’s a cross between QA and development.
- Sedentary lifestyle
The profession of a tester, like any other job in the office, involves a sedentary mode of work. But IT companies promote sports and often pay for subscriptions or organize gyms in the office.
The remote work trend remains popular. Therefore, you can organize a workplace at home that meets all your needs.
- Gray area
In addition to the advantages and disadvantages, there are also controversial aspects of working in QA.
- Communication with other team members
For some, the communicative aspect of the tester profession will seem like a negative side. After all, a specialist must be able to communicate with colleagues, customers, and managers. But the ability to find a common language with people is the success of team cohesion.
- English proficiency
To work in the QA field, you need to know English or another foreign language. Most projects in IT companies are international. The testing team may be located in Riga, the developers in Boston, and the customer stays in London. It turns out that all team members will communicate and maintain documentation in English.
Besides, knowledge of a foreign language will help you always keep abreast of current events in the IT field. Indeed, sometimes information becomes outdated by the time of translation into Russian.
- Attention to detail
The software tester is responsible for the final state of the software product. It can be difficult to cope with a heavy workload, realizing the importance of your profession.
However, a sense of responsibility gives confidence and motivation to work further. It’s nice to complete tasks when you realize your contribution to achieving goals within the whole company.
Let’s sum up
Software testing has become an integral part of the software development process. QA specialists make the application more convenient and secure for users.
As in any profession, the job of a tester has its pros and cons. There are also controversial points that will seem positive to some, and negative to others.
However, the main thing is not to be afraid to leave your comfort zone and overcome difficulties. Sign up for software testing courses and take the first step towards your dream job!