How to re-start your tech career in Software Testing?

Re-start your tech career in Software Testing can often seem like a challenging endeavor, and many of us may struggle to see progress despite our best efforts. However, with the right guidance, preparation, and a dedicated and passionate approach, achieving this goal is entirely possible.

Our main focus here will be on providing tips to successfully restart your tech career in software testing.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to re-start your tech career in software testing:

• Assess your current skills and knowledge: Before embarking on your career restart journey, it’s important to assess your current skill set and knowledge of software testing. Identify the areas where you need to improve and start working on them. If you have a technology background and some knowledge of programming, it will be helpful in starting with automation testing. However, for manual testing, no prior programming knowledge is required.
• Upgrade your skills and Knowledge: You can take online courses, attend workshops or conferences, and read relevant books and articles. Get certified if it helps boost your confidence. See the below sections on how to upgrade your skills and knowledge.
• Build a LinkedIn profile: Having a LinkedIn profile of your work can be an excellent way to showcase your skills to potential employers. Write an awesome and attractive summary. Get recommendations from your previous managers and colleagues. Add skills and get some free LinkedIn certifications done from LinkedIn Learning. Start by building some sample projects, either on your own or by contributing to open-source projects. Make sure to document your work and include it in your profile.
• Update your resume: Update your resume to highlight your skills and experience in software testing. Focus on the skills that are most relevant to the type of job you are seeking, and use keywords that will catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.
• Network: Networking is critical when it comes to finding a job in software testing. Attend industry events, connect with other professionals on LinkedIn, and join online forums and communities. These connections can help you find job opportunities and learn about the latest trends in software testing.
• Start applying for jobs: Once you feel confident in your skills and have a strong portfolio and resume, start applying for jobs. Look for entry-level positions, and don’t be afraid to start at the bottom and work your way up.
• Prepare for Interviews: Prepare yourself well for interviews and don’t hesitate to explain any career gaps. With enough practical experience, you will have the confidence to answer any question and break the interviews successfully.  Demonstrate your ability to handle real-time project situations. There are many youtube channels where you can learn more about effective interviewing techniques.
• Keep learning: The field of software testing is constantly evolving, so it’s important to keep learning and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies. Attend workshops and conferences, read industry blogs, and continue to improve your skills.

To re-start your tech career in Software Testing, you need to possess some key skills, such as:

• Analytical thinking – As a tester, it’s crucial to have the ability to find loopholes and identify mistakes in software. An analytical mindset helps to approach testing from different perspectives and identify potential issues.
• Attention to detail – Paying attention to every minute detail is critical in software testing. Testers need to consider various aspects, such as product requirements, possible user errors that can break the code, and potential bugs. As a software tester, you need to have a sharp eye for detail and be able to spot even the smallest errors or bugs in the software.
• Quality-driven mindset – Testers must have a passion for delivering high-quality products to end-users. Quality encompasses usability, design, timely responses, and timely deliveries.
• Communication skills – Testers must be able to effectively communicate with various stakeholders such as developers, product owners, and other team members. They need to convey information about bugs, and testing progress clearly and concisely. Politeness is most important in raising any bug.

Analyze yourself to determine if you have these skills or if you need to work on developing them further.

In addition to soft skills, having a solid understanding of Testing terminologies testing techniques and technical skills is crucial in software testing.

You can follow these steps to improve your technical skills in software testing:

Manual Testing: To begin, it would be helpful to start with manual testing as it allows you to grasp the fundamentals of testing and its impact on product quality without requiring any programming expertise. Even if you ultimately decide to pursue automation, conducting at least one round of manual testing will provide a deeper understanding of the application.

If you already have a testing background, revise your concepts and learn about the latest technologies and tools in testing. If you are new to testing, start by learning the basics of software testing, such as:

• What is software testing, and why is it important?
• What are the different types of testing, and how can they be achieved?
• What are testing terminologies, such as test plans, scenarios, test cases, user stories, and bugs?
• What are testing techniques, and how can they be applied?
• How to write test cases and report defects?

• Practice your skills on real-world projects and try to implement theoretical knowledge in actual scenarios. Start with functional manual testing, then move on to web testing, and learn about mobile app testing as well.
• Learn testing on local machines and then on cloud platforms such as BrowserStack and LambdaTest.
• Move on to record and playback tools and code-less automation tools, then progress to automation testing.

Automation Testing: Automated testing is rapidly gaining popularity due to its time-saving benefits, reusability, and reduction in repetitive efforts. Once automated test cases are established, they can be scheduled to run without requiring human intervention. However, the most critical aspect of automated testing is the ability to automate stable test cases, which requires the following skills.

• Learn any one programming language like Java, JavaScript, Python, etc., 
• Learn Automation tools like Selenium, Appium, Playwright, etc.
• Learn BDD tools like Cucumber, Behave, Specflow, etc.
• Learn to create a complete framework using these technologies and some additional dependencies to make the framework more reliable, reusable, and feasible to use.
• Learn about API testing, DevOps, and how to create and schedule test suites and test cases in CICD for execution.
• Continuously enhance your knowledge and also learn about non-functional testing and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies.

If you are coming from a different background, you can still build a strong foundation in software testing by following these steps. 

• Rather than trying to learn everything at once, focus on mastering one skill at a time. Start with the basics and gradually build upon your knowledge and expertise. 
• As you work on different projects that require specific skills, you can also learn a lot on the job. It’s important to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in the industry and to continue enhancing your knowledge and skills over time.
• One of the biggest challenges in learning software testing is navigating the vast range of study materials available online. It can be overwhelming to decide where to start and which resources to trust. Therefore, proper training with a strategic plan that covers all key concepts and a well-structured schedule is crucial to avoid confusion and ensure effective learning. 
• Most importantly, working on real-time projects will give you actual experience in handling situations that arise in real-world projects.

Proper training, strategic planning, and practical experience are all essential for success in software testing.

Also, networking with industry professionals and Joining a testing community where you can ask questions and get feedback from other testers can help you stay abreast of the latest happenings in the industry. 

Conclusion

With the above information restart your tech career in Software Testing, If you follow the steps outlined above and approach learning and practicing software testing with true dedication, there’s no doubt that you can land a great opportunity in the software testing field. With hard work and persistence, you can achieve your career goals in software testing.

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