Tools to learn and succeed as SDET (Software Development Enginneer In Test)

by Yogesh Dhole | Jun 14, 2023 | Blog

SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test) is a role in the software development field. Therefore, it combines both software development and software testing responsibilities. The responsibilities an SDET has typically consist of designing, developing, and maintaining automated test frameworks. Basically, the tools, and test suites for testing software applications.  The role of an SDET involves writing code to automate testing processes, creating and executing test cases, and analyzing test results. So, it identifies and reports software defects, and collaborates with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot and resolve issues. As an SDET we are also responsible for performance testing, security testing, and cross-browser testing. Followed the establishment of the CI/CD pipelines, and other types of specialized testing. Below, there is details information on tools to learn and succeed as SDET.

Following are the difference between a test engineer and an SDET is established. But, the skill set they possess and the responsibilities they need to fulfill. So, both SDETs and test engineers are involved in software testing, but SDETs typically have a boarder scope that includes software development responsibilities, strong programming skills, and involvement in the entire software lifecycle. Test engineers may focus more on manual testing and may not have as much emphasis on software development and programming skills. 

The below-mentioned tools are a must that an SDET should know but it is not enough to become a valuable and successful SDET. As an SDET we should always thrive for learning the new tools, programming languages, and technologies that are getting popular lately.  Below, I have added additional tools for each please check that out too and learn at least one or two to increase your efficiency.

Benefits of Test Automation: 

• Faster Test Execution
• Increased Test Coverage
• Improved Accuracy
• Reduced Cost
• Increased Efficiency

Test Automation Processes:

• Identify the test cases
• Choose the right automation tool & framework
• Develop test scripts
• Execute test scripts
• Report generation & reporting
• Maintain test scripts

In this blog, we are going to explore the test automation world. The test automation is very vast and it is very interesting too. So here we will start the journey in test automation as an SDET. Basically, we need to know at least some basic automation tools so that we can start automating the test scripts. I recommend learning and practicing the below-mentioned tools to start your career and become the most efficient tester. The tools mentioned in this blog are straightforward to understand and implement too. In the end, I have included the other tools which are being used in the software test automation field. 

Overview of Tools Included in SDET:

1. Programming Language – Java
2. Web Automation – Selenium WebDriver
3. Unit Test Framework – TestNG
4. BDD Framework – Cucumber
5. API Testing – Postman
6. Mobile Test Automation- Appium
7. Version Control System – Git & GitHub
8. Integrated Development Environment – IntelliJ IDEA
9. DevOps/CI/CD – Github Actions
10. Security – ZAP Proxy
11. Performance – Jmeter
12. Cross-Browser Testing – BrowserStack
13. ALM Platform – Jira
14. Test Management Tool – Xray

The above-mentioned tools are essential to be aware of to start a career in test automation as an SDET. I have included the other test automation tools to learn at the end of this blog please check it out. These tools will help you succeed in test automation as an SDET. Let us come to dive into our topic of discussion. 

Programming Language – Java:

Here, we all know that a programming language is nothing but a set of rules, instructions, and syntax. As a result, they allow us to create computer programs. We use the programming language to write software applications, scripts, and test automation code. 

To start your journey and to succeed in the software test automation field the first step is learning and becoming a master of programming language. Programming languages play a key role in test automation as they allow us to write test scripts to automate the testing process. The programming language is used to create automated test cases, test scripts, and test suites. Mastering the programming language will help in creating automated tests, testing large and complex systems, enhancing test coverage, increasing efficiency and accuracy, and improving quality. 

To start with test automation learning and mastering at least one programming language is a must and that is where Java comes into the picture. We all know that Java is a popular programming language that has become popular among software testers, especially in the test automation field. Learning Java is easy and it also gives you confidence in programming. I have also started my journey by learning Java language and now I know all the major programming languages. Learning Java language as your first programming language has its own reasons such as,

1. Popularity & Availability
2. Object-Oriented Programming
3. Cross-Platform Support
4. Extensive Libraries and Frameworks
5. Integration with Other Tools
6. Community Support
7. Career Opportunities

Learning Java can provide a solid programming foundation to start a career in the test automation field. If you choose Java as your first language then you will enjoy learning other programming languages and will also find them quite easy to learn. To learn more about Java please check out the official website here

Other Programming Languages Used for Test Automation:

1. JavaScript
2. TypeScript
3. Python
4. C#
5. Ruby
6. PHP

Web Automation Tool – Selenium WebDriver:

Web test automation is a process of automating the test of web applications using automation tools and frameworks. Automating tests for web applications involves writing scripts that mimic the actions of a user on a browser like clicking buttons, filling out forms, navigating between pages, etc. Test automation is used to validate and verify various aspects of web applications such as their functionality, performance, security, and usability. 

There are many web automation tools present that are in use. To learn web automation learning Selenium web driver is very helpful. Most of the web applications’ test automation is carried out with the help of a Selenium web driver. Mastering the Selenium web driver will help you to succeed in the test automation field. 

Selenium WebDriver is a popular open-source test automation tool used for web automation. Basically, it is a browser automation framework that helps control the browser and interact with web elements. The tool supports multiple programming languages which include Java, Python, C#, Ruby, and JavaScript which makes it highly versatile and easy to adapt to various automation needs. Selenium WebDriver provides you with benefits,

1. Cross-Browser Compatibility
2. Easy to Learn
3. Excellent community support
4. Open-Source and Free
5. Supports Multiple Programming Languages
6. Integration with Other Tools
7. Supports Parallel Execution

Selenium has a wide range of communities to help. To learn more about selenium please visit the official website here

Other Web Automation Tools:

1. Playwright
2. Cypress
3. Katalon Studio
4. Test Complete
5. Protractor
6. Robot Framework
7. Watir
8. Sahi Pro
9. UTF (Also known as QTP)

Unit Test Framework – TestNG:

There are many Test frameworks available in Java, however, TestNG is the most popular Java-based testing framework widely used in test automation. It allows us to create robust and scalable automated tests and simplifies test case management. The tool has several features to offer which makes it a powerful and one of the most popular testing frameworks. The feature that stands out most is its ability to perform parallel testing which allows us to execute multiple tests simultaneously which helps in reducing the test execution time. 

The framework offers annotations that help define the test methods, test classes, and test suits. These annotations are used to configure the test environment, set up preconditions, and define test data. Another essential feature of TestNG is its ability to generate HTML reports that provide detailed information about test execution including the test results and test case failures having error messages. The framework allows data-driven testing and it is easy to integrate with other tools. To learn more about TestNG please check out the official website here

Other Test frameworks available in Java are:

1. Java
   • Junit
   • Spring Unit
2. C#
   • MSTest
   • NUnit
   • XUnit
3. JavaScript
   • MochaJS
   • Jasmine
   • Jest
   • Karma
   • ChaiJS
4. Python
   • PyTest
   • Testify

BDD Test Automation Framework Tool (Cucumber):

Behavior-Driven-Development (BDD) is an approach that makes test automation more collaborative, transparent, and accessible to non-technical stakeholders. Tests are written in the natural language which makes it easier to understand for non-technical persons. The framework has two main components which are the feature file and the step file respectively. The feature file is written in the Gherkin language and the steps file is used to implement the steps described in the feature file. 

The framework provides the benefits like better collaboration, a clearer understanding of requirements, reusability, improved test coverage, early detection of defects, and better test maintenance. The framework has a wide range of communities to help out. 

The BDD test automation tool which is suitable for the Java language along with selenium and testing is cucumber. It is an open-source tool that allows one to write and automate tests in a natural human-readable format using the Gherkin language. The tool was originally developed in the Ruby programming language and now it has been extended and supports the programming languages like Java, C#, JavaScript, etc. 

The working principle of cucumber is simple it interprets the scenarios present in the feature file and executes the steps based on those scenarios. The advantage of using the Cucumber is it can be integrated with other automation tools like Selenium, playwright, cypress, appium, etc which allows writing, executing, and generating the test execution results for web, mobile, and API test automation. The Cucumber tool is easy to understand, it provides traceability between the requirements, test cases, and test results. The test cases can be reused for different scenarios. So, It can also automatically generate documentation describing the test cases being executed. The tool supports the cross-platforms like Windows, Mac, and Linux. 

To discover more on cucumber tool for test automation please check out the official website here

Other BDD test automation framework tools:

1. SpecFlow
2. Behave
3. Behat
4. Gauge
5. Robot Framework
6. Lettuce
7. Spock

API Testing Tool (Postman):

The APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are used to enable communication between the different software systems and applications. Because it is why API testing is a crucial part of software testing which includes verifying and validating. Which includes the functionality, reliability, and performance of APIs. REST APIs (Representational State Transfer APIs) are the most widely used form of APIs in web development it is a type of web service that uses HTTP to access and manipulate resources. Automation of REST API tests includes testing the functionality, reliability, and performance using the automation scripts generated by automation tools. Because, the tests can be created for different levels such as unit tests, integration tests, and system tests.

Testing the REST API involves the process which starts by defining the test scenarios and then developing the test scripts the next step involves the execution of the test scripts and in the final step analyzing and reporting of results. The right API tests will always provide you the benefits such as improving speed and accuracy, increasing the coverages, enhancing scalability, and cost-effectiveness. 

To start with API testing,  learning the POSTMAN tool is very easy. The tool is used for designing, building, and testing APIs which makes it an important part of REST API test automation. The tool is easy to understand with an interactive and simple dashboard and the functionalities it offers. The reasons behind recommending the Postman tool for REST API test automation are simple it offers a user-friendly interface, comprehensive API testing features, easy to set up, collaboration, automation of tests, and integration with other tools. 

Discover more information on POSTMAN from their official website here

Basically, you can automate API tests through code with different languages. Also API test libraries like RestAssured (Java) or RestSharp (C#) and many more like different languages. However, learning the Postman tool will give you the advantage of exploring the API and automating it simplistically without getting into programming.

Other API Testing Tools:

1. SoapUI
2. JMeter
3. Assertible
4. Apigee
5. RESTAssured
6. Karate
7. Swagger
8. Katalon
9. LoadUI
10. Katalon Studio
11. Load Ninja

Mobile App test automation Tool (Appium):

Mobile app testing is a process of verifying and validating the functionality, usability, security, and performance of mobile applications across different platforms, devices, and operating systems. The goal of mobile app testing is to ensure that the app meets the expectations and requirements of end users.

Mobile app testing can be done manually or with the help of automation tools. Manual testing involves testing the app using various test scenarios, including functional testing, usability testing, compatibility testing, security testing, and performance testing. Testers use actual devices or emulators to test the app and identify any issues or bugs that need to be fixed. 

Automated testing uses software tools to execute pre-written test scripts that perform certain actions and verify expected results. Following automation can save time and effort by executing tests faster than manual testing. As a result, it requires initial setup and maintenance of test scripts. The Appium is the best tool to start learning for mobile test automation. Also, It is an open-source automation tool that allows us to test mobile applications there are a variety of platforms like Android and iOS. The tool has a wide community to help out as it is one of the widely used tools for mobile test automation. The tool offers the features like flexibility, scalability, cross-platform capabilities, support for multiple programming languages, support for multiple testing frameworks, seamless integration with CI/CD, parallel testing on multiple devices, and access to native APIs. 

Get more information about Appium for mobile test automation from their official website here

Other Mobile test automation tools:

1. Espresso
2. Robotium
3. Selendroid
4. UI Automator
5. XCUITest
6. Katalon Studio
7. Calabash
8. TestComplete
9. Ranorex Studio

Version Control System Tools (Git & GitHub):

VCS (Version Control system) also known as SCM (Source Code Management) is a software tool. And that helps to manage the changes to the source code or any other set of files. The main aim of the VCS is to track the code changes, allow programmers to collaborate on a project, maintain multiple versions of code, and revert to earlier code versions when necessary without conflicts. The system provides a set of processes that helps to organize, store, and retrieve code. The benefits of VCS are versioning, branching and merging, history tracking, collaboration, backup, and recovery. 

There are various VCS tools available and used such as Git, SVN, Mercurial, and Perforce. Among these tools, Git is the most widely used VCS tool due to its popularity, flexibility, ease to use, and community availability. Git allows us to manage and track the changes introduced in the set of files over time by creating commits. Another feature offered by Git which is more useful is that it allows programmers to go back and view previous versions of code, make changes, and create new commits. While GitHub is a web-based platform that provides a place for hosting and sharing the git repositories. The tool provides the features like collaborations with teams, issue tracking, pull requests, code review, and setting up the CI/CD workflow with the help of GitHub actions.

Explore more about Git & GitHub from their official website https://git-scm.com/ & https://github.com/ 

Other VCS tools:

1. Subversion (SVN)
2. Mercurial
3. Perforce
4. CVS (Centralized Version Control System)
5. TFS
6. Darcs

IDE for Test Automation (IntelliJ IDEA):

Test automation has made the process of software testing more efficient, accurate, cost-effective, and time-saving. An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is basically a software application that provides an integrated platform to perform test automation activities such as test design, test case development, test execution, and test reporting. It provides a user-friendly interface, automated workflows, and a wide range of tools and features to assist testers in developing and executing test cases. 

That is where the IntelliJ IDEA IDE comes into the picture. It is the most widespread use and a powerful IDE for JAVA test automation as it provides excellent support and has a variety of features to offer. The IDE provides the features like developing the test cases, debugging the scripts, and executing the test cases. It supports various programming languages, frameworks, and platforms. The main highlight of this IDE is its intuitive interface and intelligent code assistance which makes it easy to develop high-quality test scripts.

IDEA has community and paid versions with different feature sets supported.  It provides support to a range of tools and plugins that can be used for test automation such as JUnit, TestNG, Cucumber, Selenium, Rest Assured, Geb, Spock, Mockito, and so on.

 To know more and download the IDE please visit the official website here

Other IDE for Test Automation:

1. Eclipse
2. Visual Studio 
3. Visual Studio Code
4. PyCharm
5. NetBeans

Learning these tools will give you a good start in the test automation field as an SDET, but in order to succeed in this field we need to know more tools related to test automation. Below you will find the chart of some of the tools used for different purposes in test automation learning at least one from every field is a must to become a successful SDET. 

DevOps CI/CD (GitHub Actions):

DevOps (Development and Operations) is a set of practices and processes that emphasize collaboration, communication, and automation between software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) teams to improve the speed, quality, and efficiency of software development and deployment processes. 

Key principles of DevOps include Continuous Integration (CI), and Continuous Delivery (CD) which involve automating the build, test, and deployment processes, and making frequent and small changes to the software codebase. The CI/CD of the test automation framework will provide the benefits like a faster feedback loop, early detention of issues, improved collaboration, consistency, repeatability, faster time to market, increased test coverage, scalability, and flexibility. 

GitHub Actions is a build-in-feature of the GitHub platform that allows for automating various tasks and workflows related to software development, including continuous integration and continuous delivery i.e. (CI/CD). With, GitHub Actions, we can define custom workflows as code, which are triggered by events such as code pushes, pull requests, or other actions, and perform automated tasks in response.  The benefits of using GitHub Actions for setting up CI/CD workflows include easy integration, flexibility and customization, board platform support, scalability, visibility and traceability, collaboration and teamwork, and cost-effectiveness. To learn more about GitHub Actions please check out the official website here 

Other DevOps (CI/CD) Tools:

1. Jenkins
2. Travis CI
3. CircleCI
4. GitLab
5. Azure DevOps
6. Bamboo
7. Selenium Grid
8. Docker

Performance Testing (JMeter):

As an SDET it is essential to know the performance testing tools thoroughly. Basically, performance testing is a testing type that measures the performance, responsiveness, scalability, and stability of a software application under various load conditions, It involves simulating realistic user loads on the applications and monitoring its behavior to identify performance bottlenecks, resource utilization, response times, and other performance-related metrics. The benefits of performance testing include identifying performance bottlenecks, improving application performance, enhancing user experience, ensuring scalability and stability, optimizing resource utilization, reducing risks and costs, and meeting performance requirements. 

Apache JMeter is an open-source performance testing tool that is widely used for load testing, stress testing, and performance measurement. There are web applications, APIs, databases, and other types of servers. Basically, it provides a wide range of features and capabilities for designing, executing, and analyzing performance tests. The benefits of learning the tool are easy compared to other tools for performance testing because it is open-source and free, platform-independent, easy to use, has a wide range of protocols and technologies, robust reporting and analysis, extensibility and customizability, scalability and distributed testing, active community, and support. To learn more about the tool please check out the official website here

Other Performance Testing Tools:

1. Gatling
2. LoadRunner
3. Apache Benchmark
4. Tsung
5. NeoLoad
6. Silk Performer
7. WebLOAD
8. LoadUI Pro
9. Visual Studio Load Test
10. Azure Load test
11. BlazeMeter 
12. K6

Security Testing :

Security refers to the measures and practices implemented to protect software, systems, data, and users from unauthorized access, data, breaches, vulnerabilities, and other potential security risks. It is a critical aspect of software development and operations, as it ensures that software and systems are resilient to security threats and meet the requirements for confidentiality, integrity, availability, and privacy. The areas software testing encompasses includes, authentication, authorization, encryption, vulnerability management, auditing and monitoring, secure coding practices, patch management, data security, incident response, compliance, and many more. 

Security testing focuses on evaluating the security of a software application or system to identify vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and potential security risks. It involves a systematic and methodical approach to assess the security measures of the software and verify if it meets the required security standards and guidelines. Basically, the testing may include various techniques, tools, and methodologies such as vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, risk assessment, security code review, authentication and authorization testing, encryption and cryptography testing, security configuration testing, security awareness testing, and compliance testing. 

Learning OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) tool for security testing is a very easy and simple one. The following tool is a widely used open-source web application, but a security testing tool developed by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). The tool provides a wide range of security testing capabilities. Therefore, it includes automated scanning, manual testing, and security testing. The tool has some key features to offer like automated scanning, manual testing, proxy mode, reporting and analysis, integration with SDLC, and extensibility. Following the tool provides benefits such as the tool being open-source, widely used, and supported by large communities, comprehensive security testing capabilities, customization and extensibility, user-friendly updates, a proxy mode for in-depth testing, and many more. To learn more about the toll please check out the official website here

Other Security Testing Tools:

1. Burp Suite
2. Nessus
3. Acunetix
4. Nikto
5. Nmap
6. Metasploit
7. Wireshark
8. AppScan
9. QualysGuard

Cross-Browser Testing (BrowserStack):

Known as one of the most widely used tests that an SDET need to perform in test automation. Cross-browser testing is the process of testing web applications across different web browsers to ensure that they function correctly and consistently across different browsers, versions, and devices. Web browsers may interpret HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code differently, which can result in variations in the rendering, layout, and functionality of web pages. Cross-browser testing is important for several reasons like, consistent user experience, wider reach, compliance with web standards, bug identification and resolution, and enhanced security.

BrowserStack is a cloud-based cross-browser testing tool that allows developers and testers to test web applications or websites across various browsers, operating systems, and devices. It provides a comprehensive and scalable platform for performing cross-browser testing, ensuring that web applications or websites are functional, visually consistent, and performant across different browsers and devices. 

Basically, the key features offered by the BrowserStack tool include browser and device coverage, real device and emulator/simulator, interactive and automated testing, parallel testing, screenshots & video recording, integrations with other tools, collaborative testing, local testing, and so on. To learn more about the tool please visit the official website here.

Other Cross-Browser Testing Tools:

1. LambdaTest
2. Sauce Labs
3. CrossBrowserTesting.com
4. CrossBrowserTesting.io

ALM Platform  (JIRA):

ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) is a set of practices and processes and tools used in software development to manage the complete lifecycle of an application from its initial conception to its retirement or decommissioning. Managing the application lifecycle is also one of the key responsibility that an SDET need to fulfill. Here, ALM encompasses various activities such as planning, requirements gathering, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance, and retirement of software applications. 

ALM involves the management of different phases of the software development process and facilitates collaboration among team members. Following it includes developers, testers, business analysts, project managers, and other stakeholders. It provides a holistic approach to software development and helps organizations to streamline their development processes, improve team collaboration, track progress, ensure quality, and manage changes effectively. ALM typically includes the following key components like requirements management, design and development, testing and quality management, change management, project management, collaboration, and communication. 

Accordingly, knowing and mastering at least one ALM platform provides an edge as an SDET over other testers. There are several ALM platform tools available in the market that are widely used by software development teams. Overall, the most widely used tool is Jira. But, Jira is a popular project management and issue-tracking tool that is widely used in the software development industry. It is part of the Atlassian suite of tools and provides features for Agile project management, issue tracking, team collaboration, and reporting. Jira provides the key features for ALM like, requirement management, issue tracking, agile project management, build and release management, and integration with other tools. Learn more about the tool from the official website here

Other ALM Platform Tools:

1. Microsoft Azure DevOps
2. IBM Rational Team Concert (RTC)
3. HP ALM / Quality Center
4. TFS (Team Foundation Server)
5. VersionOne
6. Rally (now CA Agile Central)
7. Jama Connect

Test Management Tool  (Xray):

Essentially, a good SDET is one who knows at least one test management tool. Test management refers to the process of planning, organizing, executing, and monitoring the various activities related to testing within a software testing project. It involves the systematic management of test resources, test artifacts, and test activities to ensure that testing is carried out effectively and efficiently and that the quality of the software being tested is maintained. Test management provides a structured approach to managing these tasks and ensures that testing is carried out effectively and efficiently. Some of the key reasons why test management is important in software testing projects include test planning, test organization, test execution, defect management, reporting & analysis, and collaboration. 

Therefore, the x-ray is a test management tool that is tightly integrated with Jira. After all, it is a popular also issue-tracking and project-management tool. Xray provides comprehensive features for test planning, test case management, test execution, and defect tracking within the Jira environment. Some of the key features of Xray include test planning, test case management, test execution, defect tracking, test automation, traceability and reporting, and integration with Jira. To learn more about the tool please visit the official website here

Other ALM Platform Tools:

1. Zephyr
2. HP ALM
3. TestRail
4. qTest
5. PractiTest

Conclusion: 

Test automation is a critical component of the software testing process. It’s essential for testers to possess the necessary skills to choose the right tool for their specific testing needs. Because you’re just starting out in test automation as an SDET. As a result, focusing on the tools mentioned above can be excellent. Following starting points, as they’re user-friendly and easy to learn. For more information on each tool, check out the official websites or explore our blog section dedicated to test automation. Our blog contains valuable insights and tools to Learn and Succeed as SDET tips that can help to increase your knowledge of software testing and improve your skills in test automation. 

Read more blogs here

Yogesh Dhole

An SDET Engineer with hands-on experience in manual, automation, API, Performance, and Security Testing. The technologies I have worked on include Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, SpecFlow, Cucumber, JMeter, K6, OWASP ZAP, Appium, Postman, Maven, Behave, Pytest, BrowserStack, SQL, GitHub, Java, JavaScript, Python, C#, HTML, CSS. Also, I have hands-on experience in CI/CD the technologies I have used for CI/CD include Azure DevOps, AWS, and Github. Apart from this, I like to write blogs and explore new technologies.

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

by Manisha Sanghavi | Jun 14, 2023 | Blog

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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Manisha Sanghavi

Manisha is a Lead SDET at SpurQLabs with an overall experience of 3.5 years in UI Test Automation, Mobile test Automation, Manual testing, database testing, API testing, and CI/CD. Proven expertise in creating and maintaining test automation frameworks for Mobile, Web, and Rest API in Java, C#, Python, and JavaScript.

10 Tips to get back to Work after a career break or sabbatical

by Trupti Natu | Jun 14, 2023 | Blog

The article provides 10 tips to get back to work after a career break. It can be challenging to restart your career after a break. The thought of restarting your career can be daunting.  Do you want to start your career over but aren’t sure how? It doesn’t matter why you took a break from the corporate world.

What is a Career Break?

A career break, also known as a sabbatical, refers to a period of time during which an individual is not employed or has taken time off from work. Such a break can be voluntary or involuntary and may be due to reasons such as maternity leave. People take career breaks for various reasons, such as:

1. Improving work-life balance or reducing work-related stress: A monotonous work schedule, a negative work environment, and high work pressure can lead to frustration, depression, and poor performance. Many individuals take a career break to step away from a toxic work environment and regain their energy and enthusiasm before returning to work.
2. Exploring new hobbies or interests: Often, work and hobbies or interests may diverge, and after a certain period of time, individuals may feel the need to explore or nurture their hobbies and interests more than their profession. Taking a break for this reason, after achieving some financial stability, has become increasingly popular.
3. Advancing education or expanding skill set: Sometimes, to strengthen or stabilize one’s career, individuals need to acquire more educational qualifications or expand their skill set to enhance their competencies. This may require a significant amount of time. Taking a course or enrolling in a certificate program, working part-time to sharpen existing skills and build new ones, or taking time off from current work to reflect on a new career direction can be beneficial.
4. Raising children and looking after family: Raising children and caring for family members are rewarding endeavors that require love, quality time, and effort. It has become an important reason for career breaks, often as a temporary phase, as the children grow older and become more independent.
5. Relocating to a different location: Sometimes, families need to relocate to a different location for various reasons, such as a spouse’s job transfer, staying with parents, or changing schools or colleges for better education.
6. Taking care of ailing parents: In some situations, individuals may need to take a break to care for their ill parents when no one else is available to look after them.
7. Any other personal reasons: Besides the above-mentioned reasons, individuals may take career breaks for any other personal reasons.

 How to Restart the Career after a Break?

As time passes, months turn into years, and suddenly you may find yourself eager to pursue your own aspirations. In India, there is a significant number of highly qualified female employees who never return to work after having a baby, largely due to a lack of preparation for their re-entry into the workforce.

Although restarting one’s career after a break may be challenging, it is not impossible. With the right attitude, dedication, guidance, and planning, one can successfully achieve this goal. Returning to work after a sabbatical can be an exciting yet challenging experience. To make the transition smoother, there are some things you can do to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally:

1. Determine what exactly you want- Before actually looking for the job after a break, you must think about why you want to restart the work. Also, consider your needs for salary range or specific time schedule of work. Then also decide what type of job and type of role you want, whether it should be similar to the one you had before the career break, or whether you want to try something different.
   
   Focusing on what you really want out of a new job and searching that specific job search will give you a clearer perspective and increase your chances that you’ll be happy in your new role.

2. Study Current trends and refresh your skill sets- If you plan on returning to the same industry, spend time researching the companies, current situation, latest programs and software, and the variety of job opportunities. Accordingly one can improve existing skills and also start learning new ones. Even if you’re familiar with the latest program or software requirements, familiarize yourself with them again to help you get confidence.

Consider undergoing a training program to help you improve your skills. Whether you choose an in-person course or an online course, other ways to improve your skills include watching videos, reading through books, subscribing to newsletters, or attending conferences.

Returning to work after a sabbatical can be an exciting yet challenging experience. After a break, it’s natural to feel a mix of emotions, including anxiety, excitement, and uncertainty. Preparing yourself mentally and emotionally for the transition can help ease the stress and make your return to work more successful. Here are some tips on how to prepare yourself for work after a sabbatical from an emotional perspective.

3. Be open-minded, patient, and confident: Consider exploring new career opportunities, even if they’re not in your previous industry or at the same level as your previous job. Don’t let your career break undermine your confidence. Instead, focus on your strengths and accomplishments and communicate them effectively during interviews.
   The biggest barrier to returning to work after a career break is…
   -Your Confidence!!
4. Set realistic expectations- It’s essential to have realistic expectations about your return to work. You may not be able to jump back into your previous workload right away, and it may take time to get back up to speed. Setting realistic expectations for yourself and your workload can help prevent burnout and frustration.
5. Focus on the positive- Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of returning to work, try to focus on the positive. Think about the skills you developed during your break that you can bring to your job. Reflect on what you enjoyed about your previous job and what you’re looking forward to doing again.
6. Ease back into a routine- Returning to work after a sabbatical can be a significant change in your routine. It’s important to ease back into a routine gradually. Start by adjusting your sleep schedule and gradually reintroducing work-related activities, such as checking emails or attending meetings.
7. Be open to learning-If If you’ve been away from work for a while, it’s likely that there have been changes in your industry or workplace. Be open to learning new skills and processes to help you adapt to any changes that may have occurred while you were away.
8. Practice self-care- Returning to work can be stressful, so it’s crucial to practice self-care. Take breaks throughout the day to recharge, and make time for activities that you enjoy outside of work. Engaging in activities that help you relax, such as yoga or meditation, can also help you manage stress.
9. Seek support- Don’t be afraid to seek support from colleagues, friends, or family members. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed during the transition back to work, and having a support system can help you manage any challenges that arise.
10. Sharing Household Chores And Responsibilities Equally- The dual-career couples face a unique set of challenges and trade-offs. Juggling two different work schedules and household and family duties, and maintaining healthy boundaries between home life and work life are often the most difficult areas to navigate.
    You have to be strategic and disciplined about who does what, especially as your work and family roles grow which can be achieved with clear discussion and mutual understanding. Kids’ school and other activities schedules, sick parent’s doctor visits schedule, and many more such responsibilities are very much important to take care of.

You can think of looking for workplaces that offer a creche facility so that while working, you can remain stress-free regarding the child-care.

Sharing responsibilities according to each other’s strengths and interests can be a lifesaver.
Spouses sharing housework equally shows that there is a certain amount of respect in the relationship. It’s honestly the bare minimum expectation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, investing time and effort into your mental and emotional preparation for returning to work after a sabbatical can make a huge difference in your ability to manage stress, set realistic expectations, and enjoy a positive transition. Focus on the positive aspects of returning to work, take steps to ease yourself back into a routine, practice self-care, and seek support when needed. By doing so, you’ll increase your chances of a successful return to work.

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Trupti Natu

Trupti is a Sr. SDET at SpurQLabs with an overall experience of 9 years, mainly in NET- Web Application Development and UI Test Automation, Manual testing. Having hands-on experience in testing Web applications in Selenium, Specflow, and Playwright BDD with C#.