What is the job of a tester? Software tester is a sought-after profession. Where to study as a tester

Software tester - what kind of profession is this? What is its essence? And how relevant is it? modern world? All these questions are quite appropriate, since IT professions are among the highest paid in the labor market today. Not to mention the fact that the development of such specialties provides a person with a stable future.

Software tester: what is it

Today, most electronic devices work correctly only thanks to the programs built into them. They are written by programmers of all stripes and levels of training. And believe me, their number is truly breathtaking. So, more than one thousand programs are created every day: starting with simple calculators and ending with artificial intelligence for high tech machines.

And, as in any production, the product cannot be released to the masses without first checking it for defects. So, software tester ( software) is a person who is engaged in field testing programs. At the same time, he can be either a full-time employee of the company, or a freelancer working for himself.

Why software testers are needed

When creating programs, they use various languages programming. It can be C++, JavaScript, Python, and so on. After the product is completed, the author himself checks it first. But, since he is the creator of the program, he cannot always objectively assess the quality of the goods received. Not to mention that he may simply not have enough time to modulate all possible ways its application.

And just at this stage, the software tester comes into play. It is he who takes care of all the operations associated with checking a new application. At the same time, unlike the programmer, the tester does not have access to program code. That is, he experiences the application as a simple user and is only occasionally endowed with special privileges.

Key Responsibilities of a Software Tester

A software tester is a profession that requires a thorough approach to business. Here you can’t work half-heartedly, as this will certainly affect the reputation of a specialist. As for the duties themselves, they consist of the following points:

1. Create a test plan. The software tester must think through all the use cases for the application in advance and recreate them. Moreover, the more experienced the specialist, the faster he can determine the most dangerous factors for the operation of the application.
2. software, through special automated tools. Like any other master, the tester has his own devices for optimizing and speeding up work. They are universal and, nevertheless, require preliminary development and practice.
3. Competent and systematized description of the problems and shortcomings found. The bottom line is that it's not enough to just spot a bug. In addition, you need to be able to correctly write a work protocol so that the programmer can understand what caused the failure and what part of his application is to blame for this.

It should be noted that quite often testers are combined into small groups. First of all, this is necessary in order to speed up the check or make it better. In this case, the work can be evenly distributed among all specialists. For example, some will be busy with the application interface, the second will look for errors in the calculations, and the third will simulate the most dangerous scenarios for the program.

Profession training

Anyone can become a software tester who is good friends with exact sciences. Ideally, it is better to have a programmer's education, or at least understand the basics of writing applications. Based on this, this specialty is well suited for those who study in IT specialties. Firstly, it will help you gain experience and look at the work of other people, and secondly, it will bring additional income, which is also not bad.

However, it is possible to become a software tester without specialized education. In other words, learn everything on your own. Fortunately, today this is not a problem, since there are many educational courses on the network that can clearly demonstrate all the subtleties of this work.

In addition, you can try your luck and try to get into the prepared seminars that are held in many organizations that produce software. For example, GlobalLogic periodically conducts training courses specifically for software testers. Moreover, after graduating from them, a person can become one of her employees, and then start working in her state or remotely as a freelancer.

What skills should a self-respecting specialist have?

A software tester without experience can find a job, but a specialist who does not know the basics - never. However, what are they, the basics of the profession? What kind of knowledge base should every self-respecting tester have?

• Firstly, such a specialist must be familiar with the basics of programming in order to be able to compete in the labor market.
• Secondly, you will have to remember the principles of building software and administering the OS.
• Third, learn how to work with common databases.
• Fourthly, to learn a special language, which today is indispensable.

In addition, the tester must have a good command of English, as it is dominant in the programming world. Moreover, over time, you will have to bring it to the ideal level, as well as to study all the subtleties of the technical style.

Development of practical skills

Even if a software tester without work experience is quite a common occurrence, it is unlikely that such a specialist will be hired for a decent project. Therefore, having studied the basics of the profession, you should start developing practical skills and positive feedback.

To do this, you need to go to one of the sites that provide work for freelancers. Every day, more than a dozen suggestions related to checking the health of applications are posted there. At the same time, there are many orders for beginners who do not require work experience or special programming skills.

Thus, in a month or two, you can make good progress in your business and earn some reputation. The only negative is that such orders are often poorly paid. But you will have to come to terms with this, since in the future such deprivations will be able to bring much more profitable orders, which will more than pay off the efforts spent.

Where to look for a profitable job

So, let's say you are already an experienced software tester: where to start looking for a promising job? Well, the first thing to do is to look at the ads on online labor exchanges and programmer forums. Periodically there are good propositions able to generate a stable income.

However, don't rely on luck alone. If you also have a good resume, then you can submit several applications to an IT company. Management loves motivated professionals, and therefore, such an initiative can bear fruit. Especially if you aim at those companies that produce high-quality software.

If with permanent place on this stage if you are not lucky, you can become a freelancer. A well-proven software tester working remotely from home is able to earn no less than a full-time colleague. The only difference is that instead of one employer, he will have several.

Pros and cons of the profession

For those who love and modern technologies, this profession will seem very exciting and interesting. After all, every day you will have to face a new product that will soon be able to radically change the world. information technologies. In addition, the work is considered very prestigious and excludes any physical activity.

Also, many are pleased with the fact that this profession is equally well suited for both men and women. Moreover, it can be for those who, due to health problems, cannot get a harder job.

However, there are also disadvantages. Chief among them is high competition caused by a shortage of high-paying orders. You should also pay attention to the fact that the software tester spends a lot of time at the computer. At the same time, he does not just sit behind him, but is completely absorbed in what is happening on the monitor. Because of this, over the years, vision problems can occur, which is extremely unpleasant.

Salary

It is quite difficult to derive the arithmetic mean salary of a software tester. This is due to the fact that it depends on how lucky the specialist is. So, you can take one order for 10 thousand rubles and do it in a week, or you can get a job for 20 thousand rubles and not overcome it in a whole month.

And yet, we can say with confidence that the income of a novice tester varies between 10-15 thousand rubles per month. An experienced specialist can earn the same money twice as fast. And a full-time employee of a prestigious company receives about 40-45 thousand rubles at all.

IT is evolving, new products are constantly being created that require verification before entering the market so that the end user receives quality product. It depends on the tester in what condition the product will hit the market.

Who is a tester

In any case, it is important to receive a response in time, feedback on your work, it is desirable that they be objective. It's the same with programmers - in order to achieve high results, you need to receive positive and negative feedback about the work done as soon as possible. The task of the tester is to give programmers feedback. The faster the response is received, the sooner the programmers will fix the error, if any.

Speaking specifically, who is a tester and what he does, then this is a person who checks the work done by the development team, points out errors in the operation of the software (website, application, chatbot, etc.).

It's hard enough to define the word "testing", but it's not:

• development - even if the tester knows how to write code, testing is not software development;
• analysis and data collection - although in the work you have to refine the data, analyze them, but this work is done only when needed, not constantly;
• technical writing - in this case, the tester has to document his work and tests.

Testing does not belong to any of these activities, because they do all this work to facilitate the process of their own work.

Types of testing

There are no universal testers, otherwise the work would be of poor quality. There are several types of testing with their own characteristics.

Functional testing

Functional testing is based on the analysis of the specifications of the functionality of certain components or the system as a whole. Tests in this form are based on the functions that the system performs. Usually these functions are described in requirements, specifications.

The main advantage of functional testing is the simulation of the actual use of the system during testing. Disadvantage 2:

• the possibility of missing logical errors in the software;
• redundant testing.

Stress Testing

Load testing is also called performance testing. This is an automated type of testing that simulates the operation of the system.

The main task of this type of testing is to determine the capabilities of the application under certain loads. This must take into account:

• the time of performing operations at a certain intensity of their execution;
• the number of users who use the application at a time;
• the limits of acceptable performance with increased load;
• performance at very high load levels.

It also tests the reliability of the application. This is determined by the performance of the application during many hours of software testing with an average load.

Automated testing

Automated testing is software testing during which the main functions and testing steps are performed automatically using special tools. Checked actions include:

• launch;
• initialization;
• test execution;
• analysis;
• issuing a result.

The tester in this case creates, debugs and maintains test scripts, test suites and testing tools in automatic mode.

Usability testing

This is testing for the usability of the interface by the end user. Thanks to usability testing, you can find out how the product meets expectations and is comfortable to use. The usability tester must look at the product through the eyes of the user. During the verification process, it performs typical tasks, which the user will do in the future, and brings the product to a better version, if necessary.

Usability testing can come in handy in several ways:

• interface usability testing;
• comparison of the product with competitors;
• comparison of several versions of interfaces of one product.

In this case, not only sites are tested. There are many other interfaces: voice, print forms, business processes, applications for smartphones and computers, and others.

Integration testing

The essence of integration testing is to check the connection of the components of the whole product and their interaction with other parts of the system.

There are several types of this testing:

• from bottom to top - all modules, procedures, functions low level put together and test, after which the next level of components is assembled;
• top to bottom - components are tested first high level, then the level gradually decreases;
• big bang - all components, low-level and high-level, are put together and tested together, so you can do a quick test.

Configuration testing

Aimed at checking the functionality of the product in various configurations:

• platforms;
• drivers;
• computer configurations.

At the server level of verification, the interaction of the product with the environment where it will be installed is checked. The main task of this stage is to find out the optimal hardware configuration for working with the product.

At the client level, it turns out how convenient it is to use the product, its functionality.

Security Testing

Security testing is carried out to check security, analyze the risks associated with hacker attacks and viruses. The main task of safety testing is to establish maximum safety and comfort when using a product.

Testing principles:

• availability;
• confidentiality;
• integrity.

Game testing

Game testing, despite the attractive name, is quite complicated and dreary. Its main goal is to check the game for bugs so that the product reaches the consumer in a high-quality form. The game and its segments have to be played and replayed several dozen times, since fixing one bug can lead to another bug. All testing is done manually and takes a very long time. In addition, games can have several versions, for example, for a computer and an Android smartphone - then the test has its own characteristics and the number of tests is doubled.

What skills does a tester need?

The main quality of a good tester is passion for his work. You also need to strive for self-realization in this area. To increase the level of testing, you need to constantly study information on how to improve the quality of work, what features certain products may have.

Requirements for a software tester (plus / minus depending on the company):

• Understanding what a bug is, a test case, a testing strategy (and the ability to build it), a bug report;
• Basic knowledge of automated testing;
• Quick learner, adaptability to a rapidly changing environment;
• Ability to work with the database - basic concepts and queries;
• Communication skills - important for interaction with the team;
• Analytic mind;
• Ability to quickly process a large number of information.

Knowledge of java, python for a tester and other programming languages ​​may also come in handy. But at the same time, their knowledge can interfere with the work, since the tester may try to correct other people's mistakes, that is, do not do their job. And that reduces the quality.

Tester salary

The average salary of a tester in Moscow is about 70 thousand rubles, in St. Petersburg - 50. Yekaterinburg is a little behind - 45 thousand rubles. In smaller cities, wages are lower. In Volgograd, Voronezh, Perm, Ufa, Kazan, the salary is 33-40 thousand rubles.

Novice testers without experience can expect a salary that is half or 2/3 of the average tester salary in the city.

A tester with a higher education and work experience of at least 1 year can count on a salary of 65 thousand in St. Petersburg and 80 thousand in Moscow. The maximum income in the capital is 150 thousand, in St. Petersburg - 120 thousand rubles.

Above 150 thousand income are specialists involved in verification complex products. Gaming and usability specialists earn the least.

A tester at home earns about the same as in the office. For the most part, freelancing salaries here depend on the city in which the employer is located. Sometimes software development companies from Moscow are specifically looking for a specialist from small town to pay less. In addition, freelancing for testers is an opportunity to combine several projects and earn more.

How to become a tester

To become a tester, you do not need to have higher education. It is important to be able to concentrate attention, not to miss the little things. You can even become a tester from scratch, but you still need to have some knowledge. For example, you need to be able to handle a computer and programs like “you”, be able to navigate in unfamiliar environments. It is also good to know at least one programming language, to understand the basics of the database.

If you have a higher education - good. Companies prefer applicants with a technical background, as they are the ones who have an analytical mindset. But if education is humanitarian, do not despair. You need to create a resume in which to place information about what projects you had to deal with. Even if there is no work experience, but there is term papers with practical part graduate work, experience in internship in IT - all this should be included in the resume to attract attention. Be sure to indicate your main advantages that may be useful in the work of a tester. These can be: attention to detail, perseverance, familiarity with computer software, empathy, knowledge of programming languages, knowledge of foreign languages.

In preparing for the interview, you should familiarize yourself with the following topics:

• software quality assurance;
• what is testing;
• types of testing;
• testing levels;
• test artifacts and their purpose;
• familiarity with test design;
• test automation and its types;
• test metrics, how to use them.

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Reference

A tester is a specialist in the field of IT technology who evaluates the functionality of a software product and meets quality requirements. Conditionally, testers can be divided into specialists who work on the program together with a team of programmers. They conduct research when the product is first created. And specialists whose work is the evaluation of the finished product.

Demand for the profession

Little in demand

Profession Tester is considered not very in demand, as there is a decline in interest in this profession in the labor market. Testers have lost their demand among employers either due to the fact that the field of activity is becoming obsolete, or there are too many specialists.

Description of activity

The activity of a tester is work in IT companies that develop software products, as well as work as part of independent testing groups or in the development and testing departments of any organizations. It includes the analysis, comparison and interpretation of data, as well as the proposal of new solutions.

Wage

average in Moscow:average for St. Petersburg:

The uniqueness of the profession

rare profession

Representatives of the profession Tester really rare these days. Not everyone decides to be Tester. There is a high demand for specialists in this field among employers, so the profession Tester may be called a rare profession.

What kind of education is needed

Secondary education (school)

As the results of the survey show, it is not at all necessary to receive special education at a university or college to become Tester... Necessary training Testers take place immediately when applying for a job or at the workplace during probationary period. For work Tester all that is required is a desire, a satisfactory state of health and the presence of personal qualities recommended for this profession.

Job responsibilities

The tester performs testing of the software product. Engaged in the improvement of the software product. Develops a plan and considers individual situations for testing. Tracks errors and writes their description. Applies special tools for test automation.

Type of labor

Mostly mental work

Profession Tester- this is a profession of predominantly mental work, which is more connected with the reception and processing of information. In work Tester the results of his intellectual reflections are important. But, at the same time, physical labor is not excluded.

Features of career growth

A tester starts his career as an intern tester or programmer. The specialist learns the main professional skills at the workplace. There is career growth. The tester can become the head of the testing team or the head of the quality control department.

The problem is systemic, because it’s not bad when HR is searched for by keywords like “load testing”, “functional”. But when the consideration process focuses not on testing skills, not on the activity and flexibility of the candidate, but on specific instrument- this is already a problem, especially when there is no testing at all (there is monkeying), and it is not a fact that the required tool is more effective than the one that the applicant knows. The problem is that the knowledge of a small nuance or a tool that will take several hours to master is put at the forefront, above the knowledge of programming languages ​​or theory. In one of the interviews, it was quite funny to answer the questions: “name some book on testing” and, having answered about Sam Kaner, to hear: “we don’t know this, but have you read anything about the life cycle of a bug?”. It would be funny if it weren't so sad. It's sad when HR reports a rejection due to a candidate's lack of experience, although it's about the wrong emphasis.

Find a good tester - a big problem, since a test engineer is, ideally, a person who allows technical problems related to software development, a kind of problem solver. In addition to technical skills, it is very important for such a person to have attentiveness, an inquisitive mind, be active and be able to convey an idea and defend his point of view at any level. In a way, testers are researchers from the software development world. Therefore, in the hands of a test engineer, an easily recognizable symbol is a magnifying glass (lens) that watches the bugs. It characterizes the work of a tester in the best possible way: it is used both for its intended purpose for detecting defects and for “burning holes”, with its help you can make fire and even, having a whole system of lenses, observe the stars. The main thing is to be able to do it.

Remark No. 5

At Intel, the approach is dominated by choosing tools based on the preferences of the people on the project. This means that, in general, it does not matter which tool and language to choose to solve the problem, the main thing is to solve it. Coexistence three different test of engineers writing in three different languages it is perfectly acceptable if the problem is solved, solved efficiently and the support overhead is reasonable, and the process is documented. In addition, many of the tools used are free, open-source, or proprietary. To date, there are a huge number of tools with which it is possible to solve various problems, and the choice of tools should not limit the capabilities of an engineer. However, if the task really requires the use of some tool other than freely available, then with a clear understanding and justification, you can buy and use it. This, again, is in line with the business goals of not hammering nails with a microscope, not working efficiently, squeezing the maximum out of the tools, if the qualifications of the engineers make it possible to get by with “small losses”. A good alternative is also to participate in open projects and invest in them for later use for your own needs. This approach kills two birds with one stone (its own needs) and tasks and creates tools for the whole society to use freely.

Instead of conclusions

A tester is more than a profession. This is an image of a proactive life and the desire to make this life better for everyone by feasible and effective means. The goals of the tester in relation to the product are closest to the business goals and the strategic goal of the company in relation to this product, and at the same time, deep within the company in the role of a researcher. And if so, then its main qualities are energy, knowledge and flexibility. But at the same time, the work of a tester is not universal knowledge and responsibility for the quality of the product and the quality of services. Testing has boundaries: on the one hand, limited by the project and the requirements in it (project management and the established life cycle of the program), and on the other hand, by the processes for which QA is responsible. But the difference between QA and testing is a completely different story.

Tags: Add tags

Software tester is a specialist engaged in a variety of software testing for failures, errors and ensuring the quality of the finished product.

The name of the profession is derived from English word“Test”, which translates as “check”, “test”, or simply “testing”, which is already well-established in Russian.

There are several opinions about the work of a tester, some people believe that this profession is a monotonous and monotonous check of everything and everything according to ready-made developments, while others argue that not a single instruction can cover the entire range of possible errors and the profession is undoubtedly creative, as it makes you actively work with your head and approach the verification procedure from a variety of angles. The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in the middle and the profession of a tester really harmoniously combines both approaches.

Testers develop methods, plans, approaches, and schedules for testing. They independently develop a large number of test scenarios and bring them to life both with their own hands and using automated testing methods.

The main task set before software testers is to simulate various everyday and force majeure situations that can occur when using the product, while identifying shortcomings, defects and mistakes made by programmers. Correlating the initial plans, the description of the program functionality and the results obtained as a result of testing, the testers document each contingency, the moment of its occurrence and the methods of repetition for transfer to the programmers for revision.

As a result, a huge number of clients use the results of the tester's work, since the scope of his knowledge and skills is almost unlimited: websites, all types of programs, computer games, firmware management household and industrial machinery and so on.

Sometimes the profession "Software Tester" is confused with the profession "QA engineer" which are quite similar, but the latter has a wider range of responsibilities and ensures product quality throughout life cycle: from planning and development to release and operational support. The tester, on the other hand, is already checking the product for final stages development and release of new versions.

Possible places of work

Software testers can work in any company that produces software products or products containing software, and this is almost the entire modern technology. Another option would be to outsource or have independent testing teams providing custom software reviews for other companies.

One of the significant advantages of the profession of a software tester is the possibility of freelancing and working for international customers via the Internet. With such work, it becomes possible to have a free schedule, self-selection of customers from an interesting area and higher incomes than when working for an organization. Naturally, at the same time, it is necessary to be able to correctly allocate one's time and not to miss deadlines, having established oneself in the labor market as a professional in one's field.

Pros and cons of being a software tester

pros

• A promising, developing profession with the possibility of career growth
• Creative, research nature of the work
• Getting practical knowledge and skills from the IT world
• Wide range of freelance opportunities
• Opportunity to retrain as a programmer or other related specialty
• High profit payment

Minuses

• In some cases, the work is monotonous and monotonous
• The need to constantly learn new technologies and engage in self-development

Tester Responsibilities

Where to study as a tester

Russia has no classical educational institutions with training programs specifically for testing and checking software. Indirectly, the specialties “Information Systems and Technologies” and “Automation of Information Processing and Control Systems” can be attributed here, but they provide too much unnecessary information.

One of ideal options gaining experience in software testing will be reading literature and taking online courses with real test tasks and live teachers checking homework.

On educational IT portal GeekBrains you can master the profession " Software Tester" in just 4 months. During the training, homework, communication with live teachers, control and test work are provided. After graduation, a personal certificate and the possibility of internships in real IT companies are issued. The average salary of a tester in Moscow and the Moscow region is 64,000 rubles.

You can also try free course“Programming Basics”, which will help identify your inclinations for a particular IT specialty. Perhaps a programmer or web developer is more suitable for you.

Hurry up to start learning. The discount for training in the profession "Software Tester" is valid for you only for 3 days!

Required personal qualities

An applicant for the position of a software tester must have a good memory, flexible thinking, be able to build logical chains and relationships between events, be able to constantly learn and learn new technologies, adapt to the tasks and conditions, and also be ready to quickly switch from one task to another.

Also, the profession of "Software Tester" requires patience, determination, perseverance and willingness to work in a team.

Requirements for a software tester

For successful work as a tester, it is desirable, but not necessary, to have a higher technical education. Most of the large and successful software development companies in the market recruit testers based on successful interviewing and solving test problems that rely more on logic and attention than directly on technical knowledge. And the necessary technical basis is taught by the mentor already in the direct process of work. Thus, companies get a promising employee who, for one reason or another, did not receive a higher technical education and does not spend effort and money on his retraining, preferring to train immediately for himself. Of course, online courses taken and thematic literature read before the interview will be big pluses.

In any case, when applying for a position as a software tester, a person must be good with a computer.

Technical knowledge in English, picture of SQL language, knowledge of databases such as MySQL and knowledge of programs for automated testing (if necessary) will be your advantages in the interview.

Tester salary

Approximate level indicated wages. Depending on the region and the employer, it can vary significantly.