QA specialists are an integral part of software development. They are the ones who ensure that the final product meets quality standards and that the application is usable in the real world. If you are set on a QA career you should consider which career path you want to take, as QA professionals have several options.
Web application testing, desktop and mobile QA are more common areas for QA professionals, while game testing, security and automation are more narrowly focused. Regardless of the direction you want to take, each path has its unique requirements, although many of the skills overlap.
Today, we’re going to cover the most important tips for getting started as a QA professional, according to Master Born.
1. Know the basics that QA professionals use
Before you embark on this career adventure, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with what others will want from you as a QA professional.
– SQL Fundamentals – Regardless of which position you choose, you should know the SQL basics, which are a must for everyone. The ability to extract data from a structured database is essential to verify that a piece of code is secure and stable.
– Knowledge of SDLC – As someone who is just starting their career or transitioning from another, different job, you need to know the software development life cycle or SLDC. Knowing the difference between Waterfall and Agile, as well as some of the Agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, can win you your dream job during an interview.
– GIT Basics – GIT is a version control system that you can use to share code with your team. GitHub, GitLab, and BitBucket are the programs that are used in most of the industry. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the basic commands and gain insight into the software.
– Soft Skills – Non-technical skills are just as important as technical skills. Highly skilled candidates who cannot work in a team face a lot of competition from less experienced candidates who can, however, work in a team. Among the most sought-after soft skills are: communication, willingness to learn, ability to prioritize, and time management.
2. Know the responsibilities of the QA specialist
A QA specialist ensures software quality before its launch. Beyond testing for bugs, they often spend up to half their time on tasks like documentation, reporting, and process improvement. Understanding test documentation terms like test case, scenario, run, cycle, and plan is crucial. Bug reporting basics are essential too, covered in certification courses. Learning tools like BrowserStack simplifies testing across various devices.
3. Information sources
Let’s not forget that the technological world is one of the fastest growing and the knowledge we have today may not be relevant tomorrow. To build a successful career as a QA professional you need to read constantly and use different but reliable sources of information. This could be different YouTube channels where there are a number of podcasts and videos on QA topics. Other sources of information include ChatGPT and Udemy, which offers several courses for testers to increase their working knowledge, which we think is worth it. There is a lot of valuable knowledge in them that are organized very well.
