Although an interest in a specialization may present itself at any step in a career, as a mid-level specialist, it’s common to feel a passion for one or another kind of work. Technical tasks may particularly appeal, perhaps a special interest in security testing, or be attracted to organizing people and processes. Some QA specialists go deeper in learning currently used technologies and sharpening their existing skills, while others prefer to get a broad experience of different kinds of projects.

But it’s as important as ever, and is the root of good user experience. At the end of the day, manual testers should always have a place in software development. Emphasize how well you’ve worked together with other people, even those from other teams or outside an organization. Many interviews will spend the bulk of their time digging into your technical skills, so it will always pay to brush up on the principles of manual testing beforehand.

How to utilize experience as Senior Software Tester

The plan was to connect with all of my software developer acquaintances who were in some way connected to programming and who could help me complete the test task. In 7 days, I managed to write three to four positive scripts, and I figured out how to use the Selenium IDE, basic Java syntax, git, and GitHub. My first technical interview was, to put it mildly, a failure. I was very nervous the day before the interview; I had read a bunch of stuff that got to my head.

manual testing career growth

During a manual tester interview, a candidate can show interest by asking about the company’s struggle areas and how the company is trying to address them. “Candidates can also ask about the skills the company is searching for to help with that process,” Tzur pointed out. The best way to keep growing in your career is to love what you are doing. With focus, determination, and a strong sense of mission, you can move to a higher level in the field of software testing by implementing the skills mentioned above. Over time, attitudes have changed, and organizations now require testers to have a working knowledge of the technical skills listed above.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Automated Testing

And that’s where some of the main options for a career path arise. Why the profession of manual tester is still required in the era of automation? QATestLab, as an independent QA provider with more than 200 employees, has considerable expertise in the sphere of hiring QA specialists with the required skills.

As per a recent report, the testing market is ready to touch a USD $50 Billion market cap by the end of 2026 at a CAGR of approx 19% during the forecast period. For some, the first step on their software testing career growth path will be as a software testing trainee or intern. As a beginner, they might attend courses provided by the hiring company and fulfill some practical tasks on the project.

What kinds of questions are asked in a manual tester interview?

You will need to work closely with team leaders and client representatives. You’ll need to have a deep understanding of software development methodologies and lifecycle. Automation is an example of a technical role in general, and this career route can be a good alternative for those not drawn to management. With test automations on the rise, it is easy to think that there is nothing in future job market for manual testers.

  • We’ll talk more about the requirements of QA manual tester jobs next.
  • Unfortunately, this isn’t the best way to assure quality and reduce bugs.
  • Be critical to yourself, and if you see that you can improve your skills or get the missing experience – go for it!
  • Another way to practice is by doing internships in companies that offer manual testing services.

As you ask questions about company culture, do a “gut check.” Do you like the interviewer’s responses? Does the company seem to have a solid grasp on its workflow, goals, and employees’ needs? The answers to those questions can give you a solid sense of whether you’d be truly happy to work there. Tzur explained that it’s key for candidates to inquire about the work atmosphere, and whether it’s the type of place that is fostering collaboration. “You should also be trying to find out if there is already a process in place for analyzing and learning from customer issues,” he said.

manual testing career growth

The only certainty in our work life is change; it’s inevitable. To make progress in any area requires patience as well as the right set of skills, so consistently learning as you climb the career ladder can bring significant benefits. In this guide, we offer useful tips which, if followed, can help you to build software testing career growth as you progress in the field of software testing. Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning, Robotic process automation (RPA) are emerging technologies which are projected to be used for testing purposes. It is projected that AI and ML will be integrated in software QA and automation processes for faster speeds and bug resolutions.

However, this interview made me want to better prepare for an interview, and the next time I felt much more confident. I went through several stages, one of which was receiving a test case in which it was necessary to write some positive and negative manual qa courses automated cases for a user registration form (using Java and Selenium). If you don’t understand the difference between a manual and an automation tester, take a look at this detailed tutorial with comparisons, advantages, and disadvantages.