Software Testing Specialist Job Skills

[owensdj]

How does one get the skills/experience needed to get a job as a Software Testing Specialist? I have experience testing and debugging my own desktop application projects, but not in a team environment in which formal test procedures must be documented and followed.

 

[Markbnj]

Based on the testers I've worked with I think you need a background in retail food service.

 

[Cogman]

Based on the testers I've worked with I think you need a background in retail food service.

lol.

It depends on what you mean by "Software Testing Specialist". Do you mean "I want to write unit tests." or do you mean "I want to click random buttons until something breaks."

If it is the former, some sort of software development experience is needed. If it is the latter, then like Mark said, food services would be enough.

 

[owensdj]

Cogman, it's the former. It's someone who creates, documents, and performs test cases for the application.

 

[iCyborg]

There's a difference between testing at unit level, something normally done by the developer who implemented the stuff, and between testing by a dedicated QA group which also has formal test cases, documents and what-not, but generally doesn't (and isn't supposed to really) know the source code, i.e. does black-box testing. I feel like software tester is more like the latter. You get experience by working in QA I guess, skills are usually some knowledge of what the app is about.