QA-engineer or tester is probably the most popular position in IT, known even to people who are completely unrelated to this field. It is also considered the "easiest" and often attracts those who dream of a programming-related career. The profession of a QA engineer is associated with many myths, as it is believed that minimal knowledge is required to test software. However, in reality, a tester must possess a whole set of technical skills and abilities, as the requirements for their work are constantly changing. That is why it is worth studying all the features of this profession in more detail to understand if it suits you and whether it is worth starting a career in IT from it.
Who is a QA-engineer?
A QA engineer is a professional responsible for software quality. Their duties include detecting bugs, fixing them, and describing them in accordance with algorithms and requirements. The specialist either fixes the errors themselves or sends a report with them to the developer responsible for that part of the code.
Tester is a fairly broad concept. Therefore, over time, it has been divided into two separate directions: QA automation engineer and Manual QA. The difference between these two positions lies in their approach to work. However, it is important to remember that they cannot exist separately yet, since a QA engineer even in automated testing performs part of the work manually.
Manual QA
This is a so-called manual tester. As the name suggests, they perform their work without any automated helpers. Manual testing is essentially an imitation of the actions that a user performs on a website or in applications, as the QA engineer works according to certain test scenarios. Such work requires quite a lot of time and effort, but allows for the detection of a greater number of problematic areas and bugs.
QA automation engineer
Automated testing is performed using additional software. It involves the use of special scripts that allow for the mechanization of the process. Such a QA engineer can cope with the task faster and sometimes much more efficiently, which is why this direction is considered more promising today.
Duties and tasks
Choosing between the position of a programmer and a QA engineer, beginners in the IT field often opt for the latter. Testing is considered a good starting point for a career, as it allows for a good understanding of all processes. However, there are many responsibilities in QA engineering. This list includes:
- studying the requirements for the product set by the customer;
- developing a plan and testing scenarios;
- conducting software testing directly;
- identifying bugs and entering them into a special tracking system;
- analyzing the testing conducted and optimizing it;
- ensuring quality control of the work performed;
- discussing the results with developers;
- maintaining necessary documentation.
Pros and Cons of being a QA Engineer
QA Engineer is a very popular profession nowadays, so it is no wonder that people are interested in knowing its pros and cons. Let's start with the advantages. Testing is usually the easiest way to "get into IT". In addition, it provides a broad understanding of how the industry works and what processes take place inside it. Also, the QA Engineer profession is great for developing various technical skills, broadening horizons, and improving analytical abilities. In other words, it provides experience that will be useful anywhere in life.
However, there are also some disadvantages. The QA Engineer's job is quite monotonous. It requires increased attention and sitting still, and can be tiring if a person is used to more variety. Especially when considering the increased responsibility, as there can be many problems if such a specialist misses a serious bug. Additionally, while working as a QA Engineer, one must regularly point out mistakes to other people. This can also be psychologically difficult for some.
And, of course, we cannot ignore the oversaturation of the market with similar specialists. This means that it will be quite challenging for an inexperienced tester to find a job.
Salary level for QA engineers
Typically, the salary for a beginner tester is relatively low. However, it tends to grow rapidly as one progresses up the career ladder. Let's consider the example of a Middle QA Engineer, the average salary offered in Ukraine, and compare it with figures from other countries.
| Country | Average annual salary for Middle QA Engineer, $ |
| Ukraine | 7200 – 16 800 |
| Poland | 14 400 – 23 040 |
| France | 39 200 – 50 400 |
| Canada | 47 400 – 71 100 |
| USA | 70 000 – 98 000 |
Professional development of testers
As with most IT positions, any QA engineer can progress from a Trainee or Junior level to Senior. Typically, for talented and hardworking specialists, career advancement happens quite quickly. It is also possible to become a team leader or QA Lead. If you are a manual tester, transitioning to a QA automation engineer may be of interest to you. This requires deeper technical knowledge and is suitable for those who would like to continue to develop in this field.
Many QA engineers eventually move into programming. Some become business analysts, while those who continue to learn often end up in project management positions. In general, any other IT position is available to testers, but only if they are willing to retrain and are not afraid of heavy workloads.
How to become a QA engineer?
Although the profession of a tester is considered relatively simple compared to other IT positions, it still requires a certain level of training. Specifically, this concerns technical skills.
The hard skills of a QA engineer include:
- Understanding the software development cycle;
- Basic knowledge of one or several programming languages;
- Familiarity with the theory, methods, and technologies of testing;
- Document management skills;
- Knowledge of automated testing programs;
- Understanding of the market and target audience.
Soft skills of a QA engineer are no less important. Among them, it is worth paying attention to:
- Ability for continuous learning;
- Communication skills;
- Analytical and critical thinking;
- Attention to detail, perseverance, and persistence.
If you are interested in a testing job and see yourself in this position, it is worth starting with courses. There are many of them today, so finding the best option will be easy. Among the most popular and well-known courses are:
- QA Basic course from ITEA;
- Fundamentals of Software Testing from Prometheus;
- Online QA Manual course from Computer School Hillel;
- MANUAL QA from Devico;
- Introduction to Software Testing from Coursera;
- Manual Software Testing with Bug Reporting Tool ALM/QC from Udemy.
Many of these courses are free, so they will be particularly useful for those who have not yet fully decided on their future career. Some books will also be useful for the professional development of a QA engineer, such as:
- The Art of Software Testing by Glenford J. Myers;
- Testing Computer Software by Cem Kaner, Hung Q. Nguyen, Jack Falk;
- Rapid Testing by Robert Culbertson, Chris Brown, Gary Cobb;
- The Self-Taught Software Tester: A Step By Step Guide to Learn Software Testing Using Real-Life Project by Mr. Chhavi Raj Dosaj, among others.
The profession of a tester is very interesting and promising. Although the market is currently quite saturated with such specialists, it is worth trying, especially if you are not inclined to give up in the face of difficulties, are not afraid of competition, and love to discover something new.
