Finding a Software Testing Position

So where do you look for a software testing job? The answer is the same places you would look for a programming jobwith any business or company that develops software.

• Use the Internet. A quick search done using several job search engines just before this book went to print found hundreds of open software testing positions at companies all around the country. Many of these positions were for entry-level testers. There were jobs testing music software, interactive TV, networking, medical equipment, websites, and more. You name it.

• Look through newspapers and magazines. As with the Internet, most large city newspapers list numerous software testing jobs every weekend in their high-tech or computer help wanted ads. Computing and programming magazines are also a good source for job ads.

• Simply call and ask. Do you like a certain technology or a specific software application, or are you interested in a particular area of computing? Look up the company or companies writing that software, give them a call or send them your résumé. Often there are open software testing jobs that never make it to the help wanted ads. Resourceful testers grab them before anyone knows they're available.

• Look into internships and co-ops. If you're in college, take a summer or a semester as an intern or co-op at a software company as a software tester. Most provide great positions where you'll actually be contributing to the success of a real product as you gain experience in the field. If you work hard, you might be offered a full-time position after you graduate.

• Professional networking. A sizable percentage of job offers come from word of mouth and personal referrals for jobs that aren't publicly advertised. Ask your coworkers, friends, and relatives. Usually someone you know has connections to a company that is hiring.

• Take temporary jobs. Many software companies hire software testers under temporary contracts to help run test scripts as a product nears completion. The jobs may last just one month or several months, but you'll gain valuable experience and can take on more difficult jobs each time, learning as you go. Some software testers love to work this way because it gives them the opportunity to work at different companies and try their hand testing very different software.