| One serious misconception about software testing is that it's only an entry-level position in the software industry. This erroneous belief persists because of the ignorance of what software testing is and what it involvesmainly due to the number of companies still developing software without any real process. They don't yet know that they need software testers of all skill levels to create great software. But, as more emphasis is put on creating software of higher and higher quality, the value of software testing as a career is becoming understood. Because of this increased awareness, the opportunities are there for the taking. Software testers with just a couple years of experience are highly sought after. Testers who can also program and perform white-box testing or develop automated tests are even more in demand. And, if you've been through a few product development cycles and can lead a small team of other testers, you're in a highly marketable position. It's truly a job-hunter's market for software testers. Here's a breakout of various software testing positions and their descriptions. Keep in mind, as you learned in Chapter 21, "Software Quality Assurance," the names vary and may not mean exactly what the job really is, but ultimately most software testing jobs fall into these categories Software Test Technician. This is often a true entry-level test position. You would be responsible for setting up test hardware and software configurations, running simple test scripts or test automation, and possibly working with beta sites to isolate and reproduce bugs. Some work can become mundane and repetitive, but being a test technician is a good way to become introduced to software testing. After learning the fundamentals you can decide if software testing is for you. Software Tester or Software Test Engineer. Most companies have several levels of software testers based on experience and expertise. An entry-level tester may perform the duties of technician, working his way up to running more advanced and complex tests. As you progress, you'll write your own test cases and test procedures and might attend design and specification reviews. You'll perform testing and isolate, reproduce, and report the bugs you find. If you have basic programming abilities, you'll write simple test automation or testing tools and work with the programmers if you perform white-box testing. Software Test Toolsmith or Software Development Engineer in Test. If you excel in programming but still have a love for testing, concentrating your efforts at developing test tools or performing white-box testing may be a good position for you. As a Toolsmith you'll create many of the custom tools discussed in Chapter 15, "Automated Testing and Test Tools,"following, of course, all the good programming practices that you demand from your team's programmers. You'll also evaluate and support the commercial and open-source test tools that your team uses. If you're a Software Development Engineer in Test you may spend much of your time performing white-box testing and working more closely with the programmers than you would as a Test Engineer. Software Test Lead. A Test Lead is responsible for the testing of a major portion of a software project or sometimes an entire small project. They often generate the test plan for their areas and oversee the testing performed by other testers. They're frequently involved in collecting metrics for their products and presenting them to management. They usually also perform the duties of a Software Tester. Software Test Manager. A Test Manager oversees the testing for an entire project or multiple projects. The Test Leads report to them. They work with the project managers and development managers to set schedules, priorities, and goals. They're responsible for providing the appropriate testing resourcespeople, equipment, space, and so onfor their projects. They set the tone and strategy for the testing their teams perform.
|
