Software Testing Certification

July 11, 2006 by Isaac

Personally, I find some ironic humor in this article, published by eWeek. The question posed by the author is "If Bill Gates showed up at the Microsoft employment office today, would he get a job?" Probably not. After all, he dropped out of college and doesn't have the right sheepskin hanging on his wall.

Generally, I agree with the author -- a person should be hired based on their qualifications, not credentials. Let's face it though, that's not likely to happen anytime soon. So, for all budding (and even seasoned) software testers I highly getting yourself certified in software testing. Not only is this is a great way to show your present employer that you are serious about your job, but it is a great resume builder. There are many courses taught by many different companies, but there is only one internationally recognized software testing certification (a great thing to mention on a resume). The International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) is the only organization in the world that has an international certification. For the adventurous soul you can download the ISTQB syllabus and study the prescribed topics on your own. However, for the rest of us the ISTQB has authorized training partners. To locate one visit the ISTQB website and then find the member board of your country. From there you will be able to locate a training program.

In the United States I have personal experience with Software Quality Engineering (SQE) and I must say that my experience has been excellent. Not only do they teach training classes, but they host software testing conferences and provide consultation services. Boy, do I wish I was being paid to say this.

My final suggestion is to stay in tune with the latest developments in the software testing industry. SQE also happens to host a software testing website called StickyMinds and they publish a magazine called Better Software. One of the most valuable things I find from StickyMinds is their free articles, reviews, and tips. Consider subscribing to their RSS feeds to keep up on their latest articles and posts. (http://www.stickyminds.com/rss/)

Posted in Software Testing