Is Software Testing still a good career choice?RAJI BHAMIDIPATITMF SUMMIT 2014

About me BA in Economics and Sociology

Testing for nearly 6 years

ISTQB, RTI & BBST

@peppytester

www.blogspot.peppytester.co.uk

Session format Aim

Introduction

Discussion

Conclusion

AimShare experiences

Discuss

Learn

Improve

Introduction ‘Test is dead’ keynote by Alberto Savoia at GTAC 2011

Changing job specs

Testers moving into IT - develop more tools, TDD, BDD, become tester/developer

Testers moving into business - business cases, writing user guides, provisioning, user training, looking at the feasibility of new developments etc.

Career progression

Typical career pathsTester

Senior Tester

Test Lead

Test Manager

Dev Manager

Business Analyst

Project Manager

Program Manager

Scrum Master

Technical Tester

Lead Technical Tester

Technical Lead

Developer

Senior Developer

Factors for change in the job scene

Emerging technologies – e.g. Internet of Things, Cloud

Agile and Post-Agile processes

Advanced test craft – new schools and philosophies of testing

Continuous Delivery and Continuous Integration

Employers less willing to work with less skilled testers or recent graduates

Location, Location, Location!

Pay scales

Average tester’s pay

Average developer’s pay

Tester jobs demand trend

Developer jobs demand trend

DiscussionIs software testing really dead?

Are testers happy in their jobs?

Do all testers have to up skill or become more “technical”? Will there be a continued need for manual testers?

Testers to move into IT or into Business

Tester’s experience – how and what is important?

Should Test Managers be able to test?

Certifications – are these still important?

Job market varies depending upon various factors – primarily on location

Emerging technologies – IoT, Cloud, Saas, Mobile

Discussion …..continuedDifferent schools of Testing – Factory, Control, Test driven, Context driven..........

Increase awareness in the community. University courses and job specific training

Obamacare!

ConclusionThank you for your patience

References:

Testers aspirations from John Stevenson’s blog: http://steveo1967.blogspot.co.uk/

Cartoons by Andy Glover http://cartoontester.blogspot.co.uk/

Pay scales and jobs demand graphs from IT Jobs Watch http://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/