How to become a Certified Tester?

How to become a Certified Tester?

What does testing involve and how does one become a Certified Tester? I have discussed this topic with many successful testers and newcomers in my trainings and heard many interesting stories.

Very often - and this is how I came to software testing - chance leads there. A project is coming to an end, time is running out and now testing has to be done quickly. In my case, a phone call with the request to test important functionalities was enough. And there I was. Of course, I was not yet a Certified Tester, but the foundation was laid.

Other testers I have met deliberately chose testing as an activity. Many of them come from the field of software development, which is also a very good prerequisite for successful and goal-oriented testing.

Testing as an important contribution to quality assurance

Testing means ensuring quality. This already leads us to the first important characteristic of a tester: One should enjoy finding errors in order to make a significant contribution to product quality. If you see yourself in this role, it makes sense to develop into a Certified Tester.

In addition, perspective is crucial, because you should test certain product functionalities from a user's point of view. Not everyone is a software expert or experiences themselves as tech-savvy. Nevertheless, even such users should be able to find their way around our software effortlessly. Others, on the other hand, want to do harm to our software and thus to our company. We have to keep all of this in mind - and a Certified Tester qualification can help with this.

Testing as a holistic approach

In addition, it is crucial to be clear about what testing actually is. For most, testing consists of trying out a finished or nearly finished application. Wouldn't it be much smarter to check requirements, user stories and similar approaches for inconsistencies, omissions and legal issues at the very beginning of the project? Moreover, one should not strive exclusively for the perfect software, but above all for a product that fits the customer's requirements. So this is where the question arises:

Did I build the right system - or just build the system right?

I only started thinking about this much later and learned from my mistakes. More than 20 years ago, independent testers founded the International Software Testing Qualifications Board. Its guidelines describe a holistic approach to testing. Among other things, seven important principles of testing are named there - e.g. "Early testing saves time and money" or "Beware of the pesticide paradox". I recommend every tester to get to grips with this holistic process approach and to train as a Certified Tester. Because even experienced software testers often receive important suggestions for optimizing their test process in our ISTQB training courses, in which we deal precisely with these principles.

ISTQB certification as a pillar for success

For this reason, every software tester should deal with the basic knowledge of ISTQB at the beginning or in the course of his career. In our seminars, we impart precisely this knowledge combined with preparation for certification as an ISTQB Certified Tester. Our Workbook Principle® ensures a particularly high pass rate. Are you already a professional software tester or do you want to develop in this direction? Then I recommend that you attend an ISTQB training course.