As shows : education and diplomas, unlike experience and work format, have almost no effect on the level of remuneration of a QA specialist. But is this really so and what is the point in obtaining an ISTQB certificate. Is it worth the time and money that you have to pay for its delivery. We will try to find answers to these questions in the first part our article on ISTQB certification.
What is ISTQB, ISTQB certification levels and do you really need it
ISTQB is a non-profit organization that deals with the development of software testing, founded by representatives of 8 countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK.
ISTQB Tester Certification is a program that allows professionals to obtain an international certificate in testing.
ISTQB has conducted 830+ exams and issued over 000+ certificates that are recognized in 605 countries around the world.
Sounds great, doesn't it? However, is certification really necessary? What are the benefits of having a certificate for testers and what opportunities does it open up for them?
Which ISTQB to choose?
First, let's look at the options for certification of testers. ISTQB offers 3 levels of certification and 3 directions for each of the levels according to the matrix:
What you need to know about choosing levels and directions:
1. Foundation level (F) core directions is the basis for any higher-level certificate.
2. Level F Directions Specialist – highly specialized certification is provided for it: usability, mobile application, performance, acceptance, model-based testing, etc.
3. Level F and Advanced (AD) directions Agile – the demand for certificates of this type has increased by more than 2% over the past 20 years.
4. AD level – certification is provided for/for:
— test managers;
— test automation engineers;
— test analytics;
— technical test analytics;
- security testing.
5. Level Expert (EX) - involves certification in the areas of test management and improvement of the testing process.
By the way, when choosing certification levels for the direction you need, refer to the information on the main site , because On the websites of providers there are inaccuracies in the description.
Let's talk about the benefits
From the point of view of a Qa-specialist, certification is:
1. Primarily confirmation of qualifications and professional suitability international experts in the field of testing, and this, in turn, opens up access to new labor markets. Internationally, the certificate is recognized in 126 countries around the world - a paradise for remote work or a prerequisite for moving.
2. Increasing competitiveness in the labor market: although most employers do not require ISTQB certification from applicants, about 55% of test managers say they would like to have a 100% certified staff .
3. Confidence in the future. The certificate does not guarantee a top salary in employment or automatic promotion at work, but it is a kind of “fireproof amount”, below which your work will not be appreciated.
4. Expansion and systematization of knowledge in the field of QA. Certification is a great way for a QA specialist to build and enrich their testing knowledge. And if you are a hardened tester, then update and streamline knowledge in the subject area, including through international standards and industry methodologies.
From the point of view of the company, certification is:
1. Additional competitive advantage in the market: companies with a staff of certified experts are an order of magnitude less likely to provide low-quality consulting and QA services, which has a positive effect on their reputation and the flow of new orders.
2. Bonus when participating in large tenders: the presence of certified specialists gives an advantage to companies when participating in competitive selection in relation to tenders.
3. Risk reduction: the presence of a certificate indicates that specialists are proficient in testing methodology, and this reduces the risks of poor-quality test analysis and can increase the speed of testing by optimizing the number of test scenarios.
4. Advantages in the international market when providing services for testing software intended for foreign customers and foreign software.
5. Growth of competencies within the company by mentoring and training uncertified professionals in recognized international testing standards.
For companies, there are some more interesting bonuses and directions offered by ISTQB:
International Software Testing Award for outstanding long-term service to software quality, innovation, research and advancement of the software testing profession.
The award winners are experts in the field of testing and development, authors of research, new approaches to testing.
The program recognizes organizations with a demonstrated commitment to software testing certification. The program includes four levels of partnership (Silver, Gold, Platinum and Global), and the level of partnership of an organization is determined by the number of certification points it has earned (Eligibility Grid).
What features:
1. Inclusion in the list of partner organizations on the ISTQB website.
2. Mention of the organization on the websites of the National Council of ISTQB members or the exam provider.
3. Privileges for events and conferences related to ISTQB.
4. The right to receive a beta version of the new ISTQB Syllabi program with the opportunity to 5. contribute to the preparation.
6. Honorary membership in the exclusive "ISTQB Partners Forum".
7. Mutual recognition of ISEB and ISTQB certification.
In turn, ISTQB posts information about the conference on the official website, and event organizers participating in Conference Network, provide a discount:
— holders of ISTQB certificates to participate in the event;
— partners Partner Program.
It is a collection of examples and practices of companies and institutions from different countries in cooperation with ISTQB. For example, the development of a new direction, taking into account the development trends of testing in the country (Canada), the development of ISTQB certification among students (Czech Republic).
What do testers think about ISTQB certification?
Opinions of specialists of the "Laboratory of Quality".
Anzhelika Prytula (ISTQB CTAL-TA certification), Leading Testing Specialist at Quality Laboratory:
What motivated you to get this certificate?
- This is a necessary requirement abroad to get a job as a tester in a serious company. I was living in New Zealand at the time and was hired by an organization that produces an anesthesia control system for operating rooms. The system is approved by the NZ government, so it was a mandatory requirement for the tester to be certified. The company paid for the return of my both certificates. All I had to do was prepare and pass.
- How did you prepare?
- I downloaded free textbooks from the official website and prepared for them. I prepared for the first general exam for 3 days, for the second advanced exam - 2 weeks.
Here I must say that my experience is not suitable for everyone, because. I am a developer by education. And by that time I had been developing software for 2 years before going into testing. In addition, my English is almost at the level of a native speaker, so it was not a problem for me to prepare and take exams in English.
– What advantages and disadvantages do you personally see in ISTQB certification?
- The advantages are undeniable, this certificate was required everywhere when applying for a job. And having an advanced certificate in test analysis then became a pass for work at the NZ Ministry of Economics and further - at a Microsoft subsidiary.
The disadvantages here are only the high price. If the certificate is not paid by the company, then the cost is tangible. When I took the test, the regular one was $300 and the advanced one was $450.
Artem Mikhalev, account manager of the Quality Laboratory:
– What is your opinion and attitude towards ISTQB certification?
- In my experience, this certificate in Russia is received mainly by employees of companies participating in tenders. As for checking the level of knowledge during certification, I think that this is a good preparation.
– Tell us more about the tenders, please.
– As a rule, a certain number of certified employees in the company are required to participate in tenders. Each tender has its own conditions, and in order to participate in it, you need to meet the criteria.
Yulia Mironova, co-trainer of Natalya Rukol's course "Integrated system for training testers under the ISTQB FL program", holder of the ISTQB FL certificate:
What sources did you use while preparing for the exam?
– Prepared by exam dumps and with the help of an integrated preparation system (CSP) for ISTQB from Natalia Rukol.
– What advantages and disadvantages do you personally see in ISTQB FL certification?
- The main plus: a person had the patience to study and pass the theory, which means that he is committed to learning, he will be able to get used to new projects and tasks.
The main drawback is the outdated course program (2011). Many terms are no longer used in practice.
2. Opinions of specialists from different countries:
And what do experts in the field of testing and software development from the USA and Europe think:
“Creative thinking is more valuable than certification. In a hiring situation, I tend to prefer someone who has the most direct work experience over a certified professional. Also, if certification as a certified professional does not add value to the job, it becomes more of a negative indicator for me than a positive one.”
Joe Coley Mendon, Massachusetts.
“Certifications can help you select the best part of the job market, from which you can then choose a subset that really fits the bill. Certificates are not a panacea for recruitment problems and will not be a reliable, iron-clad guarantee that an employee has the necessary skills.”
Debashish Chakrabarty, Sweden.
“Does having a certificate mean that the project manager is a good specialist? No. Does this mean that he is interested in taking time for himself and advancing the profession through continuous education and participation? Yes".
Riley Horan St. Paul, MN
3. What is happening in the labor market: is certification in the field of testing required when applying for a job?
As a basis, we took publicly available data on vacancies from LinkedIn and analyzed the ratio of requirements for certification of specialists in the field of testing to the total number of vacancies in the field of testing.
Observations from the labor market analysis on LinkedIn:
1. In the vast majority of cases, certification is optional a requirement when applying for a job as a test specialist.
2. Although certification is issued indefinitely, in vacancies there are time limit requirements obtaining a certificate (Certified ISTQB Foundation level in the past 2 years will be a plus).
3. Applicants applying for highly qualified vacancies in specialized areas of testing are required to have the coveted piece of paper: autotesting, test analysis, test management, senior QA.
4.ISTQB is not the only one certification option, equivalents are allowed.
Conclusions
Certification may be a mandatory requirement for individual companies or government projects. When deciding on the need to obtain an ISTQB certificate, it is worth focusing on the following realities:
1. When choosing a candidate for the position of a testing specialist, the determining factors will be experience and knowledgerather than having a certificate. Although if you have similar skills, preference will be given to a certified specialist.
2. Certification helps in career development (for 90% of managers it is important to have 50-100% certified testers in the team), in addition, in some foreign companies, obtaining a certificate is reason to raise wages.
3. Certification helps improve your self-confidence. It also helps you develop the ability to think about things from different angles, and you grow as an expert.
In the first part of our article we tried to answer the question: “Do I really need an ISTQB certificate”; and if needed, then to whom, what and why. We hope that the article was useful to you. Write in the comments - have you opened any new horizons after receiving the certificate or, in your opinion, ISTQB is another useless piece of paper.
In the second part of the article QA-engineers of the “Laboratory of Quality” Anna Paley и Pavel Tolokonin on a personal example, they will talk about how they prepared, registered, tested and received ISTQB certificates in Russia and abroad. Subscribe and stay tuned for new posts.
Source: habr.com