Menu
For free
Registration
home  /  Success stories/ Profession Tester. Description of the tester's profession

Profession Tester. Description of the tester's profession

Software Tester- a person who plays a primary role in software testing. The profession has a technical bias; it will appeal to applicants with a penchant for computer science and mathematics. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in computer science (see choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects).

Short description

Software testers are one of the most sought-after specialists in the IT industry. They evaluate software from the point of view of experts and ordinary users, the main goal of their activity is to identify and eliminate software errors. Sometimes testers create technical documentation in Russian or foreign language. IN mandatory they prepare reports and also develop tools and scripts that are used during testing. They are conventionally divided into 2 groups:

  • Alpha testers who work with software under development;
  • Beta testers who specialize in finished versions of software.

Opportunities for professional growth open up for software testers, because they can always choose another field that is somehow related to the IT segment.

Features of the profession

Software testing is a fun and creative process. A tester spends most of his working time on a computer or tablet, smartphone and other types of gadgets. The responsibilities of a software tester include the following:

  • development of optimal testing methods, creation of test cases, modeling of common behavioral situations;
  • creation of schedules and plans, implementation different types testing: for security, load, functional, automated, configuration, gaming, usability and others. A generalist tester can perform all of these types of testing, but most often he specializes in 1-2;
  • creation of databases and reports based on the results of testing;
  • classification of errors, in-depth analysis of the results of the work performed;
  • assisting the development team in troubleshooting issues;
  • consultations for developers and customers, analysis of complaints received from real users.

All of the above responsibilities should be divided into 3 main stages: development (indirect participation), testing and analysis, preparation of technical reports and debugging. This type of activity requires involvement; the profession is suitable for boys and girls who are prone to painstaking and sedentary work.

Pros and cons of the profession

pros

  1. Software testing is a prestigious profession that will open the way to other IT specialties, where there is an even higher level of remuneration.
  2. Many companies involved in creating software products are interested in software testers.
  3. A tester can work in the office or at home, which allows him to combine activities with travel, hobbies or education.
  4. Testers' salaries are high, and the field is open to ambitious people of any age.
  5. Access to modern software, games and other interesting products.
  6. The ability to maintain your own blog or vlog, which allows you to popularize your services and earn additional income.

Minuses

  1. The work of testers is very well paid, which entails high competition in the labor market.
  2. Fulfilling orders requires experience; without it, finding a job is not easy.
  3. Occupational diseases common to all people who work at a computer.

Important personal qualities

The following professional qualities are important for a software tester:

  • logical thinking,
  • ability to concentrate,
  • multitasking,
  • moral flexibility,
  • categoricalness,
  • increased accuracy,
  • professional responsibility.

A software tester communicates with developers and customers, so communication skills and the ability to correctly formulate thoughts, as well as literacy, are important.

Software tester training

A beginning tester can graduate from college or gain the necessary skills in courses - it all depends on the requirements of a potential employer and personal skills. However, higher technical education should be considered a priority. An applicant can choose the following university areas of study for which mathematics is the core Unified State Examination:

  • “Applied mathematics and computer science” (code: 01.04.02);
  • “Informatics and Computer Science” (code: 03/09/01);
  • “Information and analytical security systems” (code: 10.05.04);
  • “Information security” (code: 10.03.01) and other technical areas related to computer science, mathematics, digital information protection and computer technology.

If you decide to start your career path from college, then consider the directions " Information Systems and programming" (code: 02.09.07), "Computer networks" (code: 02.09.02) or " Applied Informatics(by industry)". You can start studying at a university after 11th grade; an applicant can enter a college after completing 9th grade.

Best Universities for Software Testers

  1. MIPT.
  2. MSLU.
  3. National Research University Higher School of Economics.
  4. NUST MISIS.
  5. REU im. G. V. Plekhanov.
  6. Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov.
  7. FEFU.
  8. SPbU Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
  9. RGUNG.

The best colleges

  1. CS No. 54.
  2. KAIT No. 20.
  3. PC named after N. N. Godovikova.
  4. PKIPT (IT College).
  5. TKUiK.

International educational institution, specializing in computer education. Operating since 1999. 42 branches in 16 countries. The largest authorized training center for Microsoft, Cisco, Autodesk. Students receive international certificates and an international diploma. the main objective- employment of each graduate.

TC "Specialist" at MSTU. N. E. Bauman

On the site training center There is a large selection of quality programs available for people who decide to become software testers. Any course consists of theoretical and practical blocks; the form of training can be full-time or distance learning. The duration of training is 16-64 ac. h., minimum cost - 11,850 rubles. and higher, which directly depends on the selected profile.

Students of specialized universities (3-5 years), practicing testers who want to gain new knowledge and improve their professionalism are invited to attend the training. Training is conducted in the evening, in a group of no more than 10 students, the duration of the course is 3 months. Talented graduates can get a job at EPAM.

Place of work

Software testers are required in an IT company. They are needed in other areas of business that create or implement software, applications, and services.

Salary

Salary as of 07/09/2019

Russia 25000—90000 ₽

Moscow 40000—140000 ₽

The salary of a software tester is high, but its size depends on a number of key factors:

  • direction of activity of the tester;
  • level of professional knowledge;
  • desire to learn;
  • region of work and company;
  • format of cooperation (permanent work, freelance).

Career

Usually, after 3-5 years of successful work, testers move on, because they study hard to become a programmer, an expert in the field of cybersecurity, etc. They will also be able to work as IT managers and business analysts.

Professional knowledge

  1. Methods used in software testing.
  2. Test automation.
  3. DBMS, SQL, Oracle, IBM Rational Robot.
  4. Databases, knowledge of at least one programming language is desirable (preferably C#, C++, PHP and Java).
  5. English language not lower than Upper-Intermediate.

39.9

For friends!

Reference

A tester is an IT technology specialist who evaluates the functionality of a software product and compliance with quality requirements. Conventionally, testers can be divided into specialists who work on the program together with a team of programmers. They conduct research when the product is just being created. And specialists whose work is an assessment of the finished product.

Demand for the profession

Little in demand

Profession Tester is considered not very in demand, since there is a decline in interest in this profession on the labor market. Testers have lost their relevance among employers either due to the fact that the field of activity is becoming obsolete, or there are too many specialists.

All statistics

Description of activity

The activities of a tester include work in IT companies that develop software products, as well as work as part of independent testing groups or in the development and testing departments of any organizations. Involves analyzing, comparing and interpreting data, as well as proposing new solutions.

Wage

Moscow average:average for St. Petersburg:

Uniqueness of the profession

Rare profession

Representatives of the profession Tester really rare these days. Not everyone decides to become Tester. There is a high demand among employers for specialists in this field, so the profession Tester has the right to be called a rare profession.

How users rated this criterion:
All statistics

What education is needed

Secondary education (school)

As the survey results show, it is not at all necessary to receive special education at a university or college to become Tester...Required training Testers take place directly when applying for a job or at the workplace during a probationary period. For work Tester All that is required is desire, satisfactory health and the presence of personal qualities recommended for this profession.

How users rated this criterion:
All statistics

Job responsibilities

A tester performs testing of a software product. Involved in improving the software product. Develops a plan and considers individual situations for testing. Tracks errors and writes their descriptions. Uses special tools for testing automation.

Type of labor

Mainly mental work

Profession Tester- This is a profession predominantly of mental work, which is largely associated with the reception and processing of information. In progress Tester the results of his intellectual reflections are important. But, at the same time, physical labor is not excluded.

How users rated this criterion:
All statistics

Features of career growth

A tester begins his career as a tester or programmer trainee. A specialist learns basic professional skills on the job. Present career. A tester can become the head of a testing group or the head of a quality control department.

Software Tester- a person who plays a primary role in software testing. The profession has a technical bias; it will appeal to applicants with a penchant for computer science and mathematics. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in computer science (see choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects).

Short description

Software testers are one of the most sought-after specialists in the IT industry. They evaluate software from the point of view of experts and ordinary users, the main goal of their activity is to identify and eliminate software errors. Sometimes testers create technical documentation in Russian or a foreign language. Without fail, they prepare reports and also develop tools and scripts that are used during testing. They are conventionally divided into 2 groups:

  • Alpha testers who work with software under development;
  • Beta testers who specialize in finished versions of software.

Opportunities for professional growth open up for software testers, because they can always choose another field that is somehow related to the IT segment.

Features of the profession

Software testing is a fun and creative process. A tester spends most of his working time on a computer or tablet, smartphone and other types of gadgets. The responsibilities of a software tester include the following:

  • development of optimal testing methods, creation of test cases, modeling of common behavioral situations;
  • creating schedules and plans, performing different types of testing: security, load, functional, automated, configuration, gaming, usability and others. A generalist tester can perform all of these types of testing, but most often he specializes in 1-2;
  • creation of databases and reports based on the results of testing;
  • classification of errors, in-depth analysis of the results of the work performed;
  • assisting the development team in troubleshooting issues;
  • consultations for developers and customers, analysis of complaints received from real users.

All of the above responsibilities should be divided into 3 main stages: development (indirect participation), testing and analysis, preparation of technical reports and debugging. This type of activity requires involvement; the profession is suitable for boys and girls who are prone to painstaking and sedentary work.

Pros and cons of the profession

pros

  1. Software testing is a prestigious profession that will open the way to other IT specialties, where there is an even higher level of remuneration.
  2. Many companies involved in creating software products are interested in software testers.
  3. A tester can work in the office or at home, which allows him to combine activities with travel, hobbies or education.
  4. Testers' salaries are high, and the field is open to ambitious people of any age.
  5. Access to modern software, games and other interesting products.
  6. The ability to maintain your own blog or vlog, which allows you to popularize your services and earn additional income.

Minuses

  1. The work of testers is very well paid, which entails high competition in the labor market.
  2. Fulfilling orders requires experience; without it, finding a job is not easy.
  3. Occupational diseases common to all people who work at a computer.

Important personal qualities

The following professional qualities are important for a software tester:

  • logical thinking,
  • ability to concentrate,
  • multitasking,
  • moral flexibility,
  • categoricalness,
  • increased accuracy,
  • professional responsibility.

A software tester communicates with developers and customers, so communication skills and the ability to correctly formulate thoughts, as well as literacy, are important.

Software tester training

A beginning tester can graduate from college or gain the necessary skills in courses - it all depends on the requirements of a potential employer and personal skills. However, higher technical education should be considered a priority. An applicant can choose the following university areas of study for which mathematics is the core Unified State Examination:

  • “Applied mathematics and computer science” (code: 01.04.02);
  • “Informatics and Computer Science” (code: 03/09/01);
  • “Information and analytical security systems” (code: 10.05.04);
  • “Information security” (code: 10.03.01) and other technical areas related to computer science, mathematics, digital information protection and computer technology.

If you decide to start your career path with a secondary school, then consider the directions “Information systems and programming” (code: 02/09/07), “Computer networks” (code: 02/09/02) or “Applied computer science (by industry)”. You can start studying at a university after 11th grade; an applicant can enter a college after completing 9th grade.

Best Universities for Software Testers

  1. MIPT.
  2. MSLU.
  3. National Research University Higher School of Economics.
  4. NUST MISIS.
  5. REU im. G. V. Plekhanov.
  6. Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov.
  7. FEFU.
  8. SPbU Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
  9. RGUNG.

The best colleges

  1. CS No. 54.
  2. KAIT No. 20.
  3. PC named after N. N. Godovikova.
  4. PKIPT (IT College).
  5. TKUiK.

An international educational institution specializing in computer education. Operating since 1999. 42 branches in 16 countries. The largest authorized training center for Microsoft, Cisco, Autodesk. Students receive international certificates and an international diploma. The main goal is the employment of every graduate.

Students of specialized universities (3-5 years), practicing testers who want to gain new knowledge and improve their professionalism are invited to attend the training. Training is conducted in the evening, in a group of no more than 10 students, the duration of the course is 3 months. Talented graduates can get a job at EPAM.

TC "Specialist" at MSTU. N. E. Bauman

A large selection of high-quality programs is available on the training center website for people who decide to become software testers. Any course consists of theoretical and practical blocks; the form of training can be full-time or distance learning. The duration of training is 16-64 ac. h., minimum cost - 11,850 rubles. and higher, which directly depends on the selected profile.

Place of work

Software testers are required in an IT company. They are needed in other areas of business that create or implement software, applications, and services.

Salary

Salary as of 07/09/2019

Russia 25000—90000 ₽

Moscow 40000—140000 ₽

The salary of a software tester is high, but its size depends on a number of key factors:

  • direction of activity of the tester;
  • level of professional knowledge;
  • desire to learn;
  • region of work and company;
  • format of cooperation (permanent work, freelance).

Career

Usually, after 3-5 years of successful work, testers move on, because they study hard to become a programmer, an expert in the field of cybersecurity, etc. They will also be able to work as IT managers and business analysts.

Professional knowledge

  1. Methods used in software testing.
  2. Test automation.
  3. DBMS, SQL, Oracle, IBM Rational Robot.
  4. Databases, knowledge of at least one programming language is desirable (preferably C#, C++, PHP and Java).
  5. English language not lower than Upper-Intermediate.

In this article we will introduce you to such a profession as a software tester (or tester). Let's talk about the relevance of this profession, about the knowledge that you need to possess to become a tester. Also about methods of training, if such knowledge is not enough. And, of course, about the very specifics of the work. So, if this interests you, let's move on.

Software tester - who is he?

Nowadays, the IT sector is rapidly developing and gaining momentum. People who go to work in this area do not always reasonably assess their capabilities. Still, this is also work, and special skills are also required here. So, before you frantically search for vacancies, let's figure out what a tester does and what you need to know.

A tester is a specialist who must check newly developed programs for their functionality, identify errors and transfer them to programmers for correction.

Depending on the company the tester works for, the employee's responsibilities may include different tasks. The wider the range of skills, the more highly paid work a tester can find. Let's look at his main responsibilities.


  • development of testing plans and methods;
  • modeling situations that may be encountered when operating the software
  • directly testing the developed software;
  • filling out documentation based on testing;
  • analysis and classification of identified errors;
  • control of the error correction process;
  • compilation of a report;
  • communication with the developer;
  • counseling clients.


  • he must be able to organize his work in accordance with the requirements;
  • The tester must be confident in working with a PC;
  • The skill of working with documentation will not be superfluous, since it will need to be filled out on the basis of each test;
  • you need to be able to write so-called bug or defect reports - documents that describe the situation that led to an error in the program, indicate the reasons and the expected result;
  • you also need to be able to describe the verification process itself or, in other words, the steps required for verification, that is, create test cases;
  • Knowledge of English will have a positive effect on your job search;
    This factor plays an important role in many professions today.
  • The tester should preferably be able to work with HTML (document markup language on the Internet)/CSS (description language appearance document), XML (also a document markup language along with HTML) and SQL (a programming language used to manage databases);
  • a specialist must be able to work with test automation, at least at a basic level, with such programs as Silk Test or Rational Robot.


  • curiosity, meticulousness;
  • creative thinking, good imagination;
  • flexibility, ability to quickly respond to changes;
  • desire and readiness to develop;
  • attentiveness;
  • communication skills;
  • stress resistance;
  • efficiency;
  • responsibility for the work done;
  • literacy in the preparation of documentation;
  • the ability to express one's point of view accurately and clearly.


Despite the fact that the profession is this moment is very relevant, you will not be able to find a single university that would train you to become a software tester. Therefore, the most basic education for a tester is self-education.

It’s good if you already have completed a technical institute with a specialty in “Applied Mathematics”, “ Information Technology" or something similar. But if you studied at a humanitarian university, you don’t have to go get a second higher technical education. This will take a lot of time and, in principle, is not justified.

You can learn all the intricacies of testing yourself in online courses, here are some examples:

  • "Rapid testing" (R. Culbertson, K. Brown, G. Cob)
  • “Software Testing” (S. Kaner, D. Faulk, E. Kek Nguyen)

What makes training to become a software tester different? You can study the theory, understand the basics of testing, and even start practicing without leaving your home. Everything is online.

Having studied the basis of the testing profession, you can choose one of several profiles and specifically specialize in it:

  • testing mobile applications;
  • testing automation;
  • testing of more complex systems, which are characterized by a high degree of load.


So, you have learned to be a software tester. Where to start? Of course, from searching for vacancies. The very first thing that comes to mind is searching for work on platforms such as:

You can also explore freelance exchanges. Here are some of them:

In almost any vacancy you will find a requirement such as work experience. But what should a software tester without experience do? A vicious circle: to find a job, you need experience; To gain experience, you need to go to work. But still there is a way out. The following will present several ways to obtain this experience.

  1. You can get a job for free on a small project. There you will undergo training, which is very useful, and try yourself in practice. Such projects usually do not require a lot of time from a specialist (about 1 hour a day), but provide the necessary experience.
  2. We ourselves surf the Internet every day on different sites. So what prevents you from testing these same sites? Nobody talks about load testing, but functional and usability testing is quite possible. Moreover, if you often visit this site, testing it should be easier.
    If you find errors during testing, the right decision would be to write about it to the site creators. Clearly and clearly describe the problems you found, putting the most important ones at the beginning, ask the recipient whether you did it correctly, whether he has any questions or not. Write your letter respectfully; criticism should be constructive and directed at the site, not at the creator.
    You might even be able to find a job this way!
  3. In addition to websites, you can test mobile applications. Again, take the ones you use and look for errors and shortcomings. Constructive feedback can also be sent to app developers. If you describe everything correctly, without bias, then perhaps your review will be taken into account and some shortcomings will be corrected.
  4. If you really can’t find bugs on your favorite sites, you can visit special sites for testers that are publicly available.


To finally understand whether to start working in this field or not, let’s consider the main advantages and disadvantages of being a software tester.

Advantages:

  • Quick and convenient mastery of the specialty. It is also possible to find training with employment in the company where you want to take a position as a tester.
  • Possibility for testers to work remotely. This is more suitable for more experienced specialists who no longer need help.
  • This job is a good start in the IT field, which will allow you to further develop in other specialties.
  • It is impossible not to mention the demand for software testers. You definitely won’t be left without work!
  • Quite a high salary and opportunity for growth.
  • Specialists in this field are not classified or selected by age; existing skills and work experience are much more important here.
  • This is a fascinating and interesting profession that combines both creative and analytical abilities of a person.

Flaws:

  • Work, especially limited by your skills and capabilities, can be monotonous and monotonous.
  • Mainly sedentary lifestyle. So testers, and all other specialists who work at a computer, should think about the active component of their lives.
  • There is a small risk of remaining a specialist in a narrow profile, but this problem can be easily solved only by your desire to develop.

Testers are primarily in demand in large companies involved in the creation and development of software (1C, for example), computer games, mobile applications or any websites.
A job such as an Android application tester is in no way inferior in complexity to testing more complex systems. Everywhere has its own nuances, its own requirements.


Now we get to the fun part. What is the salary of a software tester?

A tester’s salary directly depends on his knowledge and skills, on successfully implemented products, and on work experience. Each year of work can add approximately 10,000 rubles to a specialist’s salary.

A beginning specialist can count on a salary of 25 to 45 thousand rubles. So, after working for 2-3 years and gaining experience, a tester can safely look for vacancies with a salary of about 60,000 rubles. 5 years of successful work can easily generate income of up to 150,000 rubles. per month. The main thing is the desire and willingness to learn and develop!

What conclusion can be drawn? Testing is a very popular profession that brings in a good income. Yes, testing as the main task of a tester requires the necessary skills, but learning them is not so difficult. You can complete the training either independently through online courses or in the company itself, first getting a job as a tester as an intern, and then becoming a main employee.

IT is evolving, new products are constantly being created that require testing before entering the market so that the end user receives a quality product. It depends on the tester in what condition the product will hit the market.

Who is a tester

In any business, it is important to receive timely feedback and feedback on your work; it is desirable that they be objective. It’s the same with programmers - in order to achieve good results, you need to receive positive and negative feedback on the work done as soon as possible. The tester's task is to give programmers feedback. The faster the response is received, the sooner the programmers will fix the error, if there is one.

If we talk specifically about who a tester is and what he does, then this is a person who checks the work done by the development team, points out errors in the operation of the software (website, application, chatbot, etc.).

It is quite difficult to define the word “testing”, but it is not:

  • development - even if a tester knows how to write code, testing is not software development;
  • analysis and collection of data - although in work you have to clarify data and analyze them, this work is done only when necessary, not constantly;
  • technical writing - where the tester has to document his work and tests.

Testing is not one of these activities, because they do all this work to facilitate the process of their own work.

Types of testing

There are no universal testers, otherwise the work would be of poor quality. There are several types of testing with their own characteristics.

Functional testing

Functional testing is based on the analysis of the specifications of the functionality of certain components or the system as a whole. Tests in this form are based on the functions that the system performs. Typically these functions are described in requirements or specifications.

The main advantage of functional testing is simulating the actual use of the system during testing. Disadvantage 2:

  • opportunity of omission logical errors in software;
  • excessive testing.

Stress Testing

Load testing is also called performance testing. This is an automated type of testing in which the operation of the system is simulated.

The main task of this type of testing is to determine the capabilities of the application under certain loads. In this case, the following must be taken into account:

  • time for performing operations at a certain intensity of their execution;
  • the number of users who use the application at the same time;
  • boundaries of acceptable performance when the load increases;
  • performance at very high load levels.

It also tests the reliability of the application. This is determined by the performance of the application during many hours of software testing with an average load.

Automated Testing

Automated testing is a software test during which the main functions and testing steps are performed automatically using special tools. Actions to be checked include:

  • launch;
  • initialization;
  • test execution;
  • analysis;
  • output of the result.

The tester in this case creates, debugs and maintains test scripts, test cases and testing tools in an automated manner.

Usability testing

This is testing for the usability of the interface by the end user. Thanks to usability testing, you can find out whether the product meets expectations and is comfortable to use. A usability tester must look at the product through the eyes of the user. During the verification process, it performs typical tasks that the user will do in the future, and leads the product to a better version, if necessary.

Usability testing can be useful in several cases:

  • interface usability testing;
  • comparison of the product with competitors;
  • comparison of several versions of interfaces of one product.

In this case, not only sites are tested. There are many other interfaces: voice, printed forms, business processes, applications for smartphones and computers, and others.

Integration testing

The essence of integration testing is to check the connection between the components of an entire product and their interaction with other parts of the system.

There are several types of this testing:

  • from bottom to top - all modules, procedures, functions low level assembled together and tested, after which the next level of components is assembled;
  • from top to bottom - components are tested first high level, then the level gradually decreases;
  • big bang - all components, low-level and high-level, are put together and tested together so that rapid testing can be done.

Configuration testing

Aimed at testing the performance of the product in various configurations:

  • platforms;
  • drivers;
  • computer configurations.

At the server level of verification, the interaction of the product with the environment where it will be installed is checked. The main task of this stage is to find out the optimal equipment configuration for working with the product.

At the client level, it becomes clear how convenient it is to use the product and its functionality.

Security testing

Security testing is carried out to check security, analyze the risks associated with hacker attacks and viruses. The main task of safety testing is to establish maximum safety and comfort when using the product.

Testing principles:

  • availability;
  • confidentiality;
  • integrity.

Game testing

Game testing, despite its attractive name, is quite complex and tedious. Its main goal is to check the game for bugs so that the product reaches the consumer in high-quality form. The game and its segments have to be completed and replayed several dozen times, since fixing one bug can lead to another bug. All testing is done manually and takes a lot of time. In addition, games can have several versions, for example, for a computer and a smartphone on Android - then the test has its own characteristics and the number of tests doubles.

What skills does a tester need?

The main quality of a good tester is passion for his work. You also need to strive for self-realization in this area. To increase the level of testing, you need to constantly study information about how to improve the quality of work, what features certain products may have.

Requirements for a software tester (plus/minus depending on the company):

  • Understanding what a bug is, a test case, a testing strategy (and the ability to build it), an error report;
  • Basic familiarity with automated testing;
  • Quick learner, adaptable to a rapidly changing environment;
  • Ability to work with a database - basic concepts and queries;
  • Communication skills are important for interacting with the team;
  • Analytic mind;
  • Ability to quickly process large amounts of information.

Knowledge of java, python for a tester and other programming languages ​​may also be useful. But at the same time, their knowledge can interfere with work, since the tester may try to correct other people’s mistakes, that is, do not do their job. And this reduces the quality.

Tester salary

The average salary of a tester in Moscow is about 70 thousand rubles, in St. Petersburg - 50. Yekaterinburg is a little behind - 45 thousand rubles. In smaller cities the wages are lower. In Volgograd, Voronezh, Perm, Ufa, Kazan, the salary is 33-40 thousand rubles.

Beginning testers with no experience can expect a salary that is half or 2/3 of the average tester salary in the city.

A tester with higher education and at least 1 year of work experience can count on a salary of 65 thousand in St. Petersburg and 80 thousand in Moscow. The maximum income in the capital is 150 thousand, in St. Petersburg - 120 thousand rubles.

Specialists involved in testing complex products have an income of over 150 thousand. Gaming and usability specialists earn the least.

A tester at home earns about the same as in an office. Freelancing wages mostly depend on the city in which the employer is located. Sometimes software development companies from Moscow specifically look for a specialist from a small town in order to pay less. In addition, freelancing for testers is an opportunity to combine several projects and earn more.

How to become a tester

To become a tester, you do not need to have higher education. It is important to be able to concentrate and not miss the little things. You can become a tester even from scratch, but you still need to have some knowledge. For example, you need to be able to handle a computer and programs on a first-name basis, and be able to navigate unfamiliar environments. It is also good to know at least one programming language and understand the basics of a database.

If you have a higher education, that's good. Companies prefer applicants with technical education, since they are the ones who have an analytical mind. But if your education is humanitarian, do not despair. You need to create a resume containing information about what projects you have worked on. Even if there is no work experience, but there is term papers with a practical part, graduate work, internship experience in IT - all this should be included in your resume to attract attention. Be sure to indicate your main advantages that may be useful in working as a tester. These could be: attention to detail, perseverance, familiarity with computer software, empathy, knowledge of programming languages, knowledge of foreign languages.

When preparing for an interview, you should familiarize yourself with the following topics:

  • software quality assurance;
  • what is testing;
  • types of testing;
  • testing levels;
  • test artifacts and their purpose;
  • introduction to test design;
  • testing automation and its types;
  • testing metrics and how to use them.