A software tester is an IT-related professional whose role is to discover bugs or unexpected failures in complete software applications prior to their public release. These people are valuable team members whose role is to help the software development team discover bugs or unwanted behavior in programs or applications.
Testers can save developers time and money by discovering program flaws early, thus avoiding the need to release patches or fixes in the future. And in the worst case, early detection of critical bugs will prevent the need to rebuild the software application from the faulty code.
Some evaluators are outside contractors. The reason for this is to ensure that the tester is completely objective and does their job to the best of their ability. Software testers perform standardized tests as well as custom tests that designers often never considered, but make sense from the perspective of the end user.
Software is constantly evolving and as such is becoming more and more complex. Programming languages and coding scheme are so complex that software testing becomes more critical over time. Additionally, the software testing industry is part of the overall field of IT, which itself is experiencing tremendous job growth. Job growth from 2008 to 2018 for software testing is projected to grow at a much higher than average rate with an increase of 38%. Few fields offer as many careers with such fantastic potential as Information Technology careers and particularly Testing.
The IT field is relatively new and tester job descriptions are constantly being updated. A degree is not needed for some software testing careers, but certain characteristics and skills are required. The software tester who understands at least the most basic software languages, such as C, C++, and Java, will have an easier time discovering bugs and flaws. Knowledge of software programming languages helps to understand which parts of the code may be faulty. Software testers may also have a four-year college degree in programming, software design, or computer engineering, or they may be hired to learn on the job from suitable candidates.
The role of a tester in a company is proactive and requires excellent communication skills, as well as a great deal of tact. Software testers must be able to communicate well both verbally and in writing, and communicate with both IT professionals and funders.
There are many career opportunities for software testers. With the right mindset and personality, a career in software testing can be fulfilling. Software testing opportunities exist for both the individual with a degree and the determined and interested individual willing to learn on the job and study to improve their marketable job skills. Most companies know that even with an IT degree, much of a software tester’s true job skills will be learned by doing.