Software tester certification
In a fiercely competitive job market, specialists have to work hard to prove they know their trade. That goes double for beginners, whose experience is thin and whose resume is less impressive than they would like. A tester certification — an official document confirming a specialist's qualifications — can be the lifeline.
What certification is for
A QA certificate does more than list what a tester knows and can do. It brings several additional advantages:
- A tester's certificate carries more weight with prospective employers.
- Certification is a whole process demanding preparation, time and improved skills. Holding one shows you are willing to learn and keen to keep up with where the field is going.
- A QA certificate opens more room for career growth. An employer confident in your qualifications will hand you important, interesting projects more readily.
- Certification makes a specialist more competitive and raises their market value.
- If a certificate is recognised internationally, it significantly improves your chances of joining a company in another country. Given that the work does not require you to be physically present, taking a QA Engineer role in the USA, Canada, Asia or Western Europe is entirely realistic.
The kinds of certification available
Testing certifications vary by status, by specialisation and even by who issued them. Two kinds remain the most popular:
- International. Recognised globally, so the chance of a prospective employer having to look it up is minimal.
- Specialist. These signal the area the tester works in: security, automation, performance and so on.
What is the ISTQB certification?
The International Software Testing Qualifications Board develops and maintains the standards for tester certification, which makes the ISTQB certificate one of the most widely recognised in the field. It comes at several levels: foundation, advanced and expert.
Which certification is best recognised in the job market?
For a certificate to help you get hired, make sure it meets these criteria:
- international recognition;
- current content;
- a practical focus.
How to get certified
Today you can be certified after completing a course or sitting a specialist exam. Choose a suitable QA Engineer certification, prepare for the exam, register on the organisation's site and sit the test.
Note that not every certification is free — an examination fee is often required.
Where to take a testing course with certification
You can also learn the profession on a course that ends with a certificate. For beginners this is usually the best route.
How to earn a QA Engineer certificate at PASV
Our programming school offers testing courses with certification. After completing the course and passing the exams, PASV students receive a certificate confirming they finished both the course and the internship.
