PASV - IT школа в США

The tech industry grows exponentially, and what users expect of the products it makes keeps rising. That is why testing comes before any application, site or program reaches the market. Against that background the need for testers — QA Manual and QA Automation, checking software by hand and with automated tools — keeps growing too. But where does someone start, and how realistic is it to learn the profession quickly with no knowledge or experience and then earn from it? Let's work it out.

Is becoming a tester from scratch realistic?

There are a great many testing vacancies at companies worldwide. This is a fast-growing profession, popular and in demand in every country. People often come into it from other fields with no connection to tech, which is explained by the lower barrier to entry: the profession can be learned in a few months of good training. But far from every student of an internet course, or every self-taught learner, reaches the goal. The reason is a lack of practice and of proper persistence. Is it realistic? Entirely. Can everyone manage it? Not quite.

Where do you start? By checking how comfortable you are with a computer. You need to be a confident user so that you can take a course without fear of clicking the wrong thing.

Before becoming a tester, it is also worth checking yourself for some personal qualities — the ones that will stop you abandoning the effort halfway and get you to the goal of becoming a good specialist:

Persistence. There is a great deal to learn and to practise.
The ability to analyse and organise information. PASV material is presented in a structured, comprehensible way, but everyone processes it differently.
A serious attitude. There is no magic here, and both the studying and the work have to be approached thoughtfully.
Discipline and the ability to manage your own time.

Recognise those qualities in yourself? Then the answer to whether you can become a tester from scratch is most likely yes. A degree in tech is not required, but motivation, engagement and persistence are. Only then can you count on a good outcome and on securing yourself demand, financial stability and a decent standard of living.

Note: tech is not only about money. It is also a chance to develop, to achieve your own goals and to build a wide circle of professional and social contacts. While you are looking for where to train, remember how much this profession will give you. And at PASV you get not only knowledge and useful new connections but the chance to practise on real projects at American companies.

How do you become a tester?

So how do you become one, once the basic qualities and the readiness are there? We would recommend preparing first:

Build a financial cushion for the period of study. You can combine study with your current work, but it is better to have a reserve in case you decide to leave the job or something unexpected happens.
Look through the basic information about the profession: what it is about, which problems it solves, which kinds of testing exist. It is worth studying the balance of vacancies across specialisms, which may shape your choice of direction.
Get advice from a working tester or take an introductory course. PASV runs courses designed to help you work out where to start and whether the profession suits you.

Advice: set yourself a deadline, a date by which you definitely plan to finish. The best plan is one bounded in time, and it helps you stay disciplined. But do not forget to rest, or burnout will derail everything.

Where a beginner should start studying

There is a great deal of free material on testing online. But it is not organised, it is easy to get lost in, and most of it is aimed at specialists at various levels, not always beginners. So the first thing to do is find a suitable course. Nobody wants to lay out a large sum straight away, which is entirely understandable, so PASV offers affordable training covering everything you need to start in the profession.

The most important practical advice:

Do every homework assignment.
Take notes on the lectures. That helps the material stick and lets you refresh your knowledge later.
Practise and talk to other students. Draw as much experience from them as you can, particularly where you feel gaps.
Ask your instructors questions, work through the problems, and clarify anything unclear without embarrassment.

Finding your first clients

You have finished the course, and now the question is where to go with a certificate from an online school. Start by applying:

Write a resume. Set out your personal strengths, the skills you acquired and your specialism.
Apply for vacancies — the more the better. It does not matter if they ask for experience. What matters more is how you handle the interview.
Go to interviews. The first ones may not go well, but they will show you your weak points. Work on those and your chances of getting hired will rise considerably.

Where to train as a tester from scratch

PASV is a place where you can learn testing from nothing in a short time and come out a genuinely capable specialist. The main advantage of the training is the practice, which takes the form of an internship at real, large US tech companies. Students who do well are often invited afterwards to join as staff or offered project work. For many people, then, the question of how to become a tester and find a job is settled before the course is even over.

Where you train should be decided first of all by the quality of the curriculum. At PASV it is built around what employers ask of testers today, with the topics and material chosen accordingly. Another advantage is a strong teaching staff of working QA specialists.

Choose PASV — we genuinely care about our students' wellbeing, during the course and afterwards.