What to look for in a software tester?

[BolshieBastard]

Well, I don't know. Are you a fat woman who has several cats with 'man' type names, or a bloke with a really strong manc accent who says 'carrrrryyyy on invoooooiiicing' a lot, a strange bird who looks like she's drugged up, or a greasy bloke so fat, you can't sit on one chair ?

If so, i've terminated you in the last month, (or next week if you're the last one)

LOL! You draggin' anyone in off the street at LTSB then!?

[eek]

LOL! You draggin' anyone in off the street at LTSB then!?

Needs must when your reputation puts people off working for you.

[BolshieBastard]

Needs must when your reputation puts people off working for you.

LOL!

People such as myself dont want to work for them because they use tulipe agencies like project partners and the place is overrun with bobs in positions of authority who think they are running a sweatshop in banaglore!

I know 3 people who decided to leave LTSB because of the attitude of these bob managers.

[Mister Clark]

A quick summary of my background:

Graduated 2.1 Software Engineering - bored of coding by the time I finished and testing was paying more at the time for grad roles.

Testing for 10 years, contracting for 6(ish).

Largely performing technical testing, performance testing and test management deliving 20(ish) projects across multiple sectors.

I've had a number of grads over the past 2 years join my team and without a doubt the best testers we're those with software development degrees.

Obviously there is a stereotype when it comes to testers, and in all honesty it is largely accurate. There are far too many testers with little or no technical background who end up as button pushers.

Fortunately for me there are not many testers with the technical ability I have and that helps when it comes to finding contracts as almost by default I have access to the better rates.

So, to answer your question, I don't take anyone into my team who cant code to a decent level - I work on trading platforms at the moment and the work is very technical. If it we're manual testing you can get away with someone who has little technical know how but it depends on your environment.

[The Spartan]

LOL!

People such as myself dont want to work for them because they use tulipe agencies like project partners and the place is overrun with bobs in positions of authority who think they are running a sweatshop in banaglore!

I know 3 people who decided to leave LTSB because of the attitude of these bob managers.

I know a contractor who's just started in LTSB as a UAT tester it'll be interesting to see what he makes of it

[Cenobite]

There are far too many testers with little or no technical background who end up as button pushers.

I'm a programmer by trade and I see similar problems in that sector.

When I look for programmers I want someone:

* who's interested in programming to such an extent that they've at least got a development language installed at home and likes tinkering. I'm not after someone who's going to work for free from home, just someone who sees programming as a hobby, is into developing their own skills, and doesn't expect to know it all by just working the 9-to-5;
* who got into programming from an early fascination with computers, like from computer games. I suppose with the younger generation they might have got into computers through Web activities like social networking. I want to avoid the people who had no interest in computing and got into it when the rates were high; and
* for mathematical or complex algorithmic work I'd expect a scientific degree, preferably CS. Most physicists and mathematicians can pick up programming. Most CRUD Web apps usually don't need this level of education.

[d000hg]

What background do you look for when hiring a software tester? I'm not hiring and I'm not an agent: it's just a question I've pondered.

I think I'd look for a background in software testing.

[TestMangler]

I know a contractor who's just started in LTSB as a UAT tester it'll be interesting to see what he makes of it

Woops.....did he start last Monday ?

[Cenobite]

I think I'd look for a background in software testing.

Hilarious.

[The Spartan]

Woops.....did he start last Monday ?

Woops my mistake he's been there since May last year