Reply to: What to look for in a software tester?

[IR35FanClub]

Testing is getting more specialised and i think you need to identify the type of testing and the work that needs to be done and recruit accordingly:

1) Functional testing of screens vs backend.
2) System integration testing including backend.
3) Data migration testing.
4) Operational acceptance testing.
5) User Acceptance Testing

Only the last one requires no understanding of system architectures and needs to focus on getting the real job done using real business processes so typically uses end users from the business. But That doesnt make them testers and they need help from the professional funcional test leads to put together a proper test plan.

Functioanal testing can be done by anyone if you got a decent tst lead in to write the scripts, and by that I mean someone who can break up the application in their head into components to test, come up with the test cases and then script them. If not an IT graduate id look for 5+ years working in IT. And give them a test at interview... heres a spec, what would you test? 30 minutes to cone up with some test cases and some scripts.

SIT needs someone who "gets" architectures middleware and so on, can install and setup off the shelf products and knows their way around a unix box (or windows). Whats a oracletns? What does tuxedo do? Whats the difference between a flat file and a direct database transfer! How do you create tests to see what happens when bits on another system are down. Part functional and part non functional testing.

DM testing needs someone who thinks about database RI in their head and knows what a db link is and can write 500 line sql code to tst transformations, and do reverse engineering of db systems to work out what the old system did. You are looking for people with development experience, or sevral years testing data migrations.

I myself spent over 10 years as a developer before moving to testing and now focus on SIT and DM testing. Ive not had to look for work for 3 years as I keep gettting pulled in to projects by people who worked with me before. Mainly as my dev background gave me SQL skills well beyond what functional testers need and actually writing applications in the past means I know what can break when doing SIT.

Once problem with DM testing is not many testers have the
SQL skills needed. You need at least 1 expert on the team to mentor the others in sql queries. Ive trained/helped a few dozen, and yet theres only about 4 or 5 id look up on linked in as they took to advanced sql like ducks. Ie they enjoyed the challenge rather than got frustrated by it.

The flip side .. i once had a guy who knew more SQL than me, but we asked him to talk to the business and then write some test cases, he didnt come back the next day!?

[The Spartan]

About 60 miles I think.

Thing is, if you don't want the gig cause it's too far away, don't f**kin' apply for it.

I've got another whinge-bag in my team now who's always complaining about her 40 mile commute.

Bloody contractors nowadays. when I were a lad blah blah blah.......

Oh dear another whinge bag as well, Christ they don't make contractors like they used to. I have no qualms about travelling hence I'm in Zurich

[TestMangler]

Oh dear not very bright then

Out of curiosity just how far was the supposed commute?

About 60 miles I think.

Thing is, if you don't want the gig cause it's too far away, don't f**kin' apply for it.

I've got another whinge-bag in my team now who's always complaining about her 40 mile commute.

Bloody contractors nowadays. when I were a lad blah blah blah.......

[The Spartan]

Oh dear not very bright then

Out of curiosity just how far was the supposed commute?

[TestMangler]

Something amiss with the recruitment process methinks!

Something amiss with the candidate

Don't make your first words to the permie boss "That was a tulip drive in this morning. Don't think I'll last long doing that", followed by "I want to come in at seven, so that means I'll be leaving at four every day". And, when i say 'first words' i really mean it !

Have the sense to get to know the test analysts and sound out what the score is first.

Lesson learned now I think, with plenty of free time to contemplate

[BolshieBastard]

Thats OK then :-) PM me his name if you want.

One started last Monday is now, sadly, no longer with us. Fickle game, this UAT testing

Something amiss with the recruitment process methinks!

[The Spartan]

That's a joke, right?
There are multiple different products that do exactly that.

No it's not a joke, though there are many that claim to do this they actually don't or not reliably.

[Mister Clark]

Take a website for instance it can be viewed by mulitple different browsers and devices, it's the simplest of problems yet no one technical person has been able to solve. So I guess we'd better leave that to the button pushers then .

That's a joke, right?
There are multiple different products that do exactly that.

[jmo21]

Better suited for Programmers.Stackexchange

[TestMangler]

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

Thats OK then :-) PM me his name if you want.

One started last Monday is now, sadly, no longer with us. Fickle game, this UAT testing

[The Spartan]

Hilarious.

Thing is he's correct in a way, you can have all the technical talent in the world but if you can't apply it and adopt the right mindset then you have no chance. The problem with technical testers as opposed to button pushers is that they tend to miss what the problem actually is. Button pushers know the system and how it is meant to work from a customer perspective whereas a lot of this is lost by those who are concerned with how technical the system is.

Take a website for instance it can be viewed by mulitple different browsers and devices, it's the simplest of problems yet no one technical person has been able to solve. So I guess we'd better leave that to the button pushers then .

What you need in a tester is someone who is adaptable and able to think outside the box and yes like d000hg said someone with a background in software testing forget qualifications, certifications or degrees they mean anything much in testing to me at least. I'm sure you could find 1000's of bob's with degrees and certifications on LI alone so what does that really tell you?

[The Spartan]

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

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

[Cenobite]

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

Hilarious.

[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 ?

[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.