A QA engineer plays the most important role within a software development team. They are responsible for testing their team’s products’ functionality, usability and performance before they are released to customers. The question is, can a non-IT person with no experience become a QA Engineer? It takes lots of hard work and practice, but it is possible.
Becoming a QA Engineer without any technical skills would be hard. However, if you have some knowledge of IT but need more experience, then it’s still possible! It will just take longer than someone who has lots of experience already.
Why do you want to get into QA?
If you have decided to get into QA and are wondering how the first question you should ask is why. Why do you want to get into QA? Is it because of a family member who works in IT? Maybe your last job was as an admin, and you want to move up in the company by becoming a software tester. Maybe your goal is to find a career path that provides more flexibility than being an admin would allow.
Whatever reason drives your decision, make sure it’s clear before moving forward. Asking these questions will help keep yourself on track and ensure that whatever next steps you take are well-thought-out ones that align with both where you want to go and how quickly (or slowly) it makes sense for them to be taken based on what resources are available at this time (and whether or not they’re affordable).
What kind of roles can I expect to get with no experience?
A junior QA role will be your first introduction to the industry. You’ll work on small tasks and projects, so you’re not expected to know everything.
You could also get involved in an internship, which is valuable for learning the basics of the job.
If you are interested in programming or development, then freelance work is another way to gain experience without working full-time within an organization. This option is especially relevant if you want some flexibility with your time and earn extra money for living expenses during university or college studies.
Volunteering with a local charity is another possibility for gaining QA experience without working full-time; however, most charities do not offer formal training opportunities unless they are specifically recruiting volunteers with specific skill sets like coding languages like PHP or SQL, etc.
Ways to become a QA engineer for a non-IT person.
A good strategy for getting into QA is to first learn about the industry and its role. Learn about the principles of testing, then do short courses in QA. Get some work experience and internship opportunities, which will give you more insight into what it’s like to be a QA engineer.
Get a professional qualification in QA.
There are several benefits to getting a professional qualification in QA. First, you will be able to demonstrate that you have the skills necessary for QA work. Secondly, employers will be more likely to offer you better positions and salaries if they know that you have taken steps to improve your knowledge and skills through formal training.
There are several types of professional qualifications available in QA, including:
- Professional certificates
- Professional diplomas
If you need a different option than these options, then consider taking a course at the post-secondary level instead. A course is similar in many ways but offers less depth than a diploma or certificate program would provide; however, it may still be useful if there is no other option available where live instruction is not offered locally (e.g., online).
Correct Mindset and Expectations
To be a successful QA engineer, you must have the right mindset. It would help if you were prepared to learn and work hard but also understand that you will sometimes fail. One of the most important things is working in a team with other people who can help as you grow in your role and take on more responsibilities.
As an example, let’s say that there’s a bug found by one of your fellow teammates while they were testing something else—they bring it up during stand-up and ask if anyone has had any similar issues with this feature before they report it back upstream (the person who wrote the code). Suppose no one else has seen anything similar before or can offer any insight into why this might be happening differently now than it used to. In that case, we’ll probably want someone from QE (Quality Engineering) involved since they spend their time investigating these types of scenarios on an almost daily basis!
Reach out to Professionals on Networks like LinkedIn and get advice
To become a QA engineer, you need to have patience and persistence. The best way to learn this is by asking professionals who have been in the field for years. You can reach out and ask them for advice or information on the following:
- How they got into their current position
- How to be successful in the field
- What skills are needed
LinkedIn is one of the best ways to find professionals willing to give advice. Quora is another resource where users ask questions about being in the IT industry and get answers from industry insiders who are willing to help.
Join Facebook Groups
The first thing you should do is join Facebook groups. You might have heard about Facebook groups before and thought they were only for socializing, but they can also be useful for finding jobs. There are many QA communities on Facebook, such as Quality Assurance Job Opportunities, Quality Assurance Jobs, and Careers in Software Testing. These give you access to the latest job opportunities in your area or industry and provide a forum where people post questions or help each other by sharing advice or tips. You can ask any questions regarding career development or anything related to QA testing that you may still need to learn how to answer!
Watch YouTube Videos
You can learn a lot from watching videos. But it’s important to take what you see with a grain of salt and not simply follow the advice without understanding why the person giving it is doing so.
There are many different ways of writing a test script, some more effective than others. You need to get acquainted with the process and decide what works best for you and your team. If possible, find a mentor with experience in QA automation—this will help save time and money.
Conclusion
It’s a great time to be in QA, but it can also be quite difficult. Many companies are looking for new talent, so that you will have plenty of options. If you want to get successful in this field, it’s important that you’re willing to put in the work and make sure your mindset is right and you have the right qualifications. So, if you are looking for quality QA Training, then worry not! Wolf Careers Inc. is the best choice for your software technologies. Our one-of-a-kind teaching method prepares you to successfully perform your job responsibilities and reach your career objectives easily.
