How To Become a QA Engineer – 7 Steps To Become a QA Engineer

QA stands for ‘Quality Assurance’. Quality assurance is a systematic process for ensuring that products or services meet the desired quality standards and customer expectations. And just like its name suggests, a QA Engineeris responsible for maintaining the highest form of quality of a product. They are an integral part of the product quality team.

Quality Assurance engineers are more prominent in the IT industry. In fact, the World Quality Report says that 25% of the fund of the production budget goes to quality assurance.

Because of the increasing demand for QA engineers, it is one of the most promising career choices. But what does the path of a QA engineer look like? In this article, we will have a detailed overview of the responsibilities of a QA engineer and a guideline for beginners to become the best QA engineer.

How to Become a QA Engineer: The Ultimate Guideline

In this technological world, becoming a QA Engineer is many people’s dream job. Obviously, the traditional way is to have formal educational certificates i.e. Bachelor in Science or other equivalents. However, going through QA engineer training and courses will also give some technical skill sets.

Let’s take a look at the ideal way you can become a QA engineer.

1. Acquire Some Technical Skills

The fundamental requirement of being a QA engineer is to deal with technical issues. By taking a QA training course in New York City you can be skilled technically. This requires you to have a specialty in some specific fields. Let’s see what those might be:

• Programming Language: The language you’ll learn depends on the field you want to work in. For example, QA engineer-related jobs require you to know Java, C+, whereas web-based jobs expect you to know HTML, CSS, and JS.
• Agile Methodology: Software development and its management has come a long way. Its latest version is found in agile methodology. It is a form of process that helps you get continuous development through software testing. There are some concepts that you should have an idea of: Kanban, Scrum, Retrospective, and Daily Stand Up.
• Manual Testing Concepts: As a QA tester engineer, you must routinely carry out tests to ensure that the software is bug-free. To do this, you must have a basic concept of testing. This includes testing lifecycle, types of testing, defect cycle, and testing software.
• Operating Systems: The softwares you’ll create may need to operate in multiple operating systems. So you should have a comprehensive idea of various operating systems. These include Microsoft Windows, Linux, Winux, Android, and IOS.
• Database Language: You may have to maintain databases as a QA engineer. So knowing languages like Oracle, SQL, and MYSQL is a must.

2. Learn coding or software development with a bachelor’s degree or local QA training.

The easiest way to be a QA engineer is to do an undergraduate in Computer science, software engineering, or other equivalent subjects. You’ll acquire the necessary qualifications through this degree. Such as-

1. Strong knowledge of software testing methodologies and techniques.
2. Experience with automated testing tools, such as Selenium, Appium, or Jenkins.
3. Knowledge of programming languages, such as Java, Python, or C#.
4. Ability to write and maintain test cases, bug reports, and test plans.
5. Experience with Agile software development methodologies.
6. Knowledge of software development life cycle (SDLC) and quality assurance processes.

Most organizations expect an undergraduate for credibility. However, there are many exceptions to this. Some may just want you to know a particular language. In that case, you can simply learn a language through coding Bootcamp or by enrolling in QA engineer courses in New York.

3. Build a Convincing Portfolio.

Having a portfolio works as samples to showcase to your clients. It will not only help you land contractual jobs as a QA engineer but also get full-day jobs in reputable IT companies. Building a portfolio is also directly related to having an impressive resume. It will give you good bargaining leverage that you can capitalize on to ask for a higher salary or payment.

4. Create a Good Resume and Prepare for an Interview.

The employers allow you to sit for an interview by judging your resume. So it is mandatory that your resume becomes comprehensive.

Next is preparing for an interview. Many people fail in this stage because of their inexperience in dealing with interviews. So you should especially prepare for the interview. Revise the technical and theoretical knowledge you have. And don’t forget to highlight your work experiences and expertise in both your resume and interview.  Make sure you are giving them a reason to choose you!

5. Complete Internships or Apply for Contractual Positions.

Internships are a good place to start if you are a beginner. You will not only hone your already learned technical skills but also come across new ones. It will be a learning process while earning a few bucks.

Contractual positions are also an alternative to full-day jobs. Here you will sign up for a company for a specific time period and work on a particular project. This will also help you build a portfolio.

6. Apply for Jobs

Now that all the other processes are done, it’s time for you to apply for entry-level QA engineer & tester jobs. Finding a job can look tedious at first. But building a good resume and having an impressive portfolio will help you land one very easily.

This is also the time you should think about the industry you see yourself in.

7. Keep Honing the Skills

Don’t grow complacent after getting into a new job. Focus on getting better and learning new QA engineering skills. This will help you to leave your current job for better opportunities in the future. You may also work on big projects that have a huge impact on the IT industry.

So, these guidelines for how to become a QA engineer will surely bring you a little closer to your dream. The job of a QA engineer is exciting and challenging. The increasing demand for QA engineers makes this profession very prospective. However, one must be dedicated to going forward in this competitive industry. By taking a QA training course in New York one can improve his/her skills. Following this guide will help you get your dream job.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to become a quality assurance engineer?

To become a quality assurance engineer, you need to have worked in the field for 4 years.

How to become a QA Engineer with no experience?

You can enroll in a certified course like the QA engineering courses we offer at Transfotech Academy. Our courses come with a guaranteed job opportunity.