For several years Forbes has been declaring that the professions in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) are the most popular, and highly paid professions in the world. IT is one of these areas, but how do you get a job in tech?
One of the relatively inexpensive and effective ways to get a job in tech is by starting off as a software testing engineer (Software Quality Assurance).
According to indeed.com, the average annual salary of those working in the QA field in the US, is anywhere from $54 - 105 thousand a year. However, people who want to start working as testers are often put off by silly myths!
Let's look at some of these myths so you can see that you can get a job in tech, contrary to what you might think.
“I cannot work in QA, I don't have any IT knowledge.”
Many people believe that getting a job in IT is only possible if they have received some form of higher education.
This is wrong!
Many tech companies hire individuals with limited IT knowledge on the basis that they will complete short-term courses with them while in the role. Generally, these tech companies just want to make sure that you can learn and understand the work with the help of some courses, where you will learn the relevant tech skills.
“QA work will require programming knowledge.”
This is not true.
You don't need programming skills to become a manual tester. However, if you wish to further your career then you will need to learn to code, but this is up to you.
“There are very few vacancies on the market for manual testers.”
If you do a job search on Indeed, you will see that there are around five hundred jobs available in the United States for ‘QA Manual Testers’. But there is no need to despair, why? Because employers often use the following alternative names when advertising vacancies in this field, so there are actually thousands of jobs being advertised:
- Software test engineer
- Software QA engineer
- QA analyst
- QA tester
- Manual tester
- Functional tester
- UI tester
- Black-box tester
- Test analyst
- Quality engineer (QE)
In addition, if the vacancy itself contains a requirement for knowledge of programming languages, etc. this does not mean that the company really needs an automator with programming knowledge. We at Careerist also recommend applying for such vacancies, because very often they get those jobs. A very common misconception that you should not apply for these vacancies if you are a Manual QA specialist greatly reduces the chances of success.
So, now you know the myths surrounding the idea of getting a job in tech, let’s take a look at what it takes to become a tester in the IT field? There are 4 steps to take, and we will now tell you them so that you can look for a job in tech!
Step 1. Make your mind up.
Get to know what jobs are out there and pick one that you like the sound of. A great place to start is by looking at the happiest jobs in the world - everyone wants to be happy in and out of work, so this is a great place to start.
Once you’ve looked at the list of the happiest jobs in the world, you might be surprised to see that the work of a QA specialist comes second after a researcher. Why? It is popular, highly paid, and promising.
Check out our dedicated article here and find out why this role ranks second on the list of the happiest jobs in the world, and why you need to be considering it.
Step 2. Determine how you’d like to study.
When we are faced with the task of mastering a tool, that is vital for our work and our livelihood, we have many learning options, but ultimately the most popular learning methods are: independent learning or learning with the help of a specialist.
Both ways of studying are perfect in the IT world, and the only difference between the two methods is in the details. This article will help you discover the merits of both learning methods, and it will help you to decide what method is more preferable to you.
Step 3. Actively apply for vacancies.
Our experts say that any job search will take time, in fact, it can take up to 3-4 months. So if you want to work in QA, you need to be applying for all the job vacancies out there. There are many vacancies and you need to be targeting them all in order to get as many job offers as possible.
Your favorite job sites should be; LinkedIn jobs, glassdoor.com, indeed.com, monster.com, and careerbuilder.com.
Do you want to be successful? Only apply on a Friday and a Saturday for jobs that were posted on the same day, and apply on a Sunday for all other jobs. This ensures that on Monday, when HR gets into the office, he or she will see your resume at the top. By the way, Careerist also helps with applying for its students.
Step 4. Prepare and pass an interview.
What should I say? How should I look? What should I ask about? These are some of the most important, and most pressing questions that will be going through your mind before an interview.
Preparation is the key to success. Before you go to any interview you should plan and prepare yourself. Failure to do so can make you come across as clumsy and disinterested in the vacancy - and nobody wants to see this.
When planning for an interview, consider this: Recruiters in the tech field, don’t just want to hear about your experience, basic knowledge of the field, what tools you use, and which platforms and devices you’re happy to manage(digital skills),they also want to see that the right candidate has the right soft skills set too. This includes communication, stress resistance, and the ability to think analytically.
Preparing yourself to discuss things, like the points mentioned above, shows that you’re genuinely interested in the role, and it makes you very desirable.
The areas mentioned above are crucial, but what’s equally important is this question "why did you leave your previous job." You can prepare for this question by reading our article today. Don’t fall at the first hurdle - be prepared for any question a recruiter might ask.
Conclusion
Getting a job in tech doesn’t need to be the arduous task it’s made out to be. Yes, at times it will be tough, but with the right professional help and mentoring anything is possible.
Things to remember:
- You don’t need tech experience and education to have a career in tech
- You should use different job titles when looking for jobs
- You have to make up your mind on what career you want
- You need to consider how you learn
- You need to be applying for all the job vacancies in the field
- Always prepare for interviews
You now have the tools to get a professional, high paying job in the tech field. In just four steps a job in tech can be yours. Where do you begin? Read our aforementioned articles and sign up to a Careerist course to start your career in tech today.