Company leaders need to know the 3 reasons testers certified through ASTQB – ISTQB in the U.S. – and its exam provider AT*SQA can protect you and your company, improve quality, and reduce costs. You will protect your career. 95% of CEOs say they are concerned about losing their jobs due to a software failure.[1] Fortunately, studies show that formal testing by certified personnel can top 99% in defect removal efficiency[2] which reduces the chances of a software failure. You will protect your company. 77% of CEOs say software failures have harmed their company’s reputation in the last five years.[1] Certified testers’ proven ability to reduce defects also protects your company’s reputation. You will improve your software quality, reduce costs, and shorten schedules. Everyone is under pressure to do more with less. Those same studies show that formal testing by certified personnel also lowers costs and shortens schedules.[2] Moreover, the ROI for ISTQB certifications from ASTQB and AT*SQA can exceed 1500%.[3] Here are easy ways to protect yourself and your company Require everyone who tests software to have ISTQB Foundation Level certification from ASTQB and AT*SQA. Then add other ISTQB certifications based on their business needs and roles. “We’ve had 22 people take and pass the ISTQB Certified Tester Foundational Level examination. Not only has it given us a common language, but we believe so strongly in the content of the syllabus that we use it as part of our internal training program.” Improve your Testing Services RFP: Use the sample software testing services RFP text in your organization’s requests for proposals. “ISTQB certification demonstrates knowledge of software test principles and aligns itself nicely with our existing managerial and technical career paths. Further, as an internationally recognized certification, it reinforces that software testing is not only a disciplined process but a profession.” Request ISTQB Certification from ASTQB in your job postings: See the leading companies that have requested ISTQB certification in their job postings. When a tester passes ASTQB’s ISTQB, this means they have demonstrated their American English language ability using the industry-standard testing terms and principles. “My experience with the ASTQB and the ISTQB Foundation Level Exam was overwhelmingly positive. The professionalism, comprehensive study materials, user-friendly testing platform, and transparent communication collectively make ASTQB a top choice for anyone looking to validate their knowledge in software testing. I highly recommend ASTQB for its commitment to excellence in the field of software testing certification.” Recruit from the AT*Work™ List of Testers for Hire. AT*Work lets you search for testers by skill and rank them based on their Testing Tiers® software tester levels. It’s the easy way to fill software testing jobs. When your entire testing team is certified, it improves communication and teamwork. “To have our entire test engineering department certified was a significant achievement and, as a side effect, morale was elevated.” Confirm a tester’s certifications by checking the Official U.S. List of Certified & Credentialed Software Testers™. As noted above, when testers appear on the Official U.S. List, it proves they passed the U.S. ISTQB exams written in American English and are committed to working effectively with your U.S. software teams. “After the successful completion of the software testing certification training, all 27 test engineers passed the ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level exam and received their certifications. Subsequently, changes were instituted that enhanced the test engineering operation.” See more benefits below, or get started with the free ISTQB Foundation Level certification resources such as the syllabus (body of knowledge), software testing glossary, and sample exam questions and answers. Why Choose ASTQB and AT*SQA for ISTQB certification exams? ASTQB is the official U.S. Board for ISTQB Certification, and we offer exams globally through our official ISTQB exam provider, AT*SQA. Here are just some of the extra benefits we offer companies: Proven communications ability: We offer the only official American English ISTQB exam from the United States Board, so testers who pass our exam have demonstrated their commitment to communicating well with your team. Superior customer service: AT*SQA’s ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification and teamwork with ASTQB have led to outstanding customer service. Here is just one example: “My experience with the ASTQB and the ISTQB Foundation Level exam was overwhelmingly positive. The professionalism, comprehensive study materials, user-friendly testing platform, and transparent communication collectively make ASTQB a top choice for anyone looking to validate their knowledge in software testing. I highly recommend ASTQB for its commitment to excellence in the field of software testing certification.” See more reviews of ISTQB, ASTQB, and AT*SQA. Budget and timing flexibility: When you purchase our exam vouchers through AT*SQA, you have up to 365 days to take your exam. That gives you more fiscal year budget and timing flexibility. Easy tracking plus volume discounts: AT*SQA’s system makes it easy for managers to track vouchers from volume purchases when using a company account. You automatically receive a 10% discount on purchases of 20 or more exams (any combination of certifications), and we can often provide additional cost savings as you grow. Exam taker insights and self-management tools: The system also makes it easy for testers to see their results by syllabus chapter, download their certificates, and manage their information. Free exam retakes in some cases: If you choose one of our accredited training providers, your testers may be eligible for a free exam retake for all exams beyond the Foundation Level. Learn more. Do you have testers without ISTQB certification? It’s easy to get started. Have them download the free study resources for the ISTQB Foundation Level exam. Then have them register at our official ISTQB exam provider AT*SQA. Read below why this can have an ROI greater than 1500%. Here are 10 benefits of ISTQB testing certifications from ASTQB & AT*SQA with the details. Reduce software defects, coding errors, and software bugs. Analysis shows that “a synergistic combination of defect prevention, pre-test defect removal, and formal testing by certified personnel can top 99% in defect removal efficiency while simultaneously lowering costs and shortening schedules.” That same analysis shows that “Untrained amateur personnel such as developers themselves seldom top 35% for any form of testing. Also, the ‘bad fix injection’ rate or new bugs added while fixing older bugs tops 7% for repairs by ordinary development personnel.”[2] That’s why 88% of developers report their initial knowledge of software bugs and software errors comes from users. Even worse: 26% said those software bugs were reported publicly via social media.[4] That is why we say “Keep Your Software Out of the Headlines®” because studies show that just one negative review can drive away 22% of your customers.[5] Build cost savings and ROI. If certification helps your tester eliminate even one extra post-production software defect (also called a software bug or programming error) sometime during their career, the return on investment for their certification would exceed 1500% based on the estimated cost of a post-production software defect of $4,000.[3] (This doesn’t include the headline-grabbing software bug at Knight Capital that caused the loss of $460 million in 45 minutes or the CrowdStrike software testing issue that took down systems globally resulting in potentially billions of dollars in damages.) Speed and improve software development. Test managers report that broad use of the ISTQB Certification body of knowledge and glossary of software testing terms leads to better communication and greater efficiency among and across teams. Developers don’t want to fix the software bugs themselves – they report that fixing software bugs makes them feel frustrated, overwhelmed, burned out, and resentful, and they want to quit. Moreover, 32% said they spend up to 10 hours a week fixing programming bugs, 16% spend up to 15 hours, and 6% spend up to 20 hours a week fixing programming bugs. Fifty-two percent of developers said they could use the time they spend hunting down and fixing software errors to build new features and functionality instead.[4] This is why certifying your software testers has such a strong ROI: developers can focus on what they do best while certified testers can find software bugs much more efficiently than non-certified personnel. Are you utilizing a testing services company for some software development projects? Here are 3 guidelines for choosing outside testing services. Protect yourself. Require ISTQB certification in your testing services request for proposals (RFP). Gain global acceptance. With more than 900,000 testing certifications issued across 130 countries, ISTQB software tester certification is the de facto global standard and, by far, the #1 global certification for software testers and other staff who help eliminate software bugs. The American-English ISTQB exam created by ASTQB is available at test centers around the world – or you can take the exam online at home. Get practical, everyday use. ISTQB software tester certification focuses on practical applications of software testing that your testers and other technical staff need every day to find and eliminate programming errors. Covering everything from Agile testing to performance testing to security testing, ISTQB software tester certification offers the testing skills needed by your entire Agile, DevOps, or QA team so they can reduce software defects. Improve employee motivation and retention while reducing costs. The American Psychological Association (APA) found that in the absence of supervisor support for career development: Less than half of employees say they are motivated to do their best at work (versus nearly 90% who report having supervisor support). More than half say they intend to seek employment outside the organization within the next year. A study by the Work Institute found that it costs as much as 33 percent of a worker’s annual salary to replace them. Showing support for career development through ISTQB certification from ASTQB is a bargain compared to the cost of losing an employee. That’s why this is so important: A survey by ASTQB found that 92% of ISTQB-certified software testers feel that certification helps to demonstrate professional competency. Moreover, a study by TalentLMS and Vyond said that 66% of U.S. employees agree that they need to acquire new skills to be successful in their jobs. The report also indicated that if their employers do not keep pace with the demand to provide training, learning, and development opportunities, approximately 41% of employees have plans to leave their employers next year. The software testing certification career path from ASTQB makes it easy to motivate and retain your QA team. Not only will you reduce software errors, but you’ll develop a stronger, more loyal team while reducing turnover costs. Build a path for software QA skills development that improves your profitability. In addition to the career development levels (Foundation, Advanced, and Expert) and career paths (Test Manager, Test Analyst, Technical Test Analyst), ASTQB offers specialist skills such as Agile testing, mobile testing, security testing, test automation, performance testing, usability testing, automotive testing – and more – that improve the abilities of your entire QA team to find and eliminate programming errors. A study by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) indicated that companies offering comprehensive training increased income by 218% per employee compared to those with less comprehensive training. Those companies also had a profit margin that was 24% higher than companies that spent less on training. Software testing training can be expensive, so how do you know the training is effective? By following the training with ISTQB certification exams from ASTQB. ASTQB’s certification exams keep everyone accountable – both instructors and students – so that training budgets are not wasted. Certifications from ASTQB also provide recognition for those who built their knowledge and skills from the training: A survey by ASTQB showed that more than 90% of certified testers feel their certification aided in gaining professional recognition. Gain trust. ISTQB certifications from ASTQB are based on modern standards that have been developed by more than 100 global software testing experts. It is the global standard in software testing certification and the #1 software testing certification in the U.S. and around the world. More than 800,000 certifications have been awarded in 130+ countries. ISTQB certification from ASTQB is respected and requested by leading U.S. companies – see just some of the U.S. companies requesting ISTQB certification in their job postings. You can also trust ASTQB for software tester certification: ASTQB is a non-profit, volunteer-led organization, led by software testing experts who volunteer their time to promote software quality in the United States and globally. Moreover, ASTQB’s official global ISTQB exam provider AT*SQA is also a non-profit, as is ISTQB. Many certifications and exam providers are for-profit companies, but ASTQB, AT*SQA, and ISTQB exist to promote professionalism in software testing as non-profit organizations through vendor-neutral ISTQB software testing certifications. Improve cost-effectiveness. ISTQB doesn’t require recertification at most levels, nor require expensive courses. While we recommend ASTQB-accredited software testing training providers because of their proven quality in preparing testers for the exams, your employees may self-study, use in-house trainers, or choose the ASTQB-accredited education – it’s up to you to decide on the best training that will lead to certification and reducing software bugs. Moreover, your company may be able to qualify for lower insurance costs when you hire ISTQB Certified Software Testers. For example, Hiscox Insurance Company has qualified technology insurance applicants based on whether their software testers are ISTQB Certified. Talk with your insurance company to see if you can qualify for discounts based on your employee’s certifications. Download the free white paper entitled “Cut Software Development Costs”. Meet software quality labor needs through upskilling. According to The World Economic Forum’s Upskilling for Shared Prosperity report, “For many years, businesses have struggled to find the skilled workers they need. For example, PwC’s 23rd Annual Global CEO Survey found that three-quarters of all respondents said finding the right skills was a threat to their businesses. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2020, companies estimate that, by 2024, around 40% of workers will require reskilling of up to six months, and 94% of business leaders report that they expect employees to pick up new skills on the job – a sharp uptick from 65% in 2018.” ASTQB’s software testing skills path provides an upskilling path that allows you to meet your software quality needs that are becoming more complex every day. Here are easy next steps to get your team started with better software quality, reduced costs, and quicker development: Steps to Certification Learn about the steps to certification.Subscribe to the free ASTQB newsletter for news about U.S. software testing Software Testing Career Road Map See the software testing career road map which illustrates how ASTQB and ISTQB software testing certification create a path to quality in your test team and company. Syllabi and Glossary Review the free software testing syllabi (body of knowledge) and software testing glossary. Post a Job Asking for U.S. Certification To get U.S.-certified testers, be sure to ask for “ASTQB/ISTQB/AT*SQA,” or “U.S. ISTQB” in the job posting. Our exam provider AT*SQA offers free job postings so you can focus on testers who are U.S.-certified. Newsletter Subscribe to the free ASTQB e-newsletter, or contact ASTQB with your questions so you can start building your test team performance. Build the Right Testing Team Learn how to staff a test team to protect your software. [1] Leapwork, “85% of U.S. CEOs could be leaving their businesses open to reputational and financial risks by releasing insufficiently tested software” [2] Capers Jones, “A Short History Of The Cost Per Defect Metric | Software Defect Origins & Removal Methods“ [3] Randall Rice, “The Value of ISTQB Certification“ [4] Rollbar, “State of Software Code Report” [5] Moz, “Data Reveals 67% of Consumers are Influenced by Online Reviews”
