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The Official Software Testing Skills Path for Jobs in QA, Test Engineering & Development

Whether you test software full-time or part-time, ISTQB software testing certifications through ASTQB and AT*SQA offer an easy path to QA jobs and promotions. If you already have ISTQB Foundation Level certification, the roadmap below answers the question, “What comes after ISTQB Foundation Level?” It also answers the question, “What is the best certificate for software testing?” The good news is that after you take ISTQB Foundation Level, the best certificate for software testing is whatever interests you and is valuable to your employer. There are many software testing certification options, so the testing career path below will be very helpful!

Remember, only ASTQB and ISTQB exam provider AT*SQA can add you to both the ISTQB Successful Candidate Register AND the Official U.S. List of Certified Testers™ so you must take your ISTQB exam through us. In addition, by taking your ISTQB exam through ASTQB and AT*SQA, you will earn points toward your Testing Tiers® software tester ranking!
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“I believe that going through the certification process helped me grow tremendously as a software tester, which led to my current position as a Product Manager. Thank you for all that you do!”

Use the software testing skills path below to choose certifications for jobs in Software QA, Software Testing, Agile, Test Engineering, DevOps, Continuous Quality, Test Management, Game Testing, and more. Important: You must register for your ISTQB exams through ASTQB and our official ISTQB exam provider, AT*SQA, to appear on the Official U.S. List of Certified Testers.™


Below is a summary of the software testing career path road map above. You may also wish to download a PDF of the QA Analyst and Software Tester Career Path / Software Testing Skills Path.

“I appreciate you letting me know about the ‘The Software Testing Career Road Map,’ it will help me in my career path.”

  • If you don’t have Advanced Level certification yet, this podcast on Advanced is a MUST: Hear a veteran IT pro describe:
    1) Why you shouldn’t fear the Advanced Level testing certification exam,
    2) How to prepare for the Advanced Level exam, including two very important tips, and
    3) Why it’s important for your career – and your company – that you become Advanced Level testing certified. This is a podcast that will inspire you to build your testing skills and career!
  • Finally, if you want to be regarded as THE expert manager in testingExpert Tester Certification offers options that will prove you truly are the expert in your field. This requires Advanced Test Manager as a prerequisite, as you would expect.

No matter what you want to do with your career, ISTQB software testing certification has the path you need to pursue the testing career that will make you happy.

If you want more information about your software testing career path, we highly recommend our free white paper, “Which Software Testing Career Path is Right for You?

Are you a manager or CIO? ASTQB and ISTQB certification are good for testers, of course, but they are also smart for managers and companies, as they can improve quality, reduce costs, and shorten delivery times. See all of the benefits software testing certification for manager and companies.