Protecting Your QA Job: 8 Things to Do Now

With the rapid changes in governmental policies, economic indicators, and AI, what does that mean for your career?

If companies are faced with tough personnel decisions, they will ask these types of questions:

• Who has the best skills?
• Who shows continuous improvement?
• Who can learn new things and take on new roles?

This is why adding ISTQB certifications and AT*SQA micro-credentials is smart for your career:

• If the economy stays strong, you’re ready for promotion.
• If it weakens, you’re protected.

You’ll never regret becoming more qualified. But you might regret doing nothing, especially if it leaves you among the least qualified for jobs and promotions.

ASTQB and AT*SQA have resources that protect you:

1. Start with the article, "3 Ways Software Testers and Managers Can Be Ready for Economic Highs and Lows".
2. See your options in the QA career path.
3. If you don't have ISTQB Foundation Level certification, get it immediately. Then, add the other certifications and micro-credentials that work best for the career path you've chosen.
4. Visit the Software Testing Job & QA Testing Career Center - it has a tremendous number of resources to strengthen your career.
5. If you work for a consulting or testing services company, add your company to the AT*Consult™ directory.
6. If you want to advance your career, see the video about how to get promoted in software QA.
7. If you are between jobs, add yourself to the AT*Work™ List of Testers for Hire and watch the video about what to do if you've been laid off. 
8. If you're interviewing, see the list of software testing job interview questions.

Take action now, so you are ready for anything. "Doing nothing" isn't a good strategy because you don't want to find yourself among the least qualified for future jobs and promotions.

Learn Why the QA Manager for Holiday Inn Vacations Has Seven ISTQB Certifications

How do ISTQB certifications help a QA manager? We spoke with Sam Panwar, IT QA Manager for Holiday Inn Vacations based in Orlando, Florida. Listen to our short podcast in which Sam tells us:

• How he uses his ISTQB certifications in his job
• How they help his career
• How he prepared for his ISTQB exams
• Why he recommends that others get their ISTQB certifications through ASTQB

Listen to the podcast now and learn how you can use ISTQB certifications to help your career advance.

Add Your Company to the Testing Services and QA Consultants Directory

AT*SQA has launched a new directory of software testing services and QA consulting companies, AT*Consult™. You can:

• Find testing services and QA consulting companies with software testers with proven QA knowledge.
• Add your company to AT*SQA AT*Consult.

Get Extra Career Benefits With Your ISTQB Exams

ASTQB & AT*SQA give you extra benefits with each ISTQB exam:

• Get Extra Recognition: You can appear in both the Official U.S. List of Certified & Credentialed Software Testers™ and the ISTQB successful candidate register.
• Improve Your Global Ranking: You will increase your level in the Testing Tiers® software tester rankings.
• Get Career Assistance: You can add yourself to the AT*Work™ list of testers for hire any time you are between jobs.
• Prove Your Specialty QA Knowledge: You get a free software testing micro-credential exam with each ISTQB exam purchase.
• Help Your Company: You can add your company to the AT*Consult™ list of testing services & consulting companies if applicable.