2010 Issue #1

What led to your career in testing? This month we hear from three leaders in the software testing profession about why they became testers, and realize that their reasons are as diverse as the testers themselves.

Articles in this issue:

What Led to Your Career in Testing?

Editor's Note: One of the most popular features in ISTQB Certification News is our profile of your fellow testers. This issue we feature multiple testers as we focus on perhaps one of the most interesting questions ...

What led you to your career in testing?

"Discovering that someone had a manageable, repeatable way to test software."
Gerald D. (Jerry) Everett, PhD, CTFL

"Like many testers, I fell into it. I had worked as a programmer for sophisticated financial and scientific applications, and answered an ad looking for someone to create automated tests for Unix systems. I found I was good at the technical aspects of testing, and gradually rose into test management roles."
Rex Black, CTAL

"After being a software developer for 13 years, I was assigned to a project where the client needed a test team leader for a new system being developed at their company. They figured that since I had written a test plan as a developer and had read a book (Software Testing Techniques by Boris Beizer), I was qualified. So, for the next year I immersed myself in learning what quality is, and more specifically, what software quality is. I soon realized that this was an opportunity to build a consulting practice, so in 1990 I started consulting on my own in the field of software testing. "
Randall W. Rice, CSTE, CSQA, CTAL

What led you to your career in testing? Share your story on ASTQB's Facebook page.

Making It Easy to Go Global

You already know that ISTQB software tester certification is accepted globally - that's why it's the most popular software tester certification in the world. Now it is even easier for everyone in your company to take the same U.S. version of the ISTQB exam thanks to ASTQB's partnership with Kryterion. So regardless of whether you are in New York or New Zealand, Kansas or Kenya, there is a test center nearby.

Start standardizing the exam procedure across your entire company, saving time, money and hassle, by visiting the ASTQB website or see the list of locations directly here. Questions? Just let us know at info@astqb.org.

Survey: 89% of software testers more valuable to their organization after ISTQB certification

Certified software testers report that since receiving their first ISTQB certification, they are more valuable to their organization, and more systematic in their testing.

In a survey of 219 certified software testers by the American Software Testing Qualifications Board (ASTQB), 89% indicated that they are more valuable to their organizations since receiving their first ISTQB software tester certification. 83% of software testers also indicated that they are now more systematic in their testing.

"These survey results suggest that ISTQB software tester certification provides a framework for professional development that is valuable not only to the testers, but also to their companies," said ASTQB President Patricia McQuaid, who leads the non-profit U.S. board for ISTQB software tester certification. Over 110,000 software testers worldwide currently hold ISTQB certifications.

"We believe that our rigorous exam development and comprehensive, free syllabi and glossary resources help make ASTQB's certification uniquely practical and useful for software testers and their companies," continued McQuaid. The 76-page Foundation Level syllabus, 114-page Advanced Level syllabus and 43-page glossary of testing terms are available at no charge at the ASTQB website, www.astqb.org, as are sample Foundation Level question sets.

ASTQB Board Member to Keynote TestIstanbul

ASTQB board member Rex Black will be the keynote speaker on the first day of the TestIstanbul conference, one of the most important global events in the region comprising the Middle East, South East Europe, CIS Countries, and North Africa. TestIstanbul is also offering a special discount of 25% to participants registered via ISTQB member boards. The event will be held in Istanbul, Turkey on May 6th–7th. Learn more at www.testistanbul.org.

Keeping Up with Your Colleagues: Most Testers Planning on Advanced Certifications

81% of those responding to ASTQB's certified tester survey said that they planned to pursue more advanced certifications. If you are among them, you'll find the following resources helpful:

ISTQB Certification Road Map

ISTQB Advanced Level Certification Syllabus

ISTQB Standard Glossary of Software Testing Terms

Software Testing Publications

ASTQB Accredited Course Providers

Special Offers from ASTQB Accredited Course Providers

ALP International: Register 2 people for training class & exam July 19th and add a 3rd for FREE! Call 301-654-9200 or email training@alpi.com to register. Offer ends June 30, 2010.

ProtoTest.: We will pay for your ASTQB Exam! For course dates and details go to www.prototest.com/training. Mention this ad when you register. Offer ends July 31, 2010.

RBCS, Inc: Receive a 15% discount off of any product (books, reprints, live training courses, e-learning courses, exam preparation guides) at RBCS Software Testing Resources. Use Promo code ASTQBNEWS10.

STAREAST: Save up to $400 on your registration by using promo code ATEV if you register by March 26th! Call 888.268.8770 or register online.

TCT Computing Group: Register 3 people in the same ISTQB class, send the 4th person for free! Email training@TCTcomputing.com to register the 4th person. Offer expires June 30, 2010.

Certification Training/Exams Coming to an Area Near You

If you would like to receive notification when ISTQB Certification training and exams are in your area, simply enter your request at: http://www.astqb.org/general/newsletter.php

Below is a list of scheduled public ISTQB certification exams. Details are available at the ASQTB website at http://www.astqb.org or by contacting the ASTQB office at info@astqb.org.

What Would You Like to Learn About?
As always, we welcome your feedback and criticism. Let us know what we can do to help make you and your company better at software testing at info@astqb.org.

About ISTQB Certification News
ISTQB Certification News is a free software testing newsletter from ASTQB providing news, analysis, and interviews for the software tester community. Feel free to forward to colleagues or ask them to subscribe at: <http://www.astqb.org/general/newsletter.php>

Non-profit, non-commercial publications and Web sites may reprint or link to articles if full credit is given. Publication, product, and company names may be registered trademarks of their companies.

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