Education Needed
However, before you can starting working for a major company and eventually earn a six-figure salary, as this is common for those who work for large companies and corporations, you'll need to acquire the right degrees and certifications for your professional career. There are several educational paths to follow, but the most basic one involves first obtaining your bachelor degree in quality assurance so that you can qualify for QA software engineer jobs.
The CASQ vs. CSQA Certificate
A bachelor degree in quality assurance or a related major allows you to sit in on the certification test that will designate you as a Certified Associate in Software Quality (CASQ). Even though a bachelor degree is not required for this certification as you can earn it by completing as little as three years of formal education, the majority of employers like to see that you've finished your degree. This entry-level certification is two parts and tests your knowledge in software quality concepts and related information.
On the other hand, the other certificate you can earn to qualify for engineer jobs in QA software is the Certified Software Quality Analyst, or the CSQA certification. For this certificate, a full college-level degree is required, but these candidates also need experience in the information services field. You have to be currently employed in this type of a field to sit on this exam, which is four parts in length and covers topics such as quality control and assurance, security, leadership and planning, as well as processes for the improvement of software.
In addition to both of these certifications needed to work in QA software engineer jobs, individuals may need to recertify every few years to keep their validations current. Additional courses in the field and re-taking exams are the best ways to retain either of your software quality assurance certifications.
Jobs that a Quality Assurance Specialist Does
Whether you work internally for a corporation or an outside agency in one of the many QA software engineer jobs, your basic responsibilities will be the same. The main function of the software quality assurance personnel is to test, inspect, and review software based on different procedures and controls. For example, intentionally throwing "bugs" into the mix ensures that the software has been built to withstand whatever errors occur in a real, live environment after being sold on the market. The entire software quality assurance industry is designed to prevent "bugs" from occurring in the first place, though, which is less expensive than fixing them before they're found later.
Tests and Procedures Used by QA Testers
There are many responsibilities designated to those performing engineer jobs in QA software industries. Aside from preventing "bugs" which may be indicative of real-life scenarios, quality software assurance testers are responsible for performing a number of other different tasks and tests on the software which they're testing.
The different kinds of tests involved with QA software engineer jobs include black box and white box testing, unit testing, functional testing, as well as stress and load testing. Black box testing is essentially testing the software based on its requirements and functionality without using the program's own code or design. On the other hand, white box tests do use the program's code to validate the software. The many other different types of tests that quality assurance analysts and testers must be familiar with loosely involve these two versions of testing in environments where functionality or additions to the software has been added.
All things considered, QA software engineer jobs require a thorough education in the field and plenty of experience. Getting your foot in the door by working for a smaller, third-party agency may be the best way to start out and 'test the waters' to see if this field is for you. As you progress further in your career, though, years of experience performing a quality job definitely plays in your favor if you want to work for larger corporations and earn a higher salary.
