Have you ever faced these questions anytime in your career – What motivates you to enjoy testing? Why are you interested in software testing? What do you enjoy about software testing? Why do you want to be a QA tester?
We have compiled a list of 12 reasons and we invite you to see where you fit in.
Why do you like testing? I repeated my question as the candidate looked at me with widened eyes. Unsure of what to answer, he mentioned what Software Testing is and why it is important. I smiled.
Having spent most of my career working as a Software Tester, I used to clarify myself about what I loved the most in my job and why I wanted to continue. The ‘like’ factor wasn’t as strong, but it still assisted me in understanding my current focus and identifying areas for testing.
This simple question can open up a door of opportunities, as it gives you a better idea of where you stand as a tester and what is ahead waiting for you.
If you are a QA either by choice or by chance, known for your quality of bugs or the number of bugs, emphasizing Manual Testing or Automation Testing, whatever the case, you are playing an important role. Knowingly or unknowingly, you are trying to make the world better and that is a big responsibility.
Today, we will search for an answer to the often-overlooked question: What is it about Software Testing that you enjoy?
Table of Contents:
Why Are You Interested in Software Testing and What Do You Enjoy About Testing?
With further discussion, I am going to present a list of points about why a QA person can like his/her job. Please read on and let yourself know in which category you fit.
#1) Do you like Software Testing because it is challenging?
It sure is. Software Testing is about looking at a product from different angles, with different perspectives, and testing it with different expectations. It is difficult to develop the right mindset and to test the product with different aspects.
#2) Do you like Software Testing because it is satisfying?
It is very true. By testing the software, finding and tracking the bugs, and also through suggestions of improvement ideas, you are contributing towards the betterment of the product. It surely is the most satisfactory job.
#3) Software Testing is complex
Don’t you believe it? Do you think understanding the product and testing the same while considering different factors, like functionality, performance, security, GUI, and many others, is an easy task? Along with that, nowadays, it has become more complex due to Mobile Applications.
To cover the vast range of devices available and to check the application’s behavior in terms of response time and usability is a big challenge.
#4) Software Testing is a process
As Software Testing starts with understanding requirements and continues with document preparation like test plan, test strategy, test cases, execution of test cases, preparation of test reports, and test summary, a cycle of process is followed and it makes the task (=testing) more fruitful.
#5) Software Testing is about improving quality
The ultimate purpose of software testing is not to find bugs but to make the product qualitative. As a tester, you are contributing to improvements in product quality.
#6) Software Testing is about finding defects in others’ work
A critical attitude surely helps in software testing. If you like to find faults in others’ work, software testing is the job for you. But remember, the attitude should be limited to work and should not affect your relationship with colleagues and personal life.
#7) Software Testing is about understanding the customer
Isn’t that correct? A good software tester is one who understands what a customer wants, who studies the market, who understands the latest trends, who provides relevant information to the client, who interprets how important the product is for the customer, and ultimately who can be in customer’s shoes and work on a product.
Software Testing is not just the mechanical execution of 50 test cases per day but understanding the importance of test cases and tweaking them as per requirement and analyzing results to provide the best.
#8) Software Testing is about building confidence in the product
How do you help the developers and organization by doing Software Testing? By testing the software, you are finding bugs and analyzing products from different perspectives, which helps to make the product better and thereby helps in growing confidence regarding the product developed.
#9) Software Testing is about learning fast and implementing new ideas
Yes, software testing is the most interesting job because it throws challenges at you every day.
You have to stretch your mind to understand something, to find out how it should work and how it should not, to study the general behavior, to improve the analysis power, to learn new tools, and to implement the learning in real life. This can rather be stated as software testing revolves around generating ideas.
This is the only field in IT where you have to apply several ideas to do your work. You have to look at the bigger picture and understand how badly end users can handle the product and have to imagine what the end user’s expectations are. Easy, isn’t it? No, not at all.
#10) Software Testing is about deciding the priority
As a software tester, most of the time you experience being pushed to complete the task ahead and early. Development and defect fixing during initial testing rounds consume the majority of the estimated product time.
Ultimately, you are left with almost no time and you own a big responsibility of signing the product as “TESTED”. To handle these kinds of situations, understand the priority and have to work and convey accordingly.
#11) Software Testing is about analyzing data and providing results
As mentioned above, software testing is not limited to executing test cases. One has to understand the results, has to generate a matrix and also needs to analyze a product’s behavior accordingly.
#12) I have to like it as I do not see any other option
I really hope no one would go for this option. Software testing is an ocean and no matter at which point you are sailing your boat, you are surely going to face the strong winds and splashing waves.
But ultimately, my friend, who wants to sit on the seashore and keep looking at boats? So, love your software testing job as you are doing something best rather than just earning.
Suggested Read =>> Write a Killer Software Tester Resume
Conclusion
Finally, after reading these points, what do you feel? Why do you like testing?
Tune in by identifying the factors you like or choose from the list above that explain why you enjoy testing. Your response is eagerly awaited.
Was this helpful?
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To tell the truth I belong to the #12th kind of testers and I am looking for arguments that would definitely convince me to this path. I started my career in IT quite late and I am searching my place in this field. Personally, I do not like to find faults in anyones work, but I am very meticulous and like to pay attention to the quality of work. I think most of the points you mentioned apply to software development, too, so I am still not convinced, what is better in testing than i programming. Perhaps I should not compare the two professions, but they have some common points. I have a little experience in testing and I can see that the developers are treated as more “important”, because they actually develop the product. Perhaps I will change my mind when I get more experience, but now I am looking for inspiration for this career. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Hi, I found your article very useful for those who want to understand why Testing matters. There’s another reason I would add: because this job of QA fits one’s personality – curious, with a critic’s eye and attention to details. A tester finds defects and must be prepared for discussion & negotiation with developers and/or managers – good position for one with a combative streak. QA is also good for those who like to deconstruct or tear things down. One destroys things to improve them, for example when finding bugs. And one builds when code is written for automated testing, behaviour is documented and knowledge is passed on to the future. The QA engineer should know best how something works.
Thanks for offering the opportunity to think about it, Bhumika.
@Mustaq Shaikh, @Neha, @Kishore, @Kristina, @Laxmi, @Sheryl, Gaurav, @Preeya, @Dilip, @Vamsi,
Thanks a lot for your continuous readership !!!
Quality…boss…Quality…
I like testing because testers play one of the most vital roles in Software Development from the start of the projects, unlike earlier days where testing was performed at the end or during the later part of development.
I like it for all the reasons except 12 🙂
I agreed, Software testing is about:
– Finding bugs and analyzing product from different perspectives to enhance the product with an ultimate goal of “building confidence in the product”
– Meeting daily challenges to enable one understand something, to find out how it should work and how it should not, to study the general behavior, to learn new tools and implementing the learning in real life. This results/boosts knowledge/idea creation
I am a manual tester for past 7+ years. Till this date I have no experience in writing test cases, traceability matrix, bug report, performance testing. After reading this section titled ‘why do you like testing’, now I am feeling very bad.
For past 3 months I have started reading Software Testing Help. Now I have some idea about test case, testing.
Can anyone help me in sorting my issues.
My way of testing is entirely different. Everything I am doing is by manual. For testing I create my own testing checklists. Nothing is documented here.
I really want to do testing like you people. I will feel more happy If I am able to follow the professional testing procedure.
I love testing bcoz as an end user, i have been testing and using applications for a while and i know the mindset and current market trend.hence thought why not take Testing as my carrer rather than developing.
Hi Bhoomika,
I really liked this post. Thanks to you 🙂
And I like testing because of these reasons 1,7,9.11…
I like cuz i think it help developers. they cant see this thing that i can see.
Please keep sharing with us.This is just awesome
That is an interesting comment from angel – how do developers treat testers? I have never experienced any issues in all of my 5years testing.
@Scott,
Thank you very much for your suggestions.
Lekshmi
Hi,
Iam new to this group.I have a doubt that is there any testing available for Google analytics.
is google analytics present in webpage /not?
Thanks in advance for the support
Lakshmi
as per me following two points suit me
–> Software testing is about finding defects in others’ work
–>understanding the overall picture and think from end user perspective
Regards
Thanks Bhumika for an interesting article.
I like Testing due to #1-5, 7-11 in above article.
I have selected this field by choice as I found I am oriented towards Quality. This is a very challenging field and opportunities to learn new domains (through that the businesses) and also tools and technologies are galore.
Started with business analysis, manual testing and then now graduating to other types- i18n, API, Load Testing etc.
Every stage in STLC thrills me. This is a field in which we will get to learn continuously.
“Why do u like testing” this is a good question.Because of no one don’t know why did I choose this field.Towards Quality is quality.I feel we are in more responsible position.
I liked 5,7,8,9,and 11th reasons
nice article
I like testing because of reason # 2.
Thanks Bhumika for sharing your valuable experience with tester community.
Please keep on sharing your valuable experience with us.
Thnaks once again…..
Hi Bhumika Mehta,
Thank you very very much for your suggestions.
Starting today with the following for testing now onwards:
1. Test plan
2. Test cases
3. Test scenarios
Thank you very much for motivating me.
Lekshmi
All the points are really nice.. Either by chance or choice.. just love your job…
Thanks bhumika, the article is very good. I agree with all points.
To add on my view why I like testing.
Apart from performing all testing work, I really enjoy in performing the real time scenario \business scenario testing is very interesting, needs a lot of analysis .I mean tester understand how the product is used by customer in their day to day life & how it is helping them or making their life easy. what are the issues , how to over come those issues.when we work close to business we will be able to understand how testing is important and adding value.
Hi..
I like to work as a software tester because I born for testing only.
and Testing is a process where tester has to think a lot, and I am a kind of girl who want to imagine and think a lot and only after imagination analysis comes…and this two are the main objective of testing…that is imagine and analyze the defect…
Testing is the gateway of the Software/Application with quality for whole world or customer. Tester is guard that gateway.
but i have 1 question to ask u guys..
is that developer is more important than tester? becuase one of my friend in development fieid always said i am earning more than you as developer.. that question is always there in my mind.. pls suggest
Software Testing is in demand for every company planning for digital transformation and has a lot of scope in it.
Great work….
A simple question->Why Do You Like Testing?
which leads to why & what we were doing it for these many days…
Nicely explained it as 12 Reasons.
Note:
You Should have mentioned about automation testing too, which emerging now and avoiding time consuming.
The feel we get at the time executing first automated test case which was done by manual for long years.
Thank You Bhumika 🙂
I like testing because .it is dedicated job to rectify defects.thinking innovatively to accomplish new easy ways of testing.etc…
I believe author asked this question to experienced tester(as opposed to fresher) !!
Thanks
I like the article and agree one have to love his Job..
@ amit rai:- Start with you tube videos and ISTQB material. Clear the various levels over the years. After that you if are interested do a domain certification then go for any particular domain like BFS, Telecom etc..
but it hurts the way developers treats testers . rest other things are very good in software testing
I’ve been a software QA/tester for more than 3 years already. It broadens my knowledge on how to test a specific software in different platforms, devices, versions of iOS and others. It’s not just testing it manually but at the same time how to automate it. Documentation is one way to improve the testing process as it will also helps tracking the regression bugs in the near future.
your following answers admired me most
I am proud to be in software testing, it has been close to 10 years i am in this field, enjoying my profession. article is good, many will not even realize the technical expertise that we could get being in software testing profession!! 🙂
agree with this one
#11. Software testing is about analyzing data and providing results
I like testing,because customers when they buy new products or using applications they start testing first whether its working or not . So as a tester ,I feel we are in more responsible position ,to think as per Customer perspective and finding defects so that improving the quality of product.
Testing gives you a chance to stop successful release and that makes you feel important in the project. 🙂
@Jim, @Sid, @Praveen, @Hirak
Thanks for your readership.
One more reason can be… Testers don’t loose their jobs quite often as developers.Companies always have for testers to work upon.
Please correct if I am wrong!!!
QA’s role is not only to find the bugs but also to give wonderful experience to customer.
Awesome, each point convey each message, which helps me to love my job more………
i like all the points that makes me even more stronger in testing feild thank you for u r valuable points
Hello all,
Very nice article on a simple question “Why do you like testing?”. I like all the points.
@ Bhumika and all other readers
I also agree with @ ‘angel’ for the comment “…but it hurts the way developers treats testers.”
I am also feeling the same.
Please share your experience.
Do developers has same mindset in your organization?
Angel and Lekshmi hit home for me. Manual testing experience seems the dregs of the testing world in the automation driven workplace we live. Yet, with understanding of manual testing you are able to wrap your mind around the Agile Methodology along with applying automation to redundant regression testing freeing manual testers to Human break test- fix scenarios. What do I love? Working to have the customer get the best experience possible.
i think the software testing is not a job it’s a Responsibility and so think this is really good platform to work as tester because we provide the quality software by performing various type of testing ,and also improves standard of organisation.
Hi,
Thanks for the article. It is very useful for me as I am restarting my career after 4 years of gap and appearing for interviews. Though I worked as Software Developer for 1 year, I want to switch my career in testing.
So I joined a certification course also. But in interviews, I was asked this question and also “why you want to switch in Software Testing”. And I get Stuck in one of my interview.
But your article is much helpful,
Thank you Bhumika.
Hi, in my case, I did not opt for testing but it came on my way and no other options to go far. so i continued remaining in it. may be i am in the last option which is not the correct way according to you. But i have to remain somewhere in any of the skills. According to me, surviving in IT is very very much challenging. In this field , either you have to flourish or else you will die to its at the most poorest level. So, if one can not flourish, just get out and look for some other field.
I like 4, 5, 6 and 11th one…
@Bhumika Mehta- Hello ma’am. I must say that all the twelve questions that you have answered completely justify the reason we need testers today. We can think out of the box and more importantly it gives us a chance to think ourselves as a user and test the product with whatever way we like to see its functioning.
Thank you very much for giving such answers which prove as a motivation for many testers.
I also like software testing for all these reasons 🙂
Software testing is also about improve requirements and software scope.
I have the abilities for software testing in my DNA.
Hello,
I had done my BCS in 2009 and PGDBA course in Marketing and HR and also i have 5 years experience in marketing field but now i want to join in software field as a tester please help me out how can i get job?
@Lekshmi,
Thanks for following us and your readership.
First of all, stop feeling bad. You are testing and making the product ultimately.
Regarding process to follow, you will be able to find numerous material available online. If your organization is not following the formal procedure, you can start with it. You have to take initiative.
From now onwards, when ever you receive some testing work, prepare a brief plan about how you are going to achieve it. After that start documenting test cases / test scenarios, as time permits.
Also, what I believe is, if you want to learn and follow something, no one can stop you, especially the initiative is for good. Talk with your management and start learning pace fully at personal level too.
I like reading all articles from softwaretestinghelp. It always encourages me and makes me aware of many things. I like testing. I am currently doing manual testing.
Hello mam,
Simply wow !
feeling so much relaxed after reading your points, as I am also planning to go ahead with software testing and all my doubts are cleared.
Thank you for sharing.
Here are my favorites from what was mentioned above: 2,5,7,8,9,10,11 🙂
My project manager said to me once ” Remember one thing : Testing is not all about skill , it’s about attitude”.
Particularly for these reasons, i can say proudly, “I’m a QA and love testing”
1.software testing because it is challenging
2.Software testing is complex
3.Software testing is about finding defects in others’ work
4.Software testing is about learning fast and implementing new ideas
Also every time visiting STH, boosts up my passion level even more.. 🙂
as i am mca fresher and i want to make my career in testing this article give me immense help to start my career.
I like testing because I can get creative, some of the most fun bugs I found were those where I had to use my imagination and think at a use case that the developer could have never imagined, but we all know that the users don’t follow rules.
Agreed all above points.
Really Good explanation. i like it.
I m.fresher
@Anisha , @Anisha , @aearavind , @Inderdeep
Thanks a lot for your readership!!!
@Supriya, @Kesavamoorthy, @Samir, @Anija, @Angel, @Gabi,
Thanks for your readership and thanks for commenting the encouraging words.
I like software testing because it gives me feeling of being Software Detective.
Huge thank you,that was very helpful.
I like my Software Testing job as an Every moment i have to face the new challenges & find New Bugs to improve the Product “QUALITY” that’s my job.
AND Thanks for sharing such Good Points which will Help me in growth of my Career….
can anyone suggest me how to start my career in testing as a fresher..i have not done any certification.
Born to break the S/W.luv my job<3