Let’s Find A High-Level Software Tester

Hiring testers today is really a great challenge. Low-quality candidates and long interview process may transform a search into a grueling procedure. So we decided to create a short guide which will make the hunting process easier.

How can you attract candidates?

• Post a vacancy on such job websites as Indeed, Monster and Stack Overflow.
• Visit special community events. The job fair – IT Career Day may become a perfect solution. Such events take places in different cities. So thanks to them you have an opportunity to communicate with QA-sphere representatives.
• Go to testing conferences.
• Connect with testers on the Internet. Twitter and LinkedIn have a great number of testing communities, so you can participate in discussions, leave comments to the posts, and become an active user of the relevant forum.
• Create a challenge, which will encourage a person to act. If you are a software development company, a testing conundrum can be a perfect way to find a persistent person. Such perseverance will show the level of professionalism and ability of a specialist to deal with complications.

“In order to understand a candidate’s potential for development and personal growth, we simulate different situations during the selection process”.
Ann Bas, Chief Human Resources Officer at QA Madness

So, you’ve attracted enough candidates. It’s time for the screening process!

• Check the CV literacy.
  If there are mistakes in a resume, you can already draw a conclusion. A person doesn’t pay attention to the details, so probably he won’t notice small bugs;
• Find out the level of applicant’s professionalism.
  You may ask a candidate to perform a test task. The assignment will show his work style and demonstrate the willingness to deal with complex assignments. He has to know how to work with modern desktop and mobile OS.
• Pay attention to tester’s communication skills.
  The tester is required to collaborate with different people. An applicant could be a highly qualified specialist, but without decent communication skills, it would be difficult for him to become a team player. It’s essential for a tester to find a common language, both within the team and with the client. Abilities to understand one another, ask the right question and express own ideas play a very important role in building an effective work process.
• Pursuit of growth.

Not only should a tester do his work good, but he also needs to have a desire to develop and bring new strategies for the testing process.
The first impression may be false, but after communication, you will see a whole picture and give a candidate a chance, or let him go.

“The relationships in the team are very important because we spend most of our lives at work”.
Ann Bas, Chief Human Resources Officer at QA Madness

What are the qualities of a great software tester?

• Accuracy. A QA-specialist will accept his work only after meticulous testing and making 100% sure, that the object doesn’t include any errors. He has to check everything several times;
• Self-control. When something goes wrong, a tester should quickly focus and reorganize, because the quality of work depends on this;
• Realism. It is not always possible to find 100% of bugs, the tester should understand this and be able to convey such information to his superiors;
• Trainability. The willingness to learn new skills and develop existing. The tester must always keep up to date and improve his skills in order to be able to perform his work in the most effective way;
• Impartiality. A tester has to assess his project soberly and be a good judge. All his decisions have to be accompanied by a valid reason.

So, you have finally found the one. What can you offer him? The testers pay great attention to such benefits, as:

• flexible working hours;
• a possibility of remote working;
• opportunities for professional development;
• the compensation payment;
• an advanced hardware.

It’s not easy to find a high-level QA professional and strong personality, who will become a breath of fresh air and improve the testing quality, but it’s real.