JobPOVs
Explore

Software quality assurance

QA Tester

Getting paid to find what everyone else missed.

Typical pay

$45k-$100k

How you get in

Self-taught or bootcamp; automation skills to advance

Outlook

Manual roles shrinking, automation roles growing

QA testers verify software works as intended, writing and running test cases and filing defects. Manual testing is the common entry point, and automation is where the pay and job security are.

A day in the life

  1. 9:00aReview the build and what changed overnight
  2. 9:30aRun regression tests on the release candidate
  3. 11:30aFile defects with clear reproduction steps
  4. 1:00pExploratory testing on a new feature
  5. 3:00pTriage with developers on a disputed bug
  6. 4:30pUpdate test cases for next sprint

How to get in

Manual QA entry

Duration

2-6 months

Cost

$0-$2,000

Credential

None — testing fundamentals and attention to detail

  1. Learn testing fundamentals and how to write a clear defect report
  2. Practice on open source projects and document what you find
  3. Apply to manual QA roles, which still hire on aptitude
  4. Start learning automation immediately — do not stay manual

Automation-first

Duration

6-12 months

Cost

$0-$3,000

Credential

None — a GitHub repo of working test suites

  1. Learn Python or JavaScript to a working level
  2. Learn a framework like Playwright, Cypress or Selenium
  3. Build and publish test suites against real public sites
  4. Apply directly to SDET and automation roles, skipping manual

QA into development

Duration

1-3 years

Cost

$0

Credential

None — internal track record

  1. Start in QA and learn the codebase from the testing side
  2. Write automation, which is real programming
  3. Take small development tickets when the team allows
  4. Move to a developer role internally, a well-worn path

What people love

  • · Most accessible entry into software
  • · No degree strictly required
  • · Path into automation, dev or product
  • · Remote-friendly

What wears people down

  • · Manual QA is being automated away
  • · Perceived as lower status than development
  • · Repetitive regression cycles
  • · Crunch before every release

From people doing it

Add yours