Maximizing Your Employability as a Software Engineer in Test
Employability refers to a person’s ability to quickly find an attractive job opportunity that matches their skills and qualifications. Recent layoffs in Big Tech companies such as Twitter, Google, and Spotify have highlighted the importance of employability for IT specialists. These layoffs have shown that even highly skilled and experienced professionals can be affected by changes in the industry or company-specific issues. Therefore, it is crucial for IT specialists to be aware of their employability and to take steps to improve it.
It is important to keep in mind that, despite any advertising or rhetoric about a “family atmosphere” or the importance of employee well-being, companies ultimately prioritize protecting their business. While a positive work environment and employee well-being are certainly important, they may take a backseat when it comes to making decisions that affect the company’s bottom line. Additionally, it is important to keep an open mind about job opportunities, even if they may not align with your ideal work environment or company culture.
For some reason, open discussions about employability seem to be a taboo topic in many work cultures. I find this strange, as being aware of one’s employability can lead to a sense of agency and control over one’s career. This, in turn, can increase the employee’s well-being and foster a positive attachment to the company.
An employable software engineer in testing is a professional who possesses the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to excel in the role of testing software systems. In today’s highly competitive job market, employability is a crucial factor for both job seekers and employers. In the field of software engineering, employability is determined by a combination of technical skills, soft skills, experience, and luck.
Technical skills are essential for a Software Engineer in Test. This includes knowledge of programming languages, software development methodologies, and testing tools and techniques. In addition, a good software engineer in test should have a strong understanding of software design and architecture, as well as the ability to write clean and maintainable code. Test methodologies such as unit testing, integration testing, acceptance testing, and regression testing are also important. Automation is becoming more and more important in software testing, so it is essential for software engineers in test to have experience with test automation frameworks and tools, such as Cypress, Supertest, and Gatling. Bug tracking and test management tools such as Jira (+ extensions), TestRail, and TestLink are also important.
Soft skills are also crucial for a Software Engineer in Test. These include communication skills, problem-solving abilities, ability to work well in a team, self-reliance, and assertiveness. A software engineer in test must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, and to work collaboratively with other members of the development team to ensure that software meets quality standards.
Employers often seek candidates with a significant amount of hands-on experience. For individuals seeking their first job in the IT industry, this is often considered the most important factor. Other considerations include formal education and certifications, but their relevance may vary.
In conclusion, employability is a crucial aspect for Software Engineers in Test. To be considered employable, a candidate must possess the necessary technical skills, soft skills, and relevant experience to excel in the role of testing software systems. Employers seek candidates with a combination of formal education, on-the-job experience, and certifications. To improve employability, Software Engineers in Test should focus on continuously developing and expanding their skills, knowledge, and experience, with an emphasis on domain-specific knowledge. Additionally, it’s important to remember that while companies may advertise a “family atmosphere” and prioritize employee well-being, ultimately, protecting the business is the top priority for them.
Actionable advices to assess your employability:
1. Find job offers with conditions and salary you aspire to and:
- Assess your technical skills: Evaluate your knowledge and proficiency in programming languages, software development methodologies, and testing tools and techniques.
- Evaluate your soft skills: Assess your communication skills, problem-solving abilities, self-reliance, assertiveness and the ability to work well in a team
- Do you have real examples of the things you’ve done in order to confirm the above? DONE is the key word here. It’s not about the things you have CONSIDERED improving.
2. Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or former employers you trust. Obtain an unbiased opinion from individuals who have worked with you in the past or are currently working with you.
Tags: soft skills, testing thoughts
Categories: Testing thoughts
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