ISTQB certification. Part 1: to be or not to be?

As our last study shows: education and diplomas, unlike experience and work format, have almost no effect on the level of remuneration of a QA-specialist. But is it really and then what is the point in obtaining an ISTQB certificate? Why obtaining a certificate may be more profitable for an employer than for a specialist? Is ISTQB worth the time and money it will have to pay for its delivery? We will try to find answers to these questions in the first part of our article on ISTQB certification.

What is ISTQB, ISTQB certification levels and whether you need it

ISTQB is a non-profit organization that deals with the development of software testing, founded by representatives of 8 countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK.

ISTQB Tester Certification - a program that allows professionals to obtain an international certificate for testing.

As of December 2018, the ISTQB organization conducted 830,000+ examinations and issued more than 605,000+ certificates that are recognized in 126 countries of the world.
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That sounds great, right? However, is certification really necessary? What are the advantages of having a certificate for testing specialists and what opportunities does it offer?

Which ISTQB to choose?

First, let's look at the certification options for testing specialists. ISTQB offers 3 levels of certification and 3 directions for each of the levels according to the matrix:

What you need to know about the choice of levels and directions:

1. Foundation level (F) of the Core direction - the basis for any higher level certificate.

2. Level F of the Specialist direction - for it highly specialized certification is provided: usability, mobile application, performance, acceptance, model-based testing, etc.

3. Level F and Advanced (AD) Agile areas - the demand for certificates of this type has increased by more than 20% over the past 2 years.

4. Level AD - certification is provided for / by:
- test managers;
- test automation engineers;
- test analytics;
- technical test analytics;
- security testing.

5. Expert level (EX) - involves certification in the areas of test management and improvement of the testing process.

By the way, when choosing certification levels for the direction you need, refer to the information of the main ISTQB site, since On the sites of providers there are inaccuracies in the description.

Talk about the benefits

From the point of view of a Qa-specialist, certification is:

1. First of all, confirmation of qualifications and professional suitability by international experts in the field of testing, and this, in turn, provides access to new labor markets. At the international level, the certificate is recognized in 126 countries of the world - a paradise for remote work or a prerequisite for relocation.

2. Improving competitiveness in the labor market: although most employers do not require an ISTQB certificate from applicants, about 55% of test managers say they would like to have 100% certified personnel (ISTQB_Effectiveness_Survey_2016-17 study) .

3. Confidence in the future. The certificate does not guarantee top salary for employment or automatic promotion of work, but it is a kind of “fireproof sum”, below which your work will not be assessed.

4. Expansion and systematization of knowledge in the field of QA. Certification is a great way for a QA specialist to increase and enrich the knowledge of testing. And if you are an experienced tester, then update and streamline knowledge in the subject area, including through international standards and industry methodologies.

From the company's point of view, certification is:

1. Additional competitive advantage in the market: companies with a staff of certified experts are much less likely to provide low-quality consulting and QA services, which has a positive effect on the reputation and flow of new orders.

2. Bonus for participation in large tenders: the availability of certified specialists gives an advantage to companies when participating in competitive selection in relation to tenders.

3. Risk reduction: the presence of a certificate indicates that the specialists are proficient in testing methodology, and this reduces the risks of poor-quality test analysis and can increase the speed of testing by optimizing the number of test scenarios.

4. Advantages on the international market in providing testing services for software intended for foreign customers and foreign software.

5. Growing competencies within the company through mentoring and training non-certified professionals recognized international standards in the field of testing.

For companies there are some more interesting bonuses and directions offered by ISTQB:

1. ISTQB International Software Testing Excellence Award


International Software Testing Award for outstanding long-term achievements in software quality, innovation, research and promotion of the software testing profession.

Award winners - experts in the field of testing and development, the authors of research, new approaches to testing.

2. Partner Program (ISTQB)

The program recognizes organizations with demonstrated commitment to software testing certification. The program includes four levels of partnership (Silver, Gold, Platinum and Global), and the level of partnership of an organization is determined by the number of certification points it earns (Eligibility Grid).

What features:

1. Inclusion in the list of partner organizations on the ISTQB website.
2. Mention of the organization on the websites of the National Council of ISTQB members or exam provider.
3. Privileges for events and conferences related to ISTQB.
4. The right to receive a beta version of the new ISTQB Syllabi program with the ability to contribute 5. to the preparation.
5. Honorary membership in the exclusive "ISTQB Partners Forum".
6. Mutual recognition of ISEB and ISTQB certification.

3. You, as the organizer of the QA event, can apply for participation in the ISTQB Conference Network

In turn, ISTQB places information about the conference on the official website, and event organizers participating in the Conference Network offer a discount:

• holders of ISTQB certificates for participation in the event ;
• Partner Program Partners.

4. Publication of research in the field of testing in the Academic Research Compendium "ISTQB Academic Research Compendium"

5. Collection of examples of best practices in the field of testing from around the world. ISTQB Academia Dossier

It is a collection of examples and practices of companies and institutions from different countries in cooperation with ISTQB. For example, the development of a new direction in the light of testing development trends in the country (Canada), the development of ISTQB certification among students (Czech Republic).

What do testing experts think about ISTQB certification?

Opinions of specialists of the Quality Laboratory.

Angelica Pritula (ISTQB CTAL-TA Certification), Leading Testing Specialist, Quality Laboratory:

- What motivated you to receive this certificate?

- This is a necessary requirement abroad to get a serious company with a tester. I then lived in New Zealand, I was hired by an organization that produces anesthesia control system for operating rooms. The system was approved by the NZ government, so it was imperative that the tester be certified. The company paid for the surrender of my both certificates. All I had to do was prepare and pass.

- How did you prepare?

- Download free tutorials from the official site and prepared for them. I prepared for the first general exam for 3 days, for the second advanced exam - 2 weeks.

Here I must say that my experience is not suitable for everyone, because I am a developer by education. And by that time I had been working in software development for 2 years before going into testing. In addition, I have English almost at the level of a native speaker, so for me it was not a problem to prepare and pass exams in English.

- What advantages and disadvantages do you personally see in the ISTQB certification?

- The advantages are indisputable, this certificate was required everywhere when applying for a job. And the presence of an advanced certificate in the test analysis later became a pass for work at the Ministry of Economics of the NZ and then at a Microsoft subsidiary.

The disadvantages here are only the high price. If the certificate is not paid by the company, then the cost is palpable. When I donated, the usual cost $ 300, and advanced - 450.

Artem Mikhalev, account manager of the Quality Laboratory:

- What is your opinion and attitude towards ISTQB certification?

- In my experience, this certificate in Russia is received mainly by employees of companies participating in tenders. As for checking the level of knowledge during certification, I think that this is a good preparation.

- Please tell about tenders in more detail.

- As a rule, to participate in tenders, you need a certain number of certified employees in the company. Each tender has its own conditions, and in order to participate in it, it is necessary to fit the criteria.

Yulia Mironova, companion of the course Natalia Rukol "Comprehensive training system for testers under the ISTQB FL program", holder of the ISTQB FL certificate:

- What sources did you use in preparing for the exam?

- Preparing for exam dumps and using the integrated training system (PSC) for ISTQB from Natalia Rukol.

- What advantages and disadvantages do you personally see in the ISTQB FL certification?

- The main plus: the person had the patience to study and pass the theory - it means that he is committed to learning, he can get used to new projects and tasks.

The main drawback is the outdated course curriculum (2011). Many terms are no longer used in practice.

2. Opinions of specialists from different countries:

And what do experts in the field of software testing and development from the USA and Europe think:

“Creative thinking is more valuable than certification. In a hiring situation, I usually prefer a person who has the most direct experience, instead of a certified specialist. In addition, if certification of a certified specialist does not add value to work, it becomes a negative indicator for me rather than a positive one. ”
Joe Coley Mendon, Massachusetts.

“Certificates can help in selecting the best part of specialists in the labor market, from which you can then choose a subset that really meets all the requirements. Certificates are not a panacea for problems with recruitment and will not be a reliable, iron guarantee that an employee has the necessary skills. ”
Debashish Chakrabarti, Sweden.

“Does having a certificate mean that the project manager is a good specialist? Not. Does this mean that he is interested in wasting time on himself and promoting the profession through continuous education and participation? Yes".
Riley Horan St. Paul, Minnesota

Link to the original article with reviews.

3. What happens in the labor market: is certification necessary in the field of testing when applying for a job?

We took as a basis publicly available data on vacancies with LinkedIn and analyzed the ratio of requirements for certification of specialists in the field of testing to the total number of vacancies in the field of testing.

Observations on LinkedIn labor market analysis:

1. In most cases, certification is not a requirement when applying for a job as a testing specialist.
2. Although certification is issued indefinitely, there are requirements for restrictions on the time of receipt of the certificate in the vacancies (Certified ISTQB Foundation level).
3. Applicants applying for jobs with high qualifications in specialized areas of testing are required to have a cherished piece of paper: self-testing, test analysis, test management, senior QA.
4. ISTQB is not the only certification option, equivalents are allowed.

findings

Certification can be a requirement for individual companies or on government projects. When deciding whether to obtain an ISTQB certificate, you should focus on the following realities:

1. When choosing a candidate for the position of specialist in testing, experience and knowledge will be decisive, and not a certificate. Although in the presence of similar skills, preference will be given to a certified specialist.
2. Certification helps in career development (for 90% of managers, it is important to have 50-100% of certified testers in a team), in addition, in some foreign companies obtaining a certificate is a pretext for salary increase .
3. Certification helps to increase your self-reliance . It also helps you develop the ability to think about things from different angles, you grow as a specialist.

In the first part of our article, we tried to answer the question: “Is the ISTQB certificate really necessary?”; and if so, to whom, which one and why. We hope that the article was useful to you. Write in the comments - have any new horizons opened to you after receiving the certificate or, in your opinion, ISTQB is another useless piece of paper.

In the second part of the article, QA-engineers of the Quality Laboratory, Anna Paley and Pavel Tolokonin , will tell you personally how they were prepared, registered, tested and received ISTQB certificates in Russia and abroad. Subscribe and follow new publications.

Anna Paley
Test manager of the company "Quality Laboratory".