7 Skills Software Testers Need to Master

7 Skills Software Testers Need to Master7 Skills Software Testers Need to MasterSoftware testers detect and eliminate bugs in mobile apps and computer programs. One of the biggest challenges facing testers is the rapid development of technology and constant programming changes that cause more and more new bugs. Since software testing is one of the most rapidly changing (and fast-growing) industries, its crucial that you keep up in order to succeed. Below youll find seven skills (not all of them technical) that all software testers need to master.1. Social NetworkingSocial networking has become vital for all industries- and software testing is not an exception. Social networking is a great tool that can simplify your collaboration with other testers, make communication with clients more convenient, and, most important, give you an access to numerous resources.2. ProgrammingThis may sound obvious, but a good tester has to have at least some understanding of how the product she is testi ng works from inside. Only knowing how everything should function can you find the bugs and fix them.3. Using Different Techniques and ToolsThis is one of the most significant skills since being aware of the most efficient testing tools and techniques is not only your key to success but also a great opportunity to make your workflow simpler and more enjoyable.4. Software Lifecycle ManagingGaining knowledge of SDLC and mastering software lifecycle management skills should help you understand and manage your tasks easily and more efficiently. It will help you to handle tasks of different complexities and take the necessary measures as early as possible to avoid many mistakes.5. DevOps and Agile MethodologyThe main benefits you get from mastering DevOps and Agile methodology are simplified and convenient models of interactive and collaborative working. DevOps gives an opportunity for cross-functional teamwork, while Agile makes the testing process much faster, which is why this methodo logy should come in handy for all testers.6. ReportingApart of possessing vital technical skills, a good specialist should also master a few additional skills that include reporting, documentation, and planning. These are important for organizing the workflow wisely, planning the main steps, keeping track of the work that has been already done, and reporting about the current position of the project.7. AutomatingWhile this skill may not be essential for many beginners, it does come in handy when the complexity of your projects increases with some complex and serious projects, you should not rely only on manual testing. Automation will help you get the work done efficiently and quickly.Joshua Robinson is a blogger and expert writer at Custom Writing. He has many years of experience as a specialist in the field of software testing.

Heres One Way to Disclose a Layoff to a Hiring Manager

Heres One Way to Disclose a Layoff to a Hiring ManagerHeres One Way to Disclose a Layoff to a Hiring Manager2I recently received a LinkedIn message from a professional named Susan who had been studying the Lynda.com course, Recovering from a Layoff. She welches in a tricky professional situation and needed some guidance on how to disclose a layoff to a hiring manager whod just offered zu sich a position with a new company.What follows is her question and my response, printed with her permission. If you find yourself in a similar situation, perhaps this method of disclosing your layoff to potential employers will work for you, tooThe Dilemma How to Disclose a LayoffBrie,I started watching your videos regarding being laid off and I need some guidance on how to handle a potentially sticky situation. I was given notice that I would be laid off in April of this year. Id already started searching for a new job due to huge changes happening to the company such as my hiring manager moving ou t of the country, our team leader leaving the company, the company president retiring, and the company laying off people throughout the year. I had only been with the company for a year and a half.I met with a hiring manager at a different company and we hit it off instantly. He asked me why I wanted to leave my current company. Instead of saying, Im going to be laid off in 30 days, I said my decision was because of all the management changes. Now Ive been offered the job and accepted.My question is this How do I share this information? There is a 30-day gemeinsame agrarpolitik between my final day of work at the last company, and my start date for the new company. They will be doing a background check so I feel it might be prudent to mention it to the hiring manager prior to HR discovering the gap. This is the best offer and opportunity Ive had in a while. HelpBest Regards,SusanOne Way to Open Up About Being Laid OffFor a bit of background on the advice below, heres some great insi ght from career expert Alison Doyle, whowrote about what employers can say about former employees for The BalanceBecause of defamation laws (defamation is slander or libel), companies are usually careful about what information they provide to hiring managers confirming employment or checking references. What they say has to be the truth or the company can be subject to a lawsuit from the former employee. Concern about lawsuits is why many employers will only confirm dates of employment, your position, and salary.Hi Susan,Congratulations on the job It sounds like youve done all the right things in your search so far, and I think you handled the initial question about your decision to leave your old company wonderfully. Ultimately, it was because of massive changes happening within the company and was 100% outside of your control or your professional abilities.The human resources department at the company you were laid off from may choose not to tell your new company why you left. Typ ically, they are instructed to only give employment dates and to verify that you did, indeed, worked for the company.If you totenstill feel like you need to tell your new manager, you might say something like, After I made my decision to find a new job, I found out that the company was going to start laying off workers so I was glad Id already decided it was time to go. Its not untrue, and I think it covers your bases.Let me know how it goesBrieA Successful Conclusion for SusanSeveral weeks after we initially interacted, Susan wrote to let me know how the situation was resolved, and why the details of a job search truly matter.Hi Brie,Things worked out well when I decided to not disclose to my prospective employer that I was being laid off. Only when I wanted to move my start date up, did I share with my new boss that I opted to take a package and thus the reason for the start date change. Thank you for your response and guidance.It was your article initially that gave me insight an d confidence that I had made the right decision Thank you for all that you do, because finding a job at times can be extremely challenging and every word and decision matters.Regards,Susan

Making Obsolescence Obsolete

Making Obsolescence Obsolete Making Obsolescence Obsolete Making Obsolescence ObsoleteIf the long rinse cycle on your dishwasher fills you with angst about the Earths dwindling resources, rest assured, youll soon be able to pour in the Cascade with a little less guilt. Thanks to the Department of Energys new energy standards, by May of 2013, every new dishwasher will use no more than 307 kilowatt hours of energy a year and less than five gallons of water each cycle. In addition to feeling good about your shrinking carbon footprint, you just might save a little on your electric and water bills.That is, if youre still using the same dishwasher in 12 years.Unfortunately, a new dishwashers lifespan is roughly what you get out of a dogabout nine years. Whether the vita breve can be blamed on the use of cheaper parts for competitive pricing, new electronic controls that fail after prolonged proximity to heat, or plain old planned obsolescence, theres a good option youll be sending your lat est purchase off as landfill before the decades out. The energy and environmental costs of manufacture, of mining materials, of production, of shipping, and finally, of disposal, are not factored into the new efficiency standards and are left largely unregulated.Reliability StandardsYes, there are some things we can make that will last an incredibly long time, but theres not a business incentive to do that, says Fred Schenkelberg, a reliability engineering and management consultant. Washing machines are classic for that. Cast iron machines from the 1950s, they still work. They were way over designed, they had one switch. Today, washing machine manufacturers know that if their products last ten years, the customers will be happy enough to buy the same brand as a redistribution policyment. So they make it lighter and cheaper and itll fail before the eleventh year. Theyre optimizing how much it costs to deliver the product versus the perceived value the customer gets.Life expectancy of different home appliances.Source Appliance MagazineWhats good for business is not necessarily good for the customer, or for the world. So why not regulate the waste in the first place? Is there some way to pass standards for reliability and durability? Could planned obsolescence itself be legally controlled?Durability regulations are not entirely unheard of they just tend to address smaller scale issues. In 2012, for instance, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued new durability standards for cribs after two infant deaths. In Europe, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive forces companies to responsibly recycle electronics. Cutting down the satz of product replacement could be as important for the safety of children as the construction of their beds.There are ways to slide this into a DOE spec, says Chris Carpenter, director of sales at ReliaSoft, reliability software and consulting company. If there was a sticker that said Life data analysis indicates this product has a reliability of 99 percent with 80 percent confidence boundaries over a period of five years, that would be awesome. Id love to get a washing machine and see that.In essence, this would be the Consumer Reports model. They ask what kind of repairs consumers have, they do tear down, product testing, and so on. Its a bit of science and a bit of art, says Schenkelberg. I dont think it would be difficult to do. The challenge is, can we standardize it enough? Another challenge is the cost to manufacturers, and the government, of coming up with, and testing standards for, the wild variety of products available to todays human.Warranty WoesA simpler solution might be the government-mandated warranty. For the auto industry, the federal government already dictates how long seatbelts should last (five years or 50,000 miles) as well as any part having to do with emissions (two years or 24,000 miles). In Italy, consumers are guaranteed two years of service for any newly purchased c omputer.This would benefit not only the world and the consumer, but, at least in some cases, business as well.In the 1990s, HP was losing billions of dollars thanks to warranty returns. Those losses were dramatically reduced with a simple solution extend the warranty. When you increase the warranty, it increases the uncertainty of the product. You have to make more estimates, so designers tend to buy more robust parts, and the products have a larger safety margin for durability, says Schenkelberg. It works.For those that balk at more government intrusion, the simplest answer may be enforced transparency letting the consumer know what is to be expected from a product. The DoE is saying that the efficiency regulations will cause the industry to lose 13 percent of its value, 85 million dollars, says Sofie Miller, a policy analyst at George Washington Universitys Regulatory Studies Center whos been critical of the supposed savings to the customer that are said to come with the new dishw asher regulations. Its interesting that those choices dont fall to consumersyoud think they would say, Hey, Ill be saving money.Many manufacturers already routinely test their products for reliability, and they have a good idea how long theyre going to last. But forget trying to pry that information out of them. You can ask anyone you want how long its going to last, they wont tell you, says Schenkelberg. The actual failure rate of a product is still a trade secret.With the manufacturing and technology industries practically dependent on the expiration dates attached to their products, its hard to imagine a truly sustainable world without some kind of authoritative intervention. Yet there is no one pushing for such a change. If the true cost to society was reflected in the price, it would make the purchase prohibitively expensive, says Schenkelberg. Somewhere theres a balance. Im not a policy maker, but I can conceive of it happening.Michael Abrams is an independent writer.Yes, ther e are some things we can make that will last an incredibly long time, but theres not a business incentive to do that.Fred Schenkelberg, reliability engineering and management consultant