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  • Is Manual testing coming to an end very soon? Something new in discussion!

    iamzero

    Member

    Updated: Oct 26, 2024
    Views: 2.7K
    Hi.

    I know this has been discussed many times and asked everywhere on web, but i want to discuss something new here also seeking advise. My first post here was when i was 3 months old in IT and today i am 1 year old, so you would bet on my points.

    I am a manual tester and recently understanding and studying the trends in the industry. Automation has reached to such a extent where in if your product is stable and developers are regularly doing dev testing, little is left for manual guys and hence ignorance + insecurity regarding job and future. They might need you for some time but ultimately in manual 3 years experienced can be matched with 6 month old fresher just because (let's admit) one can write cases and find bugs.

    Coming to my query, i am pretty sure of the above thing and hence these days unable to concentrate plus in a serious dilemma over what to do. Automation is also going to reach to a point where it gets saturated and in hands of dev's themselves and ultimately testing would be done, but it might end up to a point where explicit requirement of a professional for testing would not be needed or hired at a low pay.

    @kastubh, @all: What do you suggest for guys like us? Willing to hard work and want to switch to development. Know about java basics, have easily understood Selenium, how do i move out and make a ultimate switch?

    I am pretty rigid about my understanding of testing future and hence ready to hear your advise/any success stories of successful switches. I have thought many times to leave JOB, study again and try again, but you know in India, what happens!
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  • ram_149955

    Member • Jul 26, 2015

    #-Link-Snipped-# ,

    I am glad that you realized this just after one year of experience in IT.
    I worked as a software manual tester for 4 years and worked as Automation engineer for 3 years and now working as a software developer and my total experience is close to 10 years.

    Here is my perspective/experiences of software manual testing:

    1) Manual testers are paid less than Automation testers and Developers.
    2) The number of opportunities for manual testing are less compared to automation, and very less compared to developer role. (I just searched on dice.com and manual testing shows 3367 and automation shows 8476).
    3) Here in america, 90% of manual testing positions are offered to only citizens or EAD holders. If you are on H1B and working as a contractor, you will have a very tough time in finding manual testing positions.
    4) Everybody can do the role of manual tester. One example is with the recent law which allows dependents of H1B to work, many of my friends are considering sending their wives to manual testing training.
    5) I have seen many developers changing their career to manual testing/automation testing showing the reason as that it was too much pressure to handle.
    6) If you are a manual tester, you are completely shielded from the latest development in technologies. How many of manual testers know about JSON or require knowledge of JSON for their work?
    7) If you are working as a manual tester, there are no technology events for you to attend. For example, Java developers have Oracle events, .Net developers have Microsoft events.
    8)There are differences in even in small things like you don't get admin access to your machine, the configuration of you machine will be less than the developer.

    There are two sides of coin and many people might not agree with the above points but this is my experience and I am very happy that I left manual testing and now working as a developer especially coming from Engineering background.
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Jul 27, 2015

    Well, I don't want to convince you against your beliefs and observations. I pretty much think that Manual Testing will continue forever unless the AI systems take over; but then we'd need manual testing to test the AI systems. I don't think it's happening anything in the next 20 years.

    Your question is how do you move into a software development role. If I were in your position, I'd try to find a role in my current organisation. If there's a new opening for development role in your organisation that matches your skills-set; you should make an attempt to convince your managers to accept you.

    Of course if you are a billed resource, it's going to be very difficult; but still easier than finding a position in a new company. I'd suggest the following path -
    • Identify the domain you want to switch to as a developer.
    • List out the top skills that'd be required [programming languages + tools]
    • Start with self study and if possible join a course. Aim for a certification.
    • Work on an open source project and build some experience - all while looking for new opportunities.
    • If you're good, you should be able to find a job. I'd guess there are startups that'd be willing to hire you for a decent salary.
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