Hereās an excellent writeup:
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Regarding the ISTQB foundation, I didnāt think much of it. Out of date, far too easy and largely irrelevant for modern testing practice. A bit of a scam tbh. I did do the ISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst exam however and found that an order of magnitude harder, with much better and more fulfilling content. I think thatās how the ISTQB roll. An easy foundation cash cow and much harder, more informative and respected advanced and expert qualifications.
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So, would the majority of people then agree that certifications are probably a good thing for really junior testers who are still breaking into the profession, but less and less useful the longer youāve been working (and have a lot of successes on your CV), except where it relates to a new subject (e.g. your past work has been all in Waterfall and you now want to break into Agile)?
If someone like me, starting out, does want to do the ISTQB Foundation course, what price should I reasonably expect to pay? Iāve seen prices from Ā£15 - Ā£800, a huge range!
I donāt know, but I wouldnāt. Then again I havenāt been junior for a very long time, maybe the industry has changed to the point where not having an expensive and valueless sheet of paper means not getting any job. Iāve never had one and Iāve never needed one and Iāve turned down work where itās a requirement, but thatās because of my situation and my own needs - Iād rather work for a good company for less money, and Iāve always been stable enough to turn down work. Iād say that they are a bad thing for new testers, but perhaps, unfortunately, currently necessary.
Depends on whether you want to do a full course or go for self-study and just pay for the exam. I went down the latter route a few years back, the test was about Ā£200 IIRC . This was mainly because I was trying to get out of the job I was in and a lot of the jobs that were around mentioned it as a desirable. As an aside, I found it odd that quite a few jobs advertised as tester roles I looked at had Comp Sci degree or equivalent as a must-have, but specific testing qualifications desirable. I did once respond to an agency whoād contacted me by saying that the job spec theyād sent through seemed to be written for recruiting a junior developer, not a testerā¦
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Thanks for your reply.
Iād like to do self study to keep costs down as itās me paying for it. I donāt have a Comp Sci degree or an IT background as such. Iām hoping if I do this Qual and if I perhaps volunteer my services somewhere, Iāll be able to get a junior/entry level job eventually.
I did my test electronically using Pearsonās version; the BCS website lists test providers but I canāt remember off the top of my head whether you can search for a local test centre there or whether you need to go to the providerās website. I also bought the standard textbook from the BCS, but there are other alternatives out there. If you do decide to pay for your own ISTQB then make sure you stress that youāve done this when applying for jobs, it shows willingness to learn and take the initiative to further your own career. Good luck!
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Thatās a great point. Yeah, I think Iāll try and do the Pearson version; think I can do it in Brighton, not too far from home.
Thanks again for your comments!
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I may be in an audience of one with this opinion but I think that as we move even more towards automation and CI/devops and rely on greater tech skills employers will move towards recruiting those with tech-specific certs and/or CS/SE degrees. The ISTQB, especially the foundation cert, will become irrelevant.
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In Estonia for participation in some local IT projects the ISTQB foundation level is required, especially if customers are public enterprises.
"Khoisanā - Iām impressed!
Software testing certification is really very worthy if you want to get job in QA. Because, if you are a fresher and wants to start career in Software Testing then certification adds value to your profile and the chances of getting jobs also get increased on rapid rate in software testing companies.
There are many benefits in functional testing service companies if you are certified in software testing:-
The value will increase in recognition and job opportunities.
It will enhance your skill set and boost up your technical knowledge.
If you are going for an job interview, then interviewer might ask questions related to certification.
If you are working in any MNC in India, then you might get refund for exam fees after completing certification.
If any candidate is fresher and does not have IT background then earning a foundation, expert or advanced level certification is a cost-effective way of proving that you are knowledgeable in this field.
If you working in any project based companies and there are some projects in which clients may asks for only certified professionals. So in that case, you could be considered for that opportunity.
Certification is very much important if you want to have a holistic growth in leading software testing company as well as in your professional life. There are so many certifications in the testing field based on the experience level of the candidate:
Cast (Certified Associate In Software Testing)
ISTQB (Foundation Level, Advanced level and Expert Level)
CSTE (Certified Software Test Engineer)
Hope this information is helpful for you.
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That distinction is one I also draw between the content of a course and the certification itself.
The course represents the possible knowledge you may choose to try to gain. Anyone sent against their will (e.g. they need it to apply for jobs that require it) may not learn anything. If the course is poor they may not learn anything or may learn bad habits and weak heuristics. The quality of the course and the engagement with it determines actual, real-world improvement.
The certification is a claim about its holder, usually a level of skill or applicable knowledge. The quality of a certification is in how accurate its claims are. The number of people Iāve met who have a good university degree from a reputable institution, but have a lower level of skill and applicable knowledge than those who do not (and vice versa) tells me that even a set of industries that are built and designed to specialise in the affordance of learning and testing through examination (schools, universities, exam boards, and associated groups) cannot tell me if someone is going to be good at something.
Iām happy if a course is instructive and well designed with practical application of accumulated knowledge, and Iām happier still if someone engaged with it and practised what they learned so they can apply it in a valid context, and Iām ecstatic about courses that set out to educate above providing paid access passes to interviews, but itād take a lot for me to believe any of it based on a certification. Iām just too jaded.
If someone goes on an IIST course and it makes them an awesome tester who can explain their test framing to me and clearly tell an engaging story of testing then Iām over the moon. But theyāll still have to prove it to me after Iāve just interviewed a university educated candidate laden with certifications who tries to argue with me that context has nothing to do with the value of test activities.
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I have the ISTQB Foundation and the BCS Intermediate certifications, I had to go through them as part of being placed into a test manager role during an IT reorganisation.
Do I refer to them, use the reference material or open the booksā¦nope not really. Sure some of the bits and bobs are kinda funā¦boundary value analysis or state diagrams, but really a whole certification for just those little pieces?
In my opinion certifications are not worth it. Although I have been tester, test manager and currently test leadā¦I still have an enormous amount to learn, testing is an ever increasing field of knowledge. To say that Mr X is a great tester because he has ISTQB or another cert is madness. Sure looks pretty on your CV, but bears absolutely no relation to how good you are as a tester.
Sadly, it appears that in many hiring companies itās requested as a needed skill (really a skill??). Where I am now it forms part of the progression plan for a Junior Test Analyst to Test Analyst, just seems I cant escape it all sigh
Are they worth it??? I havenāt read everyoneās comments and apologies if I repeat but the answer to this question is twofold.
WithIN the actual testing community ISTQB Foundation seems to hold little cred. I paid a firm a ridiculous amount of money for a 2 day course, sat the exam, passed but never really referred to it again.
Trying to get an interview with a recruiter who knows nothing about testing but seeās certification as a means to verify āhow good you areā seems to be the norm, so it can potentially open doors to someone starting out.
On the other hand I sat the CAT course which was an intensive 4 days hands on and 1 day of practical and written exam (yes I passed) which I have referred to extensively. I guess it depends on what kind of methodology your company/team uses.
Everyone needs to make that judgement call about whatās best for their own professional roadmap. As for myself the learning will never stop and the key to a good tester is being darn curious about EVERYTHING 
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Love itā¦maybe needs to be on a T shirt 
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From my perspectiveā¦ i buyed the book for the CTFL, to prepare myself and started into working in QA some weeks laterā¦
One of the main criticism iĀ“ve heard against the Certifications is that they are outdated or not close to reality. I can say that if you read the CTFL-Book and start in an agile team, working as a tester - you can relate to the criticism but to nothing of the book 
(imho)
Same boat. Just under the required pass mark.
Constantly being asked when my contract ends by companies, and how I could be tempted to new projects at a senior level.
If I am not challenged, or find an interest in a project, Iām not willing to move.
Sadly, it appears that in many hiring companies itās requested as a needed skill (really a skill??). Where I am now it forms part of the progression plan for a Junior Test Analyst to Test Analyst
This sounds so familiar. I think it may be safe to say that some companies, no matter how āup-to-dateā they say they are, are simply recycling the old truisms, and ignoring the fact that things have moved on, and that experience and knowledge count for very little, as the people doing the searching and/or hiring donāt know enough about the posts theyāre filling!
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