Need Suggestion - ISTQB certification

I’d start by asking what’s the return on the investment if I do take any certification.

I got the foundational level a few years ago, but I did it primarily as at the current company it was part of the QA career path and one of the requirements for a promotion - plus the company refunded the cost of the certification to me after passing.

In outsourcing companies, where testing is done in a more traditional way knowing the ISTQB lingo can be helpful, but you can just read the syllabus for that (for free) without paying for the exam voucher.

More traditional enterprises might look favorably at people with this certification, while startups and smaller companies generally won’t care if you have it or not. I noticed some jobs (mostly in Europe) list having an ISTQB certification as a nice to have.

Personally, I found the ISTQB materials a bit too dry and opinionated, since you already have working experience and likely have your own opinions, there is no harm in reading it, but for more junior testers it can be harmful as it can give them an unrealistic image of software testing.

The exam is tricky and it takes time to prepare for, I felt like I was back in school while studying for it.

At the end of the day, analyze your unique situation and decide if it’s worth the time and money it will cost you, or not.

EDIT: I just noticed that I already replied here in the past :man_facepalming:

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