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If you have been a tester for a while, you might be thinking about becoming a developer.
A tester can become a developer. However, a tester should have a good knowledge of at least one programming language before becoming a developer. This is usually a win-situation for the company and for the tester.
This post will explain what you have to do to become a developer.
Table of Contents
Can You Move From Testing To Development?
You can certainly move from testing to development.
But, to present yourself as someone prepared to make the switch, you need to show that you have contributed substantially to development projects, taking on a role of leadership and adapted to developer culture.
While you may have a wealth of experience in testing, it is not a guarantee that you will have a successful career as a developer. The skills you applied as a tester might not translate to the skills you need as a developer.
However, that should not put you off as a tester who aspires to be a developer in the future. The transition requires being ready psychologically.
It would help if you had proper preparation from the first step to ensure that the process of transitioning does not disappoint you at any point.
The switch requires you to have a proper set of skills. You cannot just wake up and venture into something you are not prepared for in terms of skills.
You need to have equipped yourself with the desired skills to at least form a foundation for your development tasks. Gaining information might not be a challenge because many sources will provide you with sufficient information.
The most important thing will be acquiring the fundamental skills for development tasks. Your involvement in development projects will be essential. This will be a step closer to your ambition of becoming a developer.
You need to learn the concepts of development to avoid getting into a field you have not practiced at any time. The challenge is engaging in these projects is that you have to be in leadership roles.
This translates to hitting the ground running. You have to be good at learning and, at the same time, select a team that would give you a lot of freedom to learn.
The person you select to work with must be good at dispensing information to ensure your success in the development field.
It is crucial to note that most of the developers we have in the developing industry started as testers and moved to development and so this is not a mission impossible.
You can make it. The skills that enabled their transition are transferable skills that they learned from other developers. Therefore, the emphasis on a team that is ready to teach is very crucial.
Another crucial objective that you need to achieve is adapting to the culture of developers. In every field, there is a way that people do their job, and the developing industry is not any different.
Seek the ways of the industry from those that have been in the industry long.
You can do this by messaging someone experienced in the field on LinkedIn or search in your network to see if anyone they know is a developer and ask them about it.
The whole narrative of moving from testing to developing has the same path: passion, willingness to learn, and adaptability.
How to Transition From Testing To Development?
Most of the developers in the industry transitioned from testers to developers. Every journey to unknown domains is a difficult one because you do not know what to encounter on the way.
The fear of the unknown is one thing that you have to conquer first. You have to believe that you can do it in the industry and cast all your fears away.
As a tester, maybe you have dealt with developing but not the complicated aspects. Now you need to have it in mind that you are pursuing development as a career now. There may be problems that you previously did not notice. You need to put all your skills, knowledge, passion, desire, and talent into the equation.
It would help if you have a change of perspective in this field.
There is such a similarity between testing and development, but it is crucial to change perspectives.
You must register in mind that you are in a new field with new advanced goals and objectives.
Persistence will help you in the transition between testing and development. As a developer now, you have to believe that leaving things in between is a no.
When things get more challenging, and you are at a point where you feel that quitting is an option, focus on your goals, and you will find the transition smooth.
Benefits of Having a Tester Experience for Development
Product Quality: a combination of knowledge from two disciplines will automatically assure you of a higher quality than working with concepts from one source of information.
Been a practitioner of testing and then transitioning to development means that the quality of your brand will be high, and that translates to more money.
Having quality products will create an excellent reputation and a strong brand image, which is important for the long-term objectives of the business.
Customer satisfaction: When you are selling products of high quality, you are assured of happy customers. Customers always look for the value of their money, predominantly in terms of the quality of the product and service.
When you are an expert in testing and development, you have all it takes to satisfy your customer needs, unlike the time you only know about development. In this case, quality of service and product is guaranteed, hence, happy customers.
User experience: Before putting a product on the market is essential to run a test. Only testers can do this. You can imagine developing a product, and at the same time, you know to test it.
This means the chance of the product being suitable is very high.
All that is needed to develop the product is available, and it is a plus having a tester experience for development.
Business optimization: Having a tester’s experience in business results in business optimization.
This means customers will be happy due to the high quality of products, having an excellent customer retention level, an improved brand image, and incurring little costs of customer service.
High profits: Having high-quality products means a lot for the success for a business. Quality products attract high numbers of customers, and that means high volumes of sales.
This translates to high income and reduced costs of customer service. Every company dreams of this profit. Having a tester’s experience for development is a crucial aspect of every business.
Why Would You Want To Move From Testing To Development?
Having both the skills of testing and development is a great idea. Being a developer, there are some aspects of development that you will not have until you practice testing.
Equally, when you are a tester, there are some elements of development that you will not have until you become a practitioner in development.
Gaining both of these skills is a plus for a business in terms of quality products. The nature of the current job market is another aspect that may require you to move from testing to development.
At times, you find that the only job in the market is that of a developer, and maybe the company with the opportunity is willing to give you a chance to learn developing.
In addition, having both skills expands the number of jobs you can apply that are not limited to just being a tester or just being a developer.
Conclusion
A tester can become a developer. It all depends on the reason and willingness to make a transition. It would be a wrong idea to stay where you are not comfortable.
Moving to the respective area you want is the way to go. At the end of it all, there are so many benefits of transitioning.