Why QA Is the Best Job in the World

In 2018, anthropologist David Graeber published a book called Bullshit Jobs: A Theory. The message of this book is that work is our main tool to influence the world. We need to get involved in some kind of activity for a harmonious life. Work allows us to be useful, complete, and ultimately happy. We are happy when our work involves helping others or caring. If you take a look at the list of the happiest jobs in the world – you will be surprised – the job of a QA specialist comes second after a researcher.

Software is an integral part of our daily life. Applications surround us, we work with programs on computers and smartphones. Software is everywhere we go. QA’s job is to make this software work flawlessly by catching bugs before the user does. QA specialists check the operation of the system and its compliance with the requirements. They report defects if found any, to the developers. This is how they change the world for the better by finding bugs.

You can treat QA work in many ways. Some people find it too monotonous and boring. Others, on the other hand, see something creative there. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, it is the work of a QA specialist since 2014 that has been ranked first in the list of the happiest jobs according to Forbes. What makes it so appealing?

1. High Salaries

QA is a well-paid area. Newbies usually earn from $70,000 per year, and experienced professionals can earn $100,000. The salary of an automated testing expert reaches $115,000 and above (Data from US salary statistics). This is why many consider QA to be a great way to get started in IT. Such work has many advantages because it is constantly growing and developing dynamically. A QA specialist can grow with the industry. You will keep up with time, earn good money, and be surrounded by young ambitious professionals.

2. It Won’t Take Long to Study

QA is a promising area. The demand for QA specialists is not decreasing, which means that you can still enter this “brave new world”. The basics can be learned in a month – working in QA is not very difficult. You can start from scratch, you can take courses from a software company. After graduation, the most successful students are usually invited to work.

3. The Work of a QA Specialist Does Not Lead to Professional Burnout

The work of a tester involves testing the product, assessing the risks, improving the quality of the product, planning and analyzing the test results. These are not very difficult tasks. Unlike other office jobs that are often tedious and make people feel a burnout, QA rarely has to work overtime. In addition, the work is not stressful, there is enough time for the project – all this is not nerve-racking.

4. Good career prospects

After gaining experience in manual QA, you can try yourself in other areas, for example, in automated testing. It will take time to study it since working in this area requires deeper technical knowledge, but nothing is impossible. You can also develop in business analysis or programming. Or even become a project manager. IT is a promising field, and perseverance is always rewarded.

5. It’s cheap

The tester must know the basics of testing. Knowledge of test classification, methods, and tools, test scenarios is essential. All of this can be learned in courses along with the acquisition of useful skills. Universities still do not produce such specialists, although the relevant disciplines are studied as part of the curriculum. Most courses are available right now – you can take them and pay for them later. There is no need to wait.

The tester must improve the software. Quality assurance specialists are like detectives, their mission is to find and fix bugs. The product must meet the requirements of users and customers. QA pays well and offers career opportunities. QA professionals rarely suffer from burnout due to the nature of their work. Moreover, training in this area is inexpensive and available at any time. A tester is a multifunctional specialist. Companies value good testers highly. The ability to work remotely is another clear benefit. Do you want to become a QA specialist? Take SPIN CAREER courses right now!