What does an ISTQB certificate mean?

Software testing is now in high demand. For any IT project, the extent to which the system of testing and quality assurance (Quality Assurance) is organized at all stages of its life cycle is of significant importance. For a QA specialist, currently one of the most reliable ways to confirm their professional qualities as a specialist is to have an international certificate, such as, for example, ISTQB. In this article it will be discussed what the ISTQB certification is, how to prepare for the exam, and what the benefits are for a certified tester.

What is ISTQB?

ISTQB is an international non-profit organization founded in 2002 by representatives of 8 countries (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Great Britain), which deals with the development of the field of software testing. The organization is officially registered in Belgium.

The ISTQB organization has developed its own ISTQB® Certified Tester testing program, which allows you to get an international testing certificate.

ISTQB certification is recognized and available in more than 130 countries worldwide. Each country has its own representative (Member Board), which is responsible for the accreditation of training companies and examination centers, the quality of certification programs and the support of field examinations. In Ukraine, such a Member Board is the Ukrainian Software Qualification Board (USQB).

As of December 2021, 1.1 million ISTQB® exams have been administered and more than 806,000 certificates have been issued.

ISTQB provides three certification levels (Foundation, Advanced, Expert) and three areas for each level (Agile, Core, Specialist).

1. Basic level (Foundation — CTFL)

• the Сore direction is the basis for any higher-level certificate;
• the Agile direction.

2. Advanced level  (Advanced — CTAL)

• Core direction (test manager, test analyst and technical test analyst);
• the Agile direction.

3. Expert level (Expert — CTEL)

• Core direction (provides certification in two areas: test management and test process improvement).

The Specialist direction is highlighted separately. It provides highly specialized certification.  (usability, security, mobile applications, acceptance, performance testing and others).

What do you need to know to prepare for the basic level exam?

The material necessary for learning is divided into 6 main sections (more details here):

1. Basics of testing.
2. Testing during the software development life cycle.
3. Static testing.
4. Testing techniques.
5. Test management.
6. Tools to support testing.

The certification program is based on the Syllabus and Glossary (you can find them here for each individual level), so it is best to rely on them when preparing for the exam.

The exam, depending on the level, contains 40-65 questions and lasts 60-180 minutes. For people who are not native speakers of the language, the time for taking the exam is extended by 25%. The passing score is 65% of the total number of points scored.

The exam consists of multiple-choice questions. Taking the exam is possible in two formats: computer-based and paper-based.

You can find all the details of taking the exam in Ukraine in the FAQ section of the USQB official representative office in Ukraine.

How to prepare

Of course, you can prepare yourself, if you have the necessary amount of time and perseverance.

First of all, you can get familiar with sample questions on the ISTQB website on your own or find trial versions of exam questions on the Internet, for example, by searching for the following queries: «ISTQB Sample Question», «Foundation Level PRACTICE EXAM».

In addition, there are a lot of training sites and applications, as well as special literature, which is aimed specifically at taking the exam. Some of the useful resources and books will be listed below.

1. Literature:

• Software Testing: An ISTQB-ISEB Foundation Guide by Peter Morgan, Angelina Samaroo and Brian Hambling;
• Foundations of Software Testing: ISTQB Certification by Rex Black, Dorothy Graham, Erik Van Veenendaal;
• ISTQB Foundation Exam Preparation Guide by Rex Black.

1. Sites with online tests:

ISTQB certification exam;

ISTQB Certification Test;

ISTQB Foundation Mock Test.

1. Mobile Applications:

• Learn ISTQB - contains a glossary with a built-in search, a large amount of theoretical information based on the Syllabus, and also provides an explanation of the correct answers in the exam;
• ISTQB Training - includes sample tests, a glossary, and helpful links;
• Test Mentor for ISTQB - provides the opportunity to take mock tests, tests by section and on different difficulty modes, an available glossary and a section with useful links.

Another way of high-quality preparation for the exam that will help to save time is authorized training and trainers at an ISTQB certified training center. Preparation courses at accredited training centers meet international standards, their materials are thoroughly checked by the Ukrainian Software Quality Board. Obtaining the status of Accredited Training Provider is quite difficult, because the training center must meet numerous requirements. The main disadvantage of such trainings is that they are not free. In Ukraine, the following training centers have accreditation for exam preparation and special programs: QALight, SkillUp, CodeSpace, StrongQa-Unkaine. You can get acquainted with the training programs and the cost of training on the websites of the relevant training centers.

A lot of experts in the field of QA ask the question, is the certification of testers necessary at all.

The main purpose of certification is to confirm that knowledge corresponds to a certain level at the time of certification.

What are the other benefits of getting ISTQB certification?

• Competitiveness in employment. For some customers, especially from foreign companies, having a certificate is not only desirable, but also a necessary condition for cooperation.
• Recognition of certification at the international level. This means that the certificate will be valid for any company and in any country.
• Career prospects and pay rise. When a specialist's knowledge is confirmed by an international certificate, the management has more confidence in such an employee. He may be given the opportunity to work on more complex projects that are well paid.
• Systematization of knowledge. During the preparation for the exam, there is an opportunity to perfectly systematize your knowledge, identify weak points and fill them. When preparing for the expert level exam, more than half of the tasks are practical. Working on theory and practice helps to deepen professional skills and learn something new.
• Development of additional skills. Certificates can only be obtained sequentially: from the basic level to the expert level. And at each stage, preparation for the exam will require new knowledge, efforts and practical skills. This can become additional incentives for development in its field.

Therefore, certification for testers is not mandatory, because when choosing a candidate for the position of a testing specialist, first of all, attention will be paid to knowledge, skills and experience, and not to a certificate. But, of course, having relevant skills, preference will be given to a certified tester. The decision whether to get an ISTQB certificate or not depends only on the desire of the QA specialist, but it should be remembered that it is not the certificate itself that matters more, but the knowledge gained during its acquisition.