The Software Quality Profession Series:

June 19, 2008

Alejandro RamirezCSQA, CSTE, Six Sigma Yellow Belt

Clarification: what this is not about

Objective: what this is about Justification: what you will get

from it

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Your career is your responsibility Its future starts with a planDifference between jobs that fit you

vs. jobs with potentialMove at the speed of business but

don’t miss your trainDon’t wait, make it happen

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How to get started Are you thinking about it? Are you already there?

Skills neededTools neededSelf-assessment

Where I am vs. where I want to be next?Follow-up

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Career Paths are based on: Education Experience Company Competencies Choices Aspirations

Career Stages are determined by: Experience Competencies demonstrated Skills acquired Results Memberships / affiliations

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Professional Certifications are based on: Body of knowledge Education Experience Your Company

Professional Certifications can help you: With your Career Path With your Job With your Company

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QC Tester Developer/Tester Automation Engineer Test Manager Test Director Consultant

QA Quality Analyst Process Engineer Auditor/Inspector Quality Manager Quality Director (CQO) Consultant

Levels Individual Contributor Lead Manager

Expertise Junior Senior Expert VP

Certifications QAI▪ CSTE, CMST, CSQA, CMSQ

ASQ▪ CQA, CQIA, CQPA, CSSGB, CSSBB, CSQE,

CMQ/OE ISTQB▪ CTFL, CTAL

IIST▪ CSTP, CTM

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Competencies QC Test Environment Test Management Test Planning Test Execution Defect Tracking &

Reporting UAT Offshoring & Outsourcing Automation & Tools Continuous

Improvement Measurement Teams Communication Quality Management

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Continued… Quality Models Baselines QA Quality Planning Auditing Data-Driven Analysis Voice of Customer Six Sigma Quality Deployment Process Management Project Management Statistics DFSS Training &

Development

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Tips Self-assessments: books, CBOKs, Myers Briggs. Education: degrees, certificates, continuing ed. Certification: the right one for you. Networking: Chapters, SIGs, conferences,

online. Achievable goals: Write it in “doable” mode. Consider the Options: Pro-Cons Worksheet Get the facts: salary, bonuses, career growth Make it Serious: Job Commitments Don’t forget: Reward yourself!

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Conclusion Remember: It’s your career Introspection: where you are now The future: where you want to be in 1, 5,

10 years Make it doable Reward yourself

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Choosing the Right Certification for your Career

June 2008Alejandro RamirezCSQA, CSTE

Certifications QAI: http://www.softwarecertifications.org/ ISTQB: http://www.astqb.org IIST: http://www.testinginstitute.com ASQ: http://www.asq.org/certification/ PMI (PMP): http://www.pmi.org/ Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/default.mspx Java: http://www.sun.com/training/certification/java/index.xml

Books and other materials Pro-Con: http://www2.bc.cc.ca.us/counseling/careercenter/procon.html Effective Methods for Software Testing http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Methods-

Software-Testing-2nd/dp/047135418X Software Quality Assurance From theory to Implementation

http://www.amazon.com/Software-Quality-Assurance-Theory-Implementation/dp/0201709457 Do What You Are: Discover the perfect career for you through

the secrets of personality type http://www.amazon.com/What-You-Are-Personality-Type-Revised/dp/0316880655

MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-Briggs_Type_Indicator

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