Or, a lesson in overkill.

I’m sitting the ISEB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing exam in November. Now, there’s quite a lot of controversy in the testing community about whether such things are worthwhile, what do they really test, does it devalue or enhance the field of Software Testing, etc.

I have read and agree with some of the more prominent bloggers who like to shout down certification in general. So why sit the exam? For one, I’ll be better placed to comment on the exam and course, having actually experienced it and sat it, rather than booing from the sidelines. Most of all though, and why I suspect a great many people decide to sit this themselves, it’s to enhance my CV.

It’s all very well putting an argument together about why test certification is or isn’t this or that, but think about this very real scenario: an employer advertises the position of Software Tester and mentions ISEB/ISTQB or equivalent body certification as a requirement for applying. Sure, you could get an interview without the “right” qualification, if your career experience is good enough, say, but is a prospective employer really going to want to hear your ten reasons why you didn’t think the exam proves anything? Some will, perhaps, but most won’t. They will simply wonder why you’re not up to it.

I was inspired to start this blog partly by James Bach’s provocation that “we need better testing bloggers“. Well I hope I can live up to that. Please tell me if I don’t.

On a side note I was quite impressed with just how quickly you can be up and running with a new blogging account. In fact I’ve spent longer editing these few lines than setting up the account…