To pursue a rewarding career in manual testing, you will need a well-written and professional resume. A great resume is designed to highlight your professional strengths, technical capabilities and positions you as the right candidate for a manual testing role. In this guide, we will take you through the intricate and systematic process of making a manual tester resume that successfully articulates your professional experience, skills, achievement and academic background.
The Role of a Manual Tester
Manual testers check the efficacy of a software program without the help of automated testing. Even with the multiple automated tools available, the significance of a manual tester to identify and resolve certain technical issues cannot be discounted. Here is a brief overview of the roles and responsibilities of a manual tester.
Test Planning
Manual testers are required to collaborate with developers and company stakeholders to design and create test plans that meet their business requirements. This involves defining the scope of the testing process and the strategy required to attain the test objectives
Test Case Design
Developing detailed test cases based on specifications and design requirements is one of the core duties of a manual tester. Test cases outline each step of the data driven testing and the expected result for test scenarios.
Test Execution
A manual tester is responsible for executing test cases manually for efficient defect tracking within a software program. This involves checking the software's user interface and verifying the application is working as expected
Reporting defects
One of the main tasks of a manual tester is to document the defects, inconsistencies found during the manual testing and communicate the same to the development team. A manual tester is required to provide screenshots and necessary logs to prove the existence of the issue.
Regression Testing
Once the software developers have addressed and fixed the defects and bugs, a manual tester needs to perform regression testing. This ensures that the changes made by the software developers doesn't negatively impact the overall functionality of the software.
User Acceptance Testing
One of the most important tasks given to a manual tester is to analyze the software from an end user's point of view. This helps the company better their product and align it with meeting design expectations and make it more user-friendly.
Cross-functional Team Collaboration
Manual testers are required to work with other teams like the product development team as well as managers, business analysts and other stakeholders to contribute to the overall improvement of the software development process.
Resume Example for a Manual Tester
The best way to illustrate what a good professional manual tester resume looks like is by providing you with a sample resume for senior and junior manual testers. Let's dive in.
Senior Manual Tester Resume Sample
Junior Manual Tester Resume Sample
How to Write a Good Manual Tester Resume?
The key to getting the manual testing job you desire lies in your resume. Your manual tester resume needs to reinforce your suitability for the role by highlighting your skills, qualifications and strong professional background. Here are some key pointers to keep in mind before you begin writing your manual tester resume.
- Choose a correct resume format that highlights your professional strengths
- Add your contact details and personal information in the header section of your resume.
- Ensure your manual tester resume summary provides an apt introduction to your resume.
- Only list your relevant work experience and don't forget to mention your key professional achievements.
- Maintain proper tense throughout your resume. Use the present tense for your current job and past tense while detailing your previous jobs.
- Opt for bullet points and strong action verbs to describe your role and responsibilities as a manual tester.
- Mention all your relevant manual testing skills to highlight your eligibility for the position.
- Details your educational background clearly.
- Maintain consistent formatting and a uniform professional tone throughout your resume.
- Customize your resume before each job application to align with the job description.
- Complement your resume with a targeted and well-written cover letter.
- Proofread and examine your resume thoroughly before saving the final version.
Choose the Right Resume Format
The first step to making a great resume is picking the right resume format. The resume format plays a huge factor in how your key professional information is presented to hiring managers. It can play a huge role in leaving a lasting impression with your potential employers. There are multiple formats available and we will be taking you through the three main resume formats which can work well for a manual testing resume.
Chronological Format
The main focal point of a chronological format is the work experience section. In this type of resume format, your prior experience is listed in a reverse chronological order starting with the most recent job you have held. This format works best for candidates with a linear career progression and strong work history in the same professional field. It is also important to mention that this format is favored the most by hiring managers and recruiters.
Functional Format
The functional resume takes a different route while highlighting your professional strengths and qualities. This format focusses on paying attention to your technical skills and qualifications rather than your work history. This format is recommended if you have a non-traditional professional background with huge gaps in your employment history. It also works for candidates who are changing careers and want to draw more attention to their professional abilities rather than their work history.
Hybrid Format
The hybrid or combination format blends the main features of the chronological and functional formats. In this style of resume, you have the option to give equal importance to your skills as well as your work experience. This format is suited for candidates who would like to present both their skills and experience as their strong suit to potential employers.
The Important Sections of a Manual Tester Resume
Every professional resume contains the same important sections that provide recruiters with your pertinent professional information that they require during the recruitment process. This information needs to be provided to a potential employer in a structured and organized manner. There are multiple ways to detail your professional background and we will provide you with the tried and tested methods so that you have the best chance of landing your dream job.
Create a Professional Header
The header is the first section of your manual testing resume and is placed at the absolute top. This section contains all your important personal information and contact details. It is a very simple section to write but beware of making any mistake while jotting down this important information. Add the following details to complete the header section of your resume.
- Full name
- Job title
- Phone number
- Email address
- LinkedIn profile link
Example
Resume Summary
A good resume summary goes a long way in leaving a positive impact on hiring managers and recruiters. It serves as an elevator pitch to market you as the most suitable candidate for the specific manual tester job you are applying for. Here are a few tips to write an effective and memorable professional summary for your manual tester resume.
- Begin with an adjective like hard-working, dedicated, motivated etc followed by your job title.
- Mention the number of years of experience you have in manual testing.
- Highlight your key skills and qualifications and mention measurable accomplishments.
- Keep your professional summary brief and to the point. Ensure you summarize your professional career in 2-5 sentences.
- Tailor your resume to include the key requirements that the employer is on the lookout for.
Example
Work Experience
The experience section is the most crucial component of your manual tester resume. This section is heavily scrutinized by hiring managers., recruiters and prospective employers. Adopt a strategic approach while listing your employment history and include only the most relevant information. Let's take a look at the effective ways to organize and structure your work experience section.
- To make a significant impact on your potential employers, list your professional history in a reverse chronological order.
- Mention the job title, name of the company, locations and exact time period of your employment.
- Stick to bullet points and avoid long paragraphs while describing your main responsibilities for each job.
- Start every bullet point with a strong action verb like organized, executed, maintained etc.
- Use the present tense to describe your current role and past tense while detailing your previous jobs.
- Mention key achievements supported by metrics and tangible examples.
Example
Skills
It is necessary to have a separate skills section to highlight your technical skills as well as soft skills for a holistic professional image. It is highly recommended to present your skills in bullet points to offer easy readability. This section highlights your eligibility for a manual testing role by precisely detailing your skills and qualifications. Here is a reference of how to present your skills in a manual tester resume.
- Software testing
- Security testing
- Database testing
- Knowledge of operating systems
- Test planning and execution
- Test management
- Quality assurance
Education
To be viewed as a competitive candidate for a manual tester role, you need to possess a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. If you have received certification to become a certified software tester then you should mention that in this section as well. Add the following details to complete the education section of your resume.
- Degree earned
- Name of the institution
- Graduation date
Example
Proofread and Seek Feedback
Once you have detailed all the essential sections of your resume, it is important to proofread and fine tune your resume to your liking. Scan your resume thoroughly to identify and eliminate grammatical and typographical errors. Keep a lookout for formatting inconsistencies and correct them while proofreading.
It always helps to get a fresh perspective on a document you have spent a lot of time on. Request a mentor, colleague or friend to go through it and include their valuable feedback to better your manual tester resume.
Tips to Design and Format Your Manual Tester Resume
The look of a resume is as important as its content. It needs to have a clean and professional look so that it is visually appealing. Paying attention to these finer details are what will help you distinguish yourself from other candidates. Here are some suggestions to design and format your resume.
- Use a clean and professional font like Arial, Calibri or Helvetica.
- Keep the font size and style consistent throughout your resume.
- Leave enough white space between sections for a clean and uncluttered look.
- Maintain consistent margins on all sides of your resume.
- Use bold and italics to differentiate certain elements like headings and dates in your resume.
- Keep your resume concise and not more than one-two pages long.
Make Your Manual Tester Resume ATS-Friendly
Making your resume compatible with an applicant tracking system (ATS) software is now a mandatory step if you want your resume to get the right attention. With the automation of recruitment processes across industries, the importance of this step cannot be emphasized enough. If you want to get to the next round and have a chance at an actual interview with a human recruiter, incorporate the following steps to optimize your resume.
- Choose a simple resume format and choose a professional and easy to read font.
- Divide your resume into clear sections and headings.
- Avoid the use of excessive graphics, tables and columns as that can confuse an ATS software.
- Incorporate the keywords and phrases used in the job description into your resume.
- Tailor your resume before every job application.
- Save your resume in a known file type like PDF/Word.
- Proofread and eliminate all the grammatical and formatting errors from your manual tester resume.
