I have been applying for jobs in the last 6 months. Over 200 applications. Out of those I got around 6-7 interviews. I have 10 years of experience in QA, 15 in general, multiple renowned companies, Playwright Typescript automation, lead two teams, worked for World renowned brands.

So, after agreeing on salary and having all the interviews, including with CTO/CEO getting the thumbs up from everyone, I would get a reply couple of days later that they are cancelling the position due to financial reasons.

If this would happen once, I would you know, assign it to their lack of planning, but this has happened 6 consecutive times...

Every time, I would get an apologetic email, saying I am the perfect person for the role but the position was cancelled...

SIX INTERVIEWS - OUT OF HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS, AND EXACT OUTCOME ON ALL SIX!

On the last interview I kinda sensed that they want to transfer the testing towards the developers. And I am reading about this notion lately. I see a pattern, that doesn't look good.

I know many if not most of you will say QA is not dead, but I sense kinda is. Now I am worried what kinda career change I should focus on?

Yes, automation speeds up execution.

Yes, it reduces manual effort.

But believing it will solve everything? That's a dangerous belief.

Here's why automation alone can't fix all your testing challenges:

❌ It can't find unknown issues – Automation follows scripts and is only as good as the test case. It won't uncover unexpected bugs like a sharp human tester.

❌ High maintenance cost—Bad tests, frequent UI updates, and outdated scripts make automation a costly headache instead of a solution.

❌ Bad automation = No automation – False positives. Debugging nightmares. Unreliable results that waste time instead of saving it.

So, what's the innovative approach?

✅ Automate wisely – One-off cases, UX testing, and exploratory testing? Let human intuition take charge.

✅ Balance is key – The right mix of automation + human testing ensures quality and complete coverage.

✅ Make automation adaptable – Build resilient tests with error handling so minor UI changes don't break everything.

Automation is an enabler, not a replacement, for skilled testers who bring intuition, creativity, and critical thinking.

What's your biggest challenge with test automation? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇

Hello,

I hope you are doing well. Today I find myself in a very critical situation, which is why I am reaching out to you. After several months of searching and interviewing, I've faced rejections for positions in test automation because the feedback from all the interviews is that my profile is interesting but lacks experience in a real project.

However, I have been self-training in automation with tests on several projects on GitHub, but nothing seems to work. I am considering lying about having 2 years of experience in automation.

What I'm struggling with is figuring out what project context I could provide to make it believable. Additionally, what tools and languages could I mention? I was thinking of using Cypress since it's a "no-code" tool, which would allow me to quickly upskill with exercises and training.

I really dislike the idea of doing this because it feels like I would be compromising my integrity, but I feel I have no choice; it's either this or a career change.

Thanks you

So I fabricated a story that I have worked 1 year on a E-commerce webpage as a manual tester.

The webpage actually exists in reality https://global.vaha.com/

The interviewer didn't knew the website itself, it's just the website I use in order to come up with my lie, as I thought it would be easier this way...

I said that I joined the team in an early stage and it was still during development phase. Said that I worked in scrum on a team with me being the sole tester, 1 back end dev, 1 front-end dev , one scrum master, one product owner, 1 pm, and that I also had a testing team leader that had multiple projects within his coordination, including this one.

The guy told me to brief him about my work in that 1 year.

I said that we worked in agile, and I was being responsible with front end testing, my LT was doing the back-end, and I also learned to perform API testing using Postman and Jmeter. The part about learning to use these tools for API testing is true, and since I pointed out that I wasn't responsible with that part and I did it more to familiarize myself with that procedure was alright I think.

I also said that the main purpose of the website was introducing new fitness trainers and that's where most of my working time was being spent . (I am really clueless about what a web tester does every day for 8 hours a day) He looked at me in a weird way after I said that.

But after he asked me to elaborate more in depth about my work I started being nervous, started stuttering, and didn't really knew what to say. He asked a simple question "How did you organize your work?"

I just couldn't come up with scenarios in my head about things that I never done in my life. Coming up with such an elaborated lie it's way harder than I could have ever thought.

Hi, I have 5+ YOE in software testing. Started with WITCH company, and now working in US based product startup (SAAS company).
I have learnt a lot in terms of testing. But I constantly feel that developers are always earning more than SDETs/QA, be it any company.
Also SDET job i feel is little non creative, where we cannot show our creativity and build a product, but test the product that someone else have built.

With advent of AI, simple unit tests are automatically written. (see POSTMAN's PostBot feature)

Less salary, non creative job and AI taking over, do you feel that software testing would be gradually fading away?

Do you agree?

Hey community! I wanted to share some thoughts on an issue we’ve all encountered at some point: the dreaded “It works on my machine” excuse. As testers, we know that software quality isn’t just about whether it runs fine in a controlled environment but whether it performs consistently across different conditions.

Here are some key reasons why context matters in software testing:

1. Environment Differences: Just because an application works on a developer’s setup doesn’t mean it will function correctly on staging or production. Variations in OS, hardware, dependencies, and configurations can lead to unexpected failures.

2. Data Dependencies: A developer's local database might have ideal test data, but what happens when real-world data is introduced? Edge cases, missing values, or unexpected formats can break functionality.

3. Concurrency and Load Issues: A single-user test might pass, but how does the system behave under real traffic? Performance testing and load testing help uncover hidden bottlenecks.

4. Security & Permissions: A local environment often runs with elevated permissions, but in production, restricted access may expose authorization flaws.

5. Third-Party Integrations: APIs, external services, and dependencies might behave differently in a live setting. Mocks and stubs are useful in testing, but real-world testing is crucial.

So, how do we tackle this?

Test in Production-like Environments: Staging should mirror production as closely as possible.
Automate Cross-Platform and Cross-Browser Tests: Especially for web and mobile apps.
Shift Left Testing: Catch issues early by integrating testing into the development cycle.
Improve Communication: Developers and testers should collaborate to reproduce and resolve issues efficiently.

What are your experiences dealing with “It works on my machine” scenarios? Any strategies that worked for you? Let’s discuss!

#SoftwareTesting #QA #TestAutomation #DevOps

Hi everyone! I'm researching how mobile QA engineers automate app testing. This isn't for promotion I'm just trying to understand real-world workflows and pain points.

Suppose you need to automate this flow:

• Open the Flipkart app

• Search for "Samsung 43-inch TV"

• Open the first result

• Add it to the cart

• Verify the product appears in the cart

A few quick questions:

1. Roughly how long would this take you to automate in Appium (or your preferred framework)?

2. What's usually the biggest time sink locators, framework setup, waits, debugging, or maintenance?

3. Have you tried AI-powered testing tools? If yes, what made you stick with Appium?

4. If an AI tool could generate and maintain tests from plain English, what would stop you from adopting it?

Even a one-line answer is helpful. I'm trying to understand real-world QA workflows and pain points not promote any tool. Thanks!

Hi,

I'm considering a switch from PM to become Testing Engineer. Do you have experience that QA and testers are being replaced by automations and AI or is it more like AI will help testers speed and automate boring parts?

Thanks for dicussion!

I am working as a QA Lead in my current organization for more than a year now. The work environment here is quite comfortable—remote setup, flexible timings, and a generally relaxed culture. When I joined, the QA team was entirely focused on manual testing.

The IT Head wanted to introduce automation, as the application had reached a certain level of stability. My manager entrusted me with the responsibility of initiating UI and API automation in parallel, while also enabling the QA team to transition towards automation and deliver measurable results.

I tend to be highly work-driven and am accustomed to putting in long hours, especially in a remote setup. With that mindset, I picked up pace quickly and started delivering on expectations. Alongside, I encouraged—and at times pushed—my teammates to adopt automation practices and keep up with the transition.

However, I gradually realized that this approach was not being received well. The resistance wasn’t just about adapting to automation, but about the fear associated with it. Many team members perceive automation—and the broader AI wave—as a threat to their job security.

This became very apparent when one of my teammates openly said to me on a Teams call, “Apni aur hamari job mat khaao. You are working too fast.”(translates to : Don't you risk and take away our job )

That moment made me pause and reflect. Since then, I have consciously slowed down—stopped working beyond office hours and over weekends—and started rethinking both the situation and my approach.

I’m now trying to find the right balance between delivering on expectations and managing team concerns effectively. I would appreciate your guidance on how to handle this situation better.

If we cancelled our subscription tomorrow —

would we still have our test suites, reports, and execution

history? Or does it all live in their cloud?

How are people handling this?

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to express my interest in the Manual QA Tester position at your organization. With one year of experience in Manual Software Testing, I have developed strong skills in ensuring software quality through detailed testing, defect identification, and collaboration with development teams.

In my current role, I am responsible for creating and executing test cases, performing functional, regression, smoke, and sanity testing, reporting and tracking defects, and verifying fixes to ensure a smooth user experience. I have experience testing both web and mobile applications and am familiar with the complete Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) and Agile methodologies.

I am proficient in writing clear bug reports, validating new features, performing cross-browser and cross-device testing, and working closely with developers and product teams to deliver high-quality software. My attention to detail, analytical thinking, and commitment to quality help me identify issues before they impact end users.

I am excited about the opportunity to contribute my testing skills and continue growing as a QA professional within your organization. I am confident that my dedication, willingness to learn, and passion for software quality would make me a valuable addition to your team.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my experience and skills align with your requirements.

Sincerely,

Manual Tester

Hello everyone,

I’m an Automation QA Engineer with 5.5 years of experience. On December 1st, I took a leap of faith and resigned without an offer in hand. My last working day (LWD) is Jan 30th—just 6 days away.

I finally received an offer from a product-based company, but the numbers aren't where I hoped they would be. I’d love some perspective on whether I should take it or keep hunting while unemployed.

The Numbers:

• Current CTC: 12.77 LPA

• Initial Offer: 16 LPA + 50k Joining Bonus (~25% hike on fixed)

• My Counter: I asked for 18 LPA (40%+)

• Their "Final" Offer: 16.5 LPA + 50k Joining Bonus (~29% hike)

• My Last Stand: I asked them to drop the bonus and just give me 17 LPA (33%) fixed. They refused.

My Dilemma:

1. The Risk: If I reject this, I have zero income starting Feb 1st. Given the current market, I’m worried about how long it might take to find something better while "unemployed."

2. The Goal: I really wanted at least 17-18 LPA to stay at par with market rates for my experience level.

3. The Pivot: Should I accept this now for security, and then look to switch again in 12 months? Or is 29% actually a "fair" offer in this current market?

Should I take the 16.5L offer and secure my finances, or is it worth the risk to reject it and keep looking after my LWD?

Hi all, I have interview on Monday for selenium with Java . I have attached JD . Can anyone share any GitHub link of project which contains selenium with Java framework,just to give me idea about frameworks and how it's implemented. Thanks 🙏

Iam an absolute beginner who is trying to grab professional experience in field of software testing , its been few months since i have been learning concepts and applying them . tell what can i improve/learn to grow in following field , done roast me saying u wont get anywhere from this , tell me what can i do to improve and get a professional experience sooner. thank you

Hi guys I wanna ask you I am manual tester and now in company we get option's try Claude Al.

I wanna ask how use Claude for explorary testing and for test case which is created. Is there some skills or claude.md with testing rules..?

And after testing done create test report too.

Thanks for letting me know and help

Does anyone tell me what do to? And how to get a job?

Hi everyone, I'm Ritwick Dey, Co-founder & CTO at Panto AI, where we're building autonomous QA for mobile apps.

Before VSCode became the go-to code editor for developers, I built Live Server, one of the earliest VS Code extensions. It has since grown to 80M+ installs and has become part of the frontend journey for millions of developers.

The funny part? I wasn't even a great programmer back then. I was just trying to learn Node.js.

Today, I'm working on a very different problem. At Panto AI, we're building AI agents that continuously explore mobile apps, test user journeys, find bugs, and surface issues without requiring teams to write and maintain thousands of test cases.

Happy to answer questions about:
- Building Live Server in the early days of VS Code
- Growing an open source project to 80M+ installs
- Lessons from maintaining software used by millions of developers
- Open source, developer tools, and startups
- Why I'm now building AI for mobile app testing
- Anything else you're curious about

Looking forward to the discussion!

Hi all, I was laid off from my company last week, where I was working as a Senior Test Engineer (Manual Testing). (I have a total relevant work experience of 4.5 years.) The company didn't have any new projects in its pipeline and had been laying off for the past year regularly. I was among the top performers in the QA department. I just had my first child 6 months ago and have other family responsibilities, and I am financially overburdened right now. I have been actively applying on various job platforms for the last 8 days but haven't gotten any interview calls yet. Most companies are asking for automation skills, which I understand and I am now working on it, but in the meantime, I eagerly need a job.

It'll be great if you can help me get referred for a suitable job opening in your or another organization.

Role: Senior Test Engineer (QA) Total relevant exp.: 4.5 yrs Location: Noida, Gurugram, Delhi NCR, Pune Last CTC: 12 LPA Skills and tools: API testing with Postman, SQL, Functional and Non-functional Testing, JIRA, End to end testing on all platforms (Web, Mobile, Desktop app) Projects: Multiple domains including Finance and e-Commerce.

Not too long ago, I switch from Marketing to now QA Testing on my internship. I go 1x/Week. I have been doing whatever task has been assigned to me by my manager and recently got a website to freely test and do Cybersecurity things on it. Any suggestions in how can I start or be more efficient in my work?

I used Claude AI recently to identify issues on the website and test it for myself, however I feel like there's a more efficient way to do my work.

Any tips?

Hi all, does anyone use AI to write automated test (selenium) based on the code base? Example: AI scans whole code base to learn what application/service is doing and generates automated test for it or scans existing git repo that contains all current automated tests and from the code base reference add more tests that were missin. If backwards scan is not possible, what about when develeping new feature based on the work specification and the code commited in specific git branch create automated tests just for that feature? Code base is c#.

Hi everyone, I'm actively looking for a QA Automation Engineer/SDET role. I have around 8 years of experience in quality assurance, starting as a software engineer before transitioning into QA.

My expertise includes:

• Test automation with Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, Detox and Appium (UI, API, and mobile testing)

• API testing: REST API, Postman. (I developed API endpoint using TDD)

• Performance testing with JMeter and k6

• Building automation frameworks from scratch (Java - Selenium Webdriver, TypeScript - Playwright)

• CI/CD integration (Jenkins, GitHub)

• Test management tools (Tricentis, VSTS)

• Mentoring QA colleagues in learning automation

I’m ISTQB certified in AI Testing, Test Automation Engineering, and CTFL (If someone is learning to get those cert, I can share my tips). I’m currently learning to create AI agents that can generate test scripts.

I’m open to both remote roles and onsite within Gothenburg, Sweden. My DMs are open for any suitable roles. Let’s connect!