QA Tester Resume: Examples for IT & Software Testers

You can do manual and automated testing, black box, white box, and regressions. You document every move like a machine, and you know Selenium and Jenkins like the back of your hand. But can you get a job? Nope. Worse, you don’t even get interviewed. Hint—it’s your glitchy QA tester resume.

So what’s wrong with it? I can tell you in five seconds.

You talk about your job duties. You tell them you’ve created test plans and cases, reviewed interfaces, and performed functional testing.

That’s great! But—so has every other QA tester out there. You need to show you’ve done it better than the rest. And you have. You just need to prove it in your resume for QA tester jobs.

Ready?

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Trying to find a manufacturing QA tester resume? See our guides:

• Quality Control Resume Sample
• Quality Engineer Resume Sample

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• Job Resume Examples for All Professions

Sample QA Tester Resume Template

Here’s how to write your own bug-free QA tester resume:

1. Format Your QA Tester Resume Correctly

The first test your resume needs to pass is the glance test. That is—if they glance, will they see a pro or a wannabe? The best QA tester resumes show off certain traits just by how they look. The right layout for resumes comes down to putting things in the right order with the right fonts and sizes.

For the proper resume format use these fast tips:

• Start with a reverse chronological resume template. Those put your most recent job at the top so hiring managers get a picture of your current skills.
• The header for a resume contains important contact information like phone, email, and LinkedIn, but there’s no need to add your street address.
• There are lots of good fonts for resume like Helvetica and Arial. The point is to choose one that makes it easy for the reader. You can make your resume template unique by using a less common font such as Noto or Lato.
• To name the file of your resume, use this syntax: “Name - Job Title - Resume.pdf”
• A PDF resume is better than a resume in MS Word because the layout stays beautiful on different screen sizes and formats.

How long should a resume be for QA tester jobs? One page is your best bet. The idea is to show your best moments in that page, not tell the whole story.

How to organize your resume? See our guide: Resume Order of Jobs, Experience & Items of Information

2. Start with a Resume Profile Statement

Why aren’t you getting hired? I know why. It’s because hiring teams aren’t reading your resume. It’s true! They have 200 resumes to evaluate, so they decide in six seconds whether to read your QA manual tester resume. Convince them with a quick professional profile at the top.

Your entire resume is a one-minute elevator pitch. Your resume introduction is even shorter — about six seconds. It’s a 3-line sales pitch for your resume. What are the coolest, most hirable things they’ll learn if they keep reading?

Sound like a tough challenge? Not if you follow a tried-and-tested plan.

In a first job resume, mention your job title, the job you’re applying for, and what you hope to do for the organization. Also, share a couple of personal or school achievements that prove you have the relevant skills. This is called a career objective for a resume.

Been a quality assurance tester for a few years? 

You’ll convey the same details, but your relevant skills proof will come from your biggest work accomplishment. If they want someone who can write test plans and you’ve done 200+, then put that in your resume summary statement.

What should you leave out? See our guide: What Should Not Be Included in a Resume? [15+ Things]

3. Tailor-Fit Your QA Tester Job Description

If you really want that fat QA tester job, your resume work experience section has to be special. If it’s average, you won’t get hired. But you’ve got this. It all comes down to tailoring a resume to the job you want. It sounds challenging, but it’s actually pretty easy once you know how.

To write a great experience section:

• Choose your business titles wisely. Does the ad ask for a “Java QA Tester?” If you tested Java in your last job, don’t say you were a “Software QA Tester.”
• Include the organization name, location, and the dates you worked.
• Write 3–6 bullet points per job. For your most recent job, make it six. For your oldest, write three.
• Don’t bore the hiring team with a list of all your job duties. If you do, you’re only telling them, “I was a QA tester.” They can see that from the job title.
• But here’s the secret sauce. Instead of duties, use resume phrases like “Improved efficiency by X%” or “Wrote 200+ test plans and cases.”
• The numbers are key because they show you’re better than average.
• Now that you know how to write achievements in a resume, you’ll get a lot more interviews. But you can do that same thing with your education section. More on that below.

Read more: How to Describe Yourself on a Resume the Right Way

4. Streamline Your QA Tester Resume Education Section 

Everybody puts education on a resume. But I have some bad news. They won’t hire “everybody” for the QA tester job you want. They’ll only hire you—and your education section can help. How? By adding the right skills for a resume for QA tester jobs. But which ones are right?

Let these resume tips light the way:

• List your degree on a resume by adding the degree name, school name, and graduation date.
• Think of a few times you exceeded expectations at school. Did you get a scholarship? A commendation from a prof?
• You can also add a bullet point with a student group or club to show teamwork or leadership skills.
• You only need two bullet points in a QA tester resume education section. If you graduated more than seven years ago, only add one if it’s really impressive.
• If you just graduated and are looking for an entry-level QA tester job, you can add relevant coursework.
• What about GPA on your resume? If it’s blisteringly-high, add it.

Read more: How to List a Major and Minor on a Resume

5. Prove the QA Tester Skills the Company Wants

Every resume for QA tester jobs needs a skills list. It should have 5–10 skills, but they must be the right skills. Otherwise, the hiring team won’t notice you and you’ll wind up playing Fortnite and eating Ramen noodles for the rest of your life. Then you have to prove your skills.

Here's how to add QA tester skills to a resume:

• The skills in the job posting are the resume keywords the recruiter is hunting for. To write an ATS-compliant resume, put them in your skills list.
• Split your list into hard vs soft skills.
• Add some technical skills, too. What are technical skills for QA tester jobs? Programming languages and specific tools like Selenium.
• Make sure you list work achievements that show you used those skills to move the needle in some way.

QA Tester Resume Skills

• Creating test plans
• Making test cases
• Automated testing
• Manual testing
• Programming languages (Java, JavaScript, Python, etc.)
• Selenium
• Micro Focus LoadRunner
• YourKit Java Profiler
• JUnit
• Cucumber Pro
• Interpersonal skills
• Compassion
• Leadership skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Time management skills
• Decision-making skills
• Teamwork skills
• Computer skills
• Stress management
• Written and verbal communication skills
• Adaptability
• Organizational skills

Pro Tip: QA testers are in demand, with smart companies spending 25% of their development budget on QA. Find a smart company and you’ll get a smart salary.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add More to Your Quality Assurance Tester Resume

You want to stand out, right? So that means you can’t just say, “Here’s where I worked and here’s where I went to school.” You also have to show what you did with all that boundless energy you have. Do it, and they’ll hire you so fast you’ll sound like Iron Man on a landing approach.

Here’s how:

• Include a little volunteering. Are you fuzzy on how to add volunteer work to a resume? You can list it just like a job, but at the bottom of your resume.
• Add certifications, like a Selenium certification. Listing certifications on a resume can boost a first-job resume, and they don’t take long to get.
• List some hobbies and interests if your resume isn’t long enough. They can show you have key skills like collaboration or organization.
• Toss in an exercise pursuit like going to the gym or belonging to a cycling club if you want to fill a little space.
• If you speak foreign languages, they can help if the firm has international employees. Not sure how to list languages on a resume? They go in your skills list.

Read more: Resume Parts: Elements that Matter

7. Write a Cover Letter for Your Quality Assurance Testing Resume

Do you need a cover letter for a resume for quality assurance tester jobs? Yep. Without a resume covering page, the hiring manager will assume you’re taking potshots at every job you see online. They’ll think you’ve already accepted a job somewhere else. So definitely write a letter.

But—

Your cover letter’s structure makes a big difference.

• The proper cover letter format has 3–5 paragraphs in a one-sheet letter.
• Your cover letter opening needs to grab them right off the bat. It’s not hard if you mention the job title and add something you like about their firm.
• Your middle paragraphs should include a few QA tester achievements from your resume.
• Here’s how to finish a cover letter for QA tester jobs: Recap your top few skills and ask for the interview.
• In a few days, send a job follow-up email. Keep it zippy and attach your resume and cover letter as PDF files. Then re-send it in a week.

Read more: Right Cover Letter Layout: Examples and Guide

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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That’s it!

That’s everything you need to write a QA tester resume that works!

Thanks for reading! Still hazy on how to write an Amazon-level QA manual tester resume? Give us a shout in the comments section!