You're stuck in a manual testing rut. How can you break into automation testing for career growth?

Certainly! To break into automation testing for career growth, start by mastering the basics of testing methodologies and tools like Selenium or Unified Functional Testing (UFT). Develop coding skills in languages such as Java, Python, or C#. Cultivate soft skills like analytical thinking and problem-solving, stay updated on industry trends, and consider roles like Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET). Remember, continuous learning and networking are key to success in this field

I was using Robot Framework for automation testing at my previous job. It is a great and very useful tool. You really do not need an extensive knowledge of programming languages for many types of software tests. “Robot Framework is an open-source test automation framework that can be used for a variety of testing types, including acceptance, integration, unit, web, mobile, desktop, API, and database testing. It can also be used for performance or load testing with the rfswarm testing tool.”

Breaking into automation testing from a manual testing background requires deliberate steps for career growth. Start by learning automation tools and frameworks such as Selenium, Appium, or JUnit, through online courses or self-study. Practice by automating small test cases or tasks to gain hands-on experience. Collaborate with automation engineers or join communities to exchange knowledge and stay updated on industry trends. Seek mentorship or guidance from experienced automation testers to accelerate learning. Finally, showcase your automation skills through personal projects or contributions at work to demonstrate readiness for automation roles and career advancement.

Gain some hands on exposure with any real time automation project in your organization. Whenever you are free try implementing small projects through open source tools. There are plenty of free online videos to help you out Whenever you get stuck . Also you can reach out to team members of your organization who are experts in delivering automation projects.

To start the question should be addressed: "You're stuck in a manual testing rut. How can you break into automation testing for career growth?" I am not sure how anyone can be stuck in a so called "Manual" testing rut as so called "Manual" and "Automated" testing are not approaches, methods or types of testing but rather methods of test execution. There is so much more to "Testing" then just test execution. It's so common for people to confuse or even associate the complete act of testing with test execution as was done here. There is nothing "manual" about testing and testing cannot be "automated". You cannot be in Testing and break into testing. That just doesn't make sense. But I do agree with this point that continuous learning is key.