ISTQB certifications will not help you get your next job

The testing blogs and forums are rich with articles describing the ISTQB certifications' advantages and why you should have one.

Because they are helpful for your career.

But how can someone know for sure if ISTQB certifications really help with getting a new job?

Some clarifications, first.

I am making no claims on the quality of the ISTQB materials.

And I only talk about the IT market from Vancouver, Canada.

How many ISTQB testers are in Canada?

If ISTQB certifications are so useful for a tester's career, lots of testers would have one.

And not the simplest of them, but advanced certifications.

Lets see the certified testers numbers from Canadian Software Testing Board site:

Foundation Level - Certified: 3101

Foundation Level Agile Tester Extension - Certified: 83

Advanced Level - Test Manager - Certified: 129

Advanced Level - Functional Tester - Certified: 10

Advanced Level - Test Analyst - Certified: 69

Advanced Level - Technical Test Analyst - Certified: 11

Just 3400 testers in total.

Excluding the testers that have a foundation level certification, only 300 canadian testers have more advanced ISTQB certifications.

How do these 2 things go together?

1. ISTQB is important for improving a tester's career and getting the next job.
2. Only 300 canadian testers have an advanced certification.

How important is ISTQB for companies?

I asked a few IT recruiters how important are ISTQB certifications for companies and testers.

The first one said that

During my time as a technical IT recruiter in Vancouver, I've never had a client make a hiring decision based on someone's ISTQB certifications or lack there of.

The most important factors are always experience, attitude and culture fit.

This recruiter has for more than 5 years experience working with companies and testers from the local market.

So, apparently, companies dont care about a ISTQB certification when hiring testers.

Interesting, isn't it?

The second recruiter that I asked had a similar opinion:

From my point of view as a recruiter, ISTQB certifications do not significantly increase the chances of getting a position.

The key factors involve quality and scope of experience, fit with the role, quality of companies worked for and career progression in terms of horizontal and/or vertical growth.

So, ISTQB is not increasing the chances of getting a new job.

Instead, companies are interested in experience, fitness with the role and career progression.

The last recruiter that I talked to had the toughest opinion:

The Short answer for your questions is No.

These ISTQB certifications mean nothing to me and I have never heard of a company that requires it or a manager who has said that they specifically like people with ISTQB.

What I find instead is almost the opposite.

It’s usually the people who aren’t that great that list this certification at the top of their resume.

So not only companies are not interested in people with ISTQB experience but they prefer people that dont have it.

ISTQB certifications, like any other certification, do not test if someone knows testing.

They just test how well someone prepares for the test and takes the test.

There is no link between the result of an ISTQB exam and the real life.

Still interested in ISTQB?