Any organization that develops software needs someone to test the efficiency of their products before they go live to end-users. One of the roles that handle this vital part of the application development process is the Manual Tester (also referred to as Functional QA).
“There continues to be a solid demand for functional & manual testers from our clients with an emphasis on candidates who are able to demonstrate attention to detail, working with client interfaces across a variety of devices, and validating large datasets and ETL processes. Recently, LinkedIn had over 300 manual tester jobs posted across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. We’ve seen great success at CSS-Tec in placing Manual and Functional Testers during our 25 years of serving the greater Philadelphia market. If you’re in the market for a new job or a company that is in need of testers for your 2020 project slate, we can help,” says Toni Thomas, Account Executive at CSS-Tec.
Manual Tester Data
There are over 4,500 Manual Tester positions in the United States, and according to Glassdoor, the national average salary for this position is approximately $61,000.
Based on information available from the Dice Salary Calculator combined with CSS-Tec’s historical data, a Manual Tester in the Philadelphia area can expect to make the following salaries based on years of experience:
- Junior: $41,823 – $71,022
- Mid-Level: $52,305 – $81,879
- Senior: $69,708 – $102,804
In 2019, the Greater Philadelphia area alone had over 1,787 open jobs posted for Functional QA’s. The current demand for QA Manual Testing candidates in the Philadelphia market currently outweighs the available candidate pool by about a 4.62/1 ratio and we see no signs that this demand will be slowing down any time soon.
“For every 4 job postings titled, Functional QA or QA Manual Tester, there is 1 candidate actively searching for a new role.” says Dino Grigorakakis, COO, Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
What is a Manual Tester?
A Manual Tester is a detail-oriented tech professional that carefully tests web and mobile apps (or other software) for bugs through non-automated means. Typically, this involves the tester writing test cases (this can be done in Excel or a specific testing tool) to guide them through the testing process. The Manual Tester executes test cases to determine if the application has any bugs and reports these bugs to the development team. This process is then repeated as necessary.
At a first glance, the Manual Tester and the QA Automation Engineer may seem very similar, and for some companies, the duties of these positions are combined. However, manual testing and automated testing serve different, equally important functions. Manual testing is needed at the beginning of the development process in order to understand requirements and again at the end of the process to see how the application functions for the end-user.
How to Become a Manual Tester
Manual Testers need to be detail-oriented and have strong communication skills. While they are not responsible for solving bugs, they must be keenly aware of why/where there is a bug and how to document and relay this to the software development team so they can fix any bugs. Since Excel is typically used to create test cases, it is helpful for Manual Testers to be proficient in Excel (or other testing tools).
“Manual testing is important for a system going live, but it also needed for basic checks and balances. Sytems that are improved may accidently break something that was working – especially in the cloud!” says Sharon Tsao, CMO of Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
Who is CSS Tec?
CSS Tec, a business unit of Contemporary Staffing Solutions, has been a leading provider of contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire technology solutions while also offering Project Management and implementations of Salesforce solutions. CSS Tec prides itself on internal retention, with the average recruiter’s tenure exceeding five years, as well as their strong, established presence in the Philadelphia Metro area. The CSS Tec team coaches you with current business intelligence so that we can manage your expectations.
Are you looking for your nest Manual Tester or Tester role? Check out our job board for all our open positions or contact a tech recruiter to help you in your job search!
Employers, looking to find skilled candidates for technical positions? Reach out to CSS Tec to discuss partnering with us!