Resume tip ...

After referring a set of resumes for test engineer position. Following are few things that we really find un-appealing.
1. Open your resume in Word and search (Ctrl F) for words like "Involved", "Participated" etc. and delete the sentences containing them. The recruiter is not interested in what all are you were involved or participated - but he/she would like see "what you achieved" by doing that. Here is a way to rate your resume - Give one negative mark every time you encounter such word in your resume. How much did your resume score? Now do you understand why you are not getting enough interview calls?
2. I will not press very hard for this one - but if you do it is better. Get rid of words like "was Responsible for" or any variant of "Responsibility". What attracts recruiter is action word - "Achieved zero Downtime for systems I was responsible for" v/s "I was responsible for maintaining systems and ensure that downtime was low”. Notice the power of action. You will be delivering the same message but in a power packed way. That catches eyes of who "matter" in getting you a new "dream "Job. It is very important that you load your resume with these power packed action words, lots of them - especially in first 1-2 pages.
3. This one is the most "useless" part of resume if it is present. Writing paragraphs about the application that you tested with the names, versions, modules, detailed functionalities. Looks like a copy paste from functional specifications or SRS (System Requirement Specification) of the software product that tested. Watch out, some times this might land you in legal issues with your employer dragging you to court for leaking strategic product information to public - via your resume. This is big TURN OFF for the reader - especially a recruiter who would process and see thousands of resumes in a day.
Don’t forget the thumb rule – 1 page of resume for every 2 years of experience. So a person with 8-10 years of experience should not have a resume that exceeds 5 pages. Less and crisp is better and easier to read.
Enough? Open your resume and sanitize it TODAY.May God bless you with job offers and interview calls pouring all the way !!!
Update: 21 Nov 2007 -- I referred this post to someone and at the same time happened to read another related but useful post on the same topic ...
http://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2007/09/ten-tips-for-slightly-less-awful-resume.html

Agile Testing

What is Re-Testing and Regression Testing?

Re-testing : Retesting means we testing only the certain part of an application again and not considering how it will effect in the other part or in the whole application.
Regression Testing :Testing the application after a change in a module or part of the application for testing that is the code change will affect rest of the application.

What is Test Bed?

Test Bed is an execution environment configured for software testing. It consists of specific hardware, network topology, Operating System, configuration of the product to be under test, system software and other applications. The Test Plan for a project should be developed from the test beds to be used.
Test Data is that run through a computer program to test the software. Test data can be used to test the compliance with effective controls in the software.

Software Testing Life Cycle

Software testing life cycle identifies what test activities to carry out and when (what is the best time) to accomplish those test activities. Even though testing differs between organizations, there is a testing life cycle.

Software testing has its own life cycle that intersects with every stage of the SDLC. The basic requirements in software testing life cycle is to control/deal with software testing – Manual, Automated and Performance.

Software Testing Life Cycle is devided in the following stages :

1. Estimation
2. Project Initiation
3. System Study
4. Test Strategy
5. Test Plan
6. Test Case Design
7. Automation
8. Execution
9. Bug Reporting
10. Regression
11. Summary Report