How to Create a QA Portfolio

For junior software testers, job-searching begins once they decide to create their first portfolio. It's the first thing that helps you showcase what matters to hiring managers.

A portfolio is a collection of documents containing your educational background, accomplishments, projects, and skills that highlight your progress in a career of choice.

Most jobs require having a portfolio; artists, designers, and even developers present one at interviews to establish their professional image and demonstrate their skills.

However, testers face a major challenge when they decide to compile a more in-depth summary of their skills. Software testing implies working with sensitive information, such as project documentation, screenshots, bug reports, or video recordings from previous internships or jobs, which can't be added to a portfolio.

This article will discuss creating a QA portfolio and what it should contain to ensure you get that software testing job you've always wanted.

GitHub

Signing up on GitHub is one of the first steps to creating a technical portfolio that will impress recruiters. GitHub is an online platform specialized in aiding developers to build, scale and deliver secure software. It contains multiple features for code review, project overview at any scale, issue tracker, and so much more.

While primarily used by developers, GitHub is more versatile than that. Testers are also encouraged by recruiters to share their GitHub profile at interviews. The hard part is deciding what to include in it.

Once you register on GitHub, check their Repositories option to add your portfolio. Using the README.md feature, you can begin completing it. After a brief description of yourself, you can also include your CV directly in the profile.

Skills

Make sure to add a description of your skills. Do you prefer manual or automation testing? How about showing that you know the difference between SOAP and REST APIs? Let's not forget how good you are at creating test cases or delivering comprehensive bug reports. The better you describe your skills, the higher your chances of landing the job.

Tools

The number of tools you know shows how easily you can adapt to any situation on a given project. Some popular tools are TestRail, Selenium, Cypress, Appium, and so on, but you can also include Jira and Trello. There is no limit to how many tools you should master. Check out our beginner guides if you want to start with a new tool.

Work examples

Sometimes it can be difficult for a software tester to demonstrate their skills, but if you get approval, make sure to include links with screenshots, videos, or documents showcasing your testing abilities.

In case you don't have permission to include work examples, there are other ways to include tester progress in your portfolio: homework, course practice, and self-testing on web apps, mobile apps, or open APIs can also serve as proof of your software testing abilities.

Creating your first QA portfolio is a good way to put your skills in order and look at what you have learned and accomplished so far. Fill in only the information you are sure about. Plus, don't forget to ask for feedback. An experienced tester could point out flaws in your portfolio while also giving you tips and tricks to improve it.