Definition: A tester career path is the route a person can follow to progress within software testing, rather than leaving testing to progress. It can lead into senior technical testing roles, test management, or coaching and mentoring roles, depending on what an organisation supports.
So what? Without a clear tester-specific path, good testers may feel they must move into development or management to progress. Clear paths help organisations keep skilled testers and show that testing is a profession in its own right.
Examples: A company setting out levels from junior tester to principal tester, separate from its developer ladder. A tester using survey results and industry articles to make the case to HR for a testing career framework.
