One of the CV challenges you may encounter as a manual tester is crafting a resume that effectively showcases your attention to detail and hands-on testing skills. Our guide offers tailored advice and examples to help you highlight your expertise and make a strong impression on potential employers.
- Answer job requirements with your manual tester CV and experience;
- Curate your academic background and certificates, following industry-leading CV examples;
- Select from +10 niche skills to match the ideal candidate profile
- Write a more succinct experience section that consists of all the right details.
Do you need more specific insights into writing your manual tester CV? Our guides focus on unique insights for each individual role:
Structuring your manual tester CV layout: four factors to keep in mind
There are plenty of best practices out there for your CV layout and design. At the end of the day, a clear format and concise CV message should be your top priority. Use your CV design to enhance separate sections, bringing them to the forefront of recruiters' attention. At the same time, you can write content that:- Follows the reverse chronological order in the experience section by first listing your most recent jobs;
- Incorporates your contact information in the header, but do skip out on the CV photo for roles in the UK;
- Is spotlighted in the most important sections of your CV, e.g. the summary or objective, experience, education, etc. to show just how you meet the job requirements;
- Is no longer than two-pages. Often, the one-page format can be optimal for your manual tester CV.
Before submitting your CV, you may wonder whether to export it in Doc or PDF. With the PDF format, your information and layout stay intact. This is quite useful when your CV is assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS) . The ATS is a software that scans your profile for all relevant information and can easily understand latest study on the ATS , which looks at your CV columns, design, and so much more.
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Be mindful of white space; too much can make the CV look sparse, too little can make it look cluttered. Strive for a balance that makes the document easy on the eyes.
The top sections on a manual tester CV
- Work experience in testing demonstrates practical knowledge.
- Testing certifications show commitment to professional growth.
- Technical skills section outlines proficiency with test tools.
- Key projects section highlights notable achievements.
- Education background establishes foundational knowledge.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Emphasize your keen attention to detail and patience, highlighting experiences where meticulous testing processes led to the identification and resolution of software defects.
- Document your proficiency with various testing techniques such as exploratory testing, black-box testing, and regression testing, demonstrating a well-rounded manual testing skill set.
- Showcase your proficiency with test management tools (like JIRA, TestRail, or Quality Center) and how you've utilised them for test case creation, execution, and defect tracking.
- Highlight soft skills such as communication and teamwork, providing examples of effectively collaborating with developers and QA teams to enhance product quality.
- Include experiences with different testing environments and platforms (like mobile, desktop, web) to show your adaptability and ability to handle diverse testing scenarios.
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What information should you include in your manual tester CV header?
The CV header is potentially the section that recruiters would refer to the most, as it should include your:
- Contact details - your professional (non-work) email address and phone number;
- Professional photograph - if you're applying hinting at the value you bring as a professional.
Many professionals often struggle with writing their manual tester CV headline. That's why in the next section of this guide, we've curated examples of how you can optimise this space to pass any form of assessment.
Examples of good CV headlines for manual tester:
"Manual QA Analyst | ISTQB Certified | Cross-platform Testing | Agile Methodologies | 3+ Years"
"Junior Test Engineer | Functional Testing Expertise | UI/UX Focus | Keen on Automation Learning | 2 Years"
"Senior Test Specialist | System Integration | Test Planning Pro | Risk Management | 8+ Years Experience"
"Lead Software Tester | Quality Assurance Strategies | Mentorship Role | Performance Testing | 10 Years"
"QA Consultant | Usability Testing | Requirement Analysis | Continuous Improvement Advocate | 5 Years"
"Quality Analyst | Regression & Smoke Testing | Detail-driven | Certified Agile Tester | 4 Years"
Opting between a manual tester CV summary or objective
Within the top one third of your manual tester CV, you have the opportunity to briefly summarise your best achievements or present your professional goals and dreams. Those two functions are met by either the CV summary or the objective.
- The summary is three-to-five sentences long and should narrate your best successes, while answering key requirements for the role. Select up to three skills which you can feature in your summary. Always aim to present what the actual outcomes were of using your particular skill set. The summary is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals.
- The objective is more focused on showcasing your unique value as a candidate and defining your dreams and ambitions. Think about highlighting how this current opportunity would answer your career vision. Also, about how you could help your potential employers grow. The objective matches the needs of less experienced candidates, who need to prove their skill set and, in particular, their soft skills.
Still not sure about how to write your CV opening statement? Use some best industry examples as inspiration:
CV summaries for a manual tester job:
- With over 5 years of hands-on experience in manual software testing and a proven track record of improving product quality, this meticulous tester has successfully identified and resolved countless bugs within multifaceted environments using tools like JIRA and Selenium. Their achievement in boosting defect detection rates by 30% attests to their dedication and expertise.
- A seasoned IT professional with 10 years in system administration now transitioning into manual testing brings a deep understanding of network infrastructures and software development cycles. Mastered test case creation and excels in finding critical system flaws through rigorous analysis, enhancing overall software integrity for previous employers.
- Recently pivoted from a successful 8-year career in quality assurance for manufacturing to manual software testing, this individual offers a unique perspective on process efficiency and continuous improvement. Keen problem-solving skills, detail-orientation, and adaptability make them a potential asset in uncovering software anomalies.
- Adept at utilizing strengths in data analysis and UX design principles, a former digital marketer with 4 years of experience pivots their career towards manual software testing. Committed to leveraging their extensive background in customer experience to enhance the usability and functionality of software products in a new technological setting.
- Eager to embark on a career in manual testing, a recent computer science graduate possesses a solid foundation in coding languages such as Java and Python, coupled with a fervent interest in software development. Determined to contribute fresh insights and a strong commitment to learn and grow within a dynamic testing environment.
- University graduate with a BSc in Information Technology, pursuing the opportunity to apply a strong academic background and comprehensive understanding of software development life cycle in a manual software testing capacity. Enthusiastically seeking to develop hands-on testing skills and contribute to the delivery of high-quality software applications.
More detailed look into your work history: best advice on writing your manual tester CV experience section
The CV experience is a space not just to merely list your past roles and responsibilities. It is the CV real estate within which you could detail your greatest accomplishments and skills, while matching the job requirements. Here's what to have in your experience section:
- Prove you have what the job wants with your unique skill set and past successes;
- Start each bullet with a strong, action verb, and continue with the outcome of your responsibility;
- Use any awards, nominations, and recognitions you've received as solid proof of your skill set and expertise;
- align your experience with the role responsibilities and duties.
For more help on how to write your CV experience section, check out the next section of our guide:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Executed over 450 manual test cases for web and mobile applications, ensuring applications met functional requirements and user expectations.
- Developed comprehensive test plans and cases based on product specifications and user stories, improving test coverage by 25%.
- Successfully identified, documented, and reported 300+ bugs and defects in a variety of software environments, employing effective communication with the development team.
- Implemented a new test case management tool, leading to a 15% increase in test execution efficiency and improved tracking of test results.
- Participated in daily stand-ups and agile sprint planning, providing valuable feedback and updates on testing progress and challenges.
- Conducted thorough usability testing for a major e-commerce site’s checkout process, which increased conversion rates by 5% after improvements were made.
- Worked closely with product managers and developers to refine acceptance criteria for new features, ensuring alignment with business objectives and customer needs.
- Led a team of junior testers in a high-stakes project, providing mentorship and quality assurance guidance that helped maintain a defect escape rate of less than 2%.
- Organised and facilitated cross-functional bug triage meetings, streamlining defect prioritisation, and fostering collaboration between QA, development, and product teams.
- Executed comprehensive manual testing for web-based applications, improving defect detection rates by 30% through meticulous test case planning and execution.
- Facilitated a successful migration of the user database by conducting manual data validation, ensuring 99.9% data integrity post-migration.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams during the Agile development cycle, enhancing the overall quality of the final product.
- Orchestrated an extensive user acceptance testing (UAT) phase which reduced post-launch critical issues by 40%.
- Pivoted testing strategies by incorporating usability testing, which increased user satisfaction metrics by 25% according to post-deployment surveys.
- Led a team of junior testers, overseeing the quality assurance of 15+ mobile applications, significantly decreasing the average bug turnaround time.
- Performed end-to-end system test procedures for a major banking software overhaul, leading to a 20% increase in system reliability and performance.
- Reduced the regression testing cycle time by 50% through the implementation of organized and reusable test suites.
- Championed the adoption of risk-based testing approach, efficiently prioritising test efforts on critical functionality areas.
- Drove the test effort for a new e-commerce platform, resulting in a successful launch with a transaction accuracy of 99.97%.
- Initiated a peer review test process which heightened the team's error detection capabilities early in the development stages.
- Implemented a structured defect tracking mechanism that improved developer-tester communication and reduced average bug resolution times by 35%.
- Conducted in-depth testing of complex CRM systems, contributing to an increase in user adoption rate by 20% within the first year.
- Proactively identified potential usability concerns that led to several critical user interface improvements before product release.
- Mastered various testing tools, diversifying testing techniques and empowering the team to cover more ground in shorter timeframes.
- Delivered detailed and effective test scenarios for a high-profile government software project, ensuring 100% compliance with functional requirements.
- Efficiently managed testing schedules and resources by leveraging test prioritisation principles, ensuring timely delivery of milestones.
- Actively contributed to weekly project status meetings, providing insights from a testing perspective that were critical to decision-making processes.
- Successfully completed manual testing for various mobile app versions, with each subsequent release experiencing a 10% reduction in critical bugs.
- Developed detailed defect reports which provided developers with actionable steps, increasing the efficiency of the debug process.
- Participated in the design of test strategies that ensured comprehensive coverage of all test cases within tight deadlines.
- Spearheaded the manual testing team for a multimillion-pound Fintech application, recording zero high-priority defects at product launch.
- Mentored junior testers, developing their skills which led to a 15% increase in team productivity and test coverage.
- Initiated a comprehensive weekly report system that highlighted key testing metrics, providing stakeholders with actionable insights into the testing progress.
Swapping your professional experience (when you have none) with skills and more
Never underestimate the importance of relevancе when it comes to your manual tester CV. Even if you don't happen to have much or any standard (full-time contract) professional experience, this doesn't mean you shouldn't apply for the role. Instead of a bespoke CV experience section:
- Showcase more prominently any internships, part-time roles, and volunteer experience that are applicable to the role and have taught you job-crucial skills;
- Feature a strengths or achievements section with your transferrable skills or talents you've obtained thanks to your work or life experience;
- Write an objective statement that clearly outlines your values as a candidate and defines your career ambitions;
- List your education or certificates that match the job profile closer to the top of your CV.
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If applicable, briefly mention a situation where things didn’t go as planned and what you learned from it, demonstrating your ability to learn and adapt.
Key manual tester CV skills: what are hard skills and soft skills
Let's kick off with the basics. You know that you have to include key job requirements or skills across your CV. For starters, take individual skills from the job description and copy-paste them into your CV, when relevant. Doing so, you'll ensure you have the correct skill spelling and also pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. There are two types of skills you'll need to include on your CV:
- Hard skills - technical abilities that are best defined by your certificates, education, and experience. You could also use the dedicated skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies you're apt at using that match the job requirements.
- Soft skills - your personal traits and interpersonal communication skills that are a bit harder to quantify. Use various CV sections, e.g. summary, strengths, experience, to shine a spotlight on your workspace achievements, thanks to using particular soft skills.
Remember that your job-winning CV should balance both your hard and soft skills to prove your technical background, while spotlighting your personality.
Top skills for your manual tester CV:
Test Case Creation
Test Execution and Reporting
Bug Reporting and Tracking
Functional Testing
Regression Testing
Cross Browser Testing
Black Box Testing
User Interface Testing
Performance Testing
SQL
Attention to Detail
Critical Thinking
Problem Solving
Effective Communication
Time Management
Adaptability
Collaboration and Teamwork
Learning Agility
Patient and Persistent
Organisational Skills
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If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
Education and more professional qualifications to include in your manual tester CV
If you want to showcase to recruiters that you're further qualified for the role, ensure you've included your relevant university diplomas. Within your education section:
- Describe your degree with your university name(-s) and start-graduation dates;
- List any awards you've received, if you deem they would be impressive or are relevant to the industry;
- Include your projects and publications, if you need to further showcase how you've used your technical know-how;
- Avoid listing your A-level marks, as your potential employers care to learn more about your university background.
Apart from your higher education, ensure that you've curated your relevant certificates or courses by listing the:
- name of the certificate or course;
- name of the institution within which you received your training;
- the date(-s) when you obtained your accreditation.
In the next section, discover some of the most relevant certificates for your manual tester CV:
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Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
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Key takeaways
What matters most in your manual tester CV-writing process is for you to create a personalised application. One that matches the role and also showcases your unique qualities and talents.
- Use the format to supplement the actual content, to stand out, and to ensure your CV experience is easy to comprehend and follows a logic;
- Invest time in building a succinct CV top one third. One that includes a header (with your contact details and headline), a summary or an objective statement (select the one that best fits your experience), and - potentially - a dedicated skills section or achievements (to fit both hard skills and soft skills requirements);
- Prioritise your most relevant (and senior) experience closer to the top of your CV. Always ensure you're following the "power verb, skill, and achievement" format for your bullets;
- Integrate both your technical and communication background across different sections of your CV to meet the job requirements;
- List your relevant education and certificates to fill in gaps in your CV history and prove to recrutiers you have relevant technical know-how.
