Jack Ma once said that employees leave a company for no more than two reasons, one is less money, the other is not happy. I feel very accord with IT pros now leave the heart of a company, a lot of times we IT professionals looking for a job can make a target, such as some people think that to find a large IT company, salary is high, think there times face, such as some people think to find a small and medium-sized IT company, within the expected salary to give, Work pressure is not so big ok. In fact, facing the choice of companies, especially for IT practitioners, is a long and tangled problem.

As we all know, there is no permanent job in IT industry, so the rate of job-hopping in IT industry is high. Every job-hopping requires some internal comparison and analysis, and most of the time, everyone is getting better and better, so IT is very important to have a pair of smart eyes to make the right choice.

So back to the question, as a software tester, what do you need to consider when choosing a company?

First, if you choose a large company’s sound system, standard process and so on, it is true that these are the dividends brought by the large company employees, monthly salary is paid on time, the test team is large, there are many learning opportunities, for the rookie can learn a lot of things.

1, workflow the general software testing process of large companies is very perfect, but also very formal, in the workflow, what needs to be done at each stage can be reflected in the process, the input and output of each step in the process is also stipulated by the process.

For example, in an iterative test, what testers need to do and how they interact with developers and product managers can be followed in the requirements stage. Because of the constraints of the process, developers and product managers will cooperate fully.

Turn to the Internet will have test process, for example, developers in the turn, whether it’s version of the name, packaging, deployment, test will be very clear, the tester can find required documents or procedures in the corresponding position, in fact, many small companies turn when measuring basic no process, is thrown directly, testers create test drive, Or the tester does not have an independent test environment, and shares a set of environment with the developer. It is common for the tester to change the test again and again when the test is not correct. During this period, there is no identification of the version number, and finally the correct function is changed wrong, resulting in the tester missing the test.

In fact, the process is the standard, although we do not need to be formal, completely in accordance with the process or specification to go, the process not only constraints development specification coding, specification testing, specification bug modification, but also constraints testing, good testing process for testers will get twice the result with half the effort.

2. Requirements document

For testers, understanding requirements is very important. How much you understand requirements determines how much coverage you have for application testing, and testers’ main source of requirements is requirements documentation.

Big companies in view of the requirements document writing has strict standards, who wrote it, who modify, what changes, when to change, the description of each requirement, the interaction between the demand can query to in the requirements document, the requirements document is written by a product manager, write, after the completion of the requirements document review and so on.

Large companies to document is very value, is not only the requirements document, including the development of story, development plan, test test plan, test plan, test cases, test report and so on, there will be a special time for writing, the position of the fixed deposit, but small companies due to the close of business, online pressure big, basic have no time to write these documents, So it’s pretty hard to find documentation in a small company unless you write it yourself.

3. Job benefits

The welfare system of large companies is quite perfect. Basically, there will be some benefits, and there may be some not mandatory requirements. There will be some small benefits on holidays or at ordinary times, and the salary and year-end bonus will not be delayed.

4. It’s hard to get promoted

Big company talent, the most don’t lack is a person with ability is ambitious, if you are not outshine others stand out in a crowd, so are likely to be a long time to get to the promotion, and big company leadership more managers, if you are not particularly good hard, so it is difficult to ensure that they would be the person above value promotion.

5. Higher educational requirements

Big companies are not so easy to enter, after all, the benefits are good to attract a batch of talent influx, they can choose more excellent talent, so if your education does not meet their requirements of the standard, then the probability of being brushed down the interview will be large.

Two, if you choose a small company

Although big companies occupy a lot of advantages, but a small company is not didn’t have any advantages, the starting point for new comers rookie is small company, without the proper work experience and time, general big companies are not acceptable, so small companies like the rain at this time, for many IT new jobs and a springboard.

1. Fast growth

Newcomers in small companies will definitely grow the fastest and most comprehensive, because small companies have limited manpower and need a person to do more things. For example, in a start-up company, a developer may need to do the work of product manager and tester besides coding.

In the case of shortage of manpower in small companies, not only one person needs to take on more tasks, but also one person may be assigned to different positions at the same time. Because of this, as long as one wants to do things seriously in small companies, his ability will grow the fastest.

2, high chance of ascendancy

Small companies also many opportunities, such as no automated testing personnel, as long as you can achieve, companies need to, you can completely from scratch to build test automation framework, large companies is a radish, a pit, only the radish is gone, the pit will be empty, so in time you have this ability, a heart that want to do is, don’t necessarily have the opportunity, But most of the time, you don’t have what you can do right away. Large companies won’t give you the opportunity, but small companies will, because it’s expensive to hire someone with high ability.

3. Low educational requirements

Small companies will value personal ability and work attitude, the education requirements will be relatively low.

4, the function is not standard

As mentioned above, small companies many opportunities, but this is based on the development of the company, generally small, only one or two testers, basic only do function test, test types such as automation, performance, security may not, cannot have relevant personnel responsible for each link, details will be relatively low.

Third, summary

What are the pros and cons of being big and small? How to choose? Especially if you’re fresh out of school or just starting out.

In general, it is recommended for new graduates and newcomers to work for a large company. Go to a large company to learn more advanced and perfect testing process and work process, different work types (testing types), which will play a lot of help to their career planning, help to broaden their horizon, of course, the premise is that your educational background and interview can meet the requirements of the other party.

If you are subject to the requirements of a large company for education and work experience, you can first work in a small company to improve your work experience and ability, and then go to the challenge of interviewing for a job in a large company. After all, no one can achieve it overnight from the beginning. The process always takes time and energy to accumulate.