Software testing: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering software testing
You test software for clients, so they judge you on clear bug reports, a sound test plan and reliable retests. Reports that developers can act on quickly are what bring clients back.
What customers ask
- What will you test?
- How do you report bugs?
- Can you write automated tests?
- How long will the testing take?
- Will you retest the fixes?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask the software, the devices, the users, the release date and the bugs already known
- Write a test plan that lists the paths, the devices and the risks
- Write each bug with the steps, the expected result, the actual result and a screenshot
- Retest each fix and record the result in the report
- Give the client a clear release status at the end
- Explain which tests are automated and how the client can run them
What to put on your profile
- Sample bug reports with sensitive details removed
- The tools and test types you use
- Your reporting and retest process
- Your training, certifications and insurance details
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a regression test before each major release
- Suggest test coverage for a new feature before it is built
- Send a note on keeping automated tests current
Licenses and permits
Software testing is usually not licensed. Check state and local rules for business registration and for how client data and test data are handled, and keep your insurance and confidentiality terms current.
Questions
What do I do when the client does not agree a bug is a bug?
Show the steps and the expected result from the requirements. If the requirement is unclear, ask the client to decide and record the answer.
How do I handle a client who wants a release approved without a full test?
Explain the risks of the paths not tested, list them in the report, and record the client's decision in writing.
Pro reviewers
Pros who offer software testing remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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