Summary of "MID to nowy JUNIOR - jak zmieniają się wymagania wobec testerów w 2025? WEBINAR"

Summary of the Webinar: “MID to nowy JUNIOR - jak zmieniają się wymagania wobec testerów w 2025?”

Main Focus

The webinar explores evolving requirements for software testers in 2025, emphasizing changes in competencies, market demands, and technological trends. It is based primarily on detailed competency reports from testerzy.pl, supplemented by data from the Solid Jobs report.

Key Technological Concepts and Trends

1. Tester Competency Evolution

The role of Mid-level testers (MID) is becoming the new entry point, with expectations previously reserved for seniors now placed on mids.
Junior roles are shrinking with very few job offers; juniors now require skills that were once mid-level competencies.
Senior roles are shifting towards leadership, mentoring, strategy, and advanced technical problem-solving.
Experience requirements for juniors typically start at 1-2 years, making entry difficult.

2. Technical Skills and Tools

Automation and technical skills are critical; manual testing alone is insufficient.
Selenium remains the most demanded automation tool, but Playwright is rapidly gaining traction as a strong competitor, supported by Microsoft and the community.
Popular scripting languages include TypeScript (preferred over JavaScript for ease), Java, and JavaScript.
Testers are expected to have skills in SQL, API testing, Git, and increasingly in CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, Docker).
Understanding of DevOps and software development processes is becoming essential, especially for mids and seniors.

3. Soft Skills

Communication and teamwork remain fundamental.
There is a growing emphasis on independence and the ability to manage tasks without constant supervision, linked to hybrid/remote work models.
Proficiency in English (B2-C1 level) is a must for working in international teams.
Soft skills for seniors include leadership, mentoring, and strategic thinking.

4. Certifications

ISTQB certification is experiencing a comeback as a differentiator amid a crowded candidate market.
AI-related certifications (e.g., AI testing, Gen AI testing) are emerging and increasingly valued.
Certificates are not strict filters but provide recruiters with confidence in candidates’ structured knowledge and commitment.

5. Artificial Intelligence in Testing

AI currently appears in only 2-3% of job ads but is expected to grow.
AI knowledge is mostly a “nice-to-have” for advanced testers and automation experts.
Agent-based automation (using AI agents) is seen as a more promising trend than AI-generated test code.
Knowledge of prompt engineering, AI agents, and related concepts (e.g., MCP, VIP testing) can be a strong market differentiator.
Security concerns (data leakage) limit AI adoption; testers must understand data protection policies and act as gatekeepers for sensitive data.

6. Market Analysis

The market is stabilizing but remains highly competitive, especially for juniors.
There are significantly more candidates than job offers, particularly for manual testing roles (up to 79 applicants per junior manual tester position).
Automation roles have fewer applicants per position (~19).
Salary expectations among juniors are often unrealistic, while seniors tend to undervalue their worth.
Foreign companies entering the Polish market offer competitive salaries, sometimes at European rates.

7. Career Development Paths Proposed

Engineering Tester: Highly technical, focused on automation, infrastructure, and close collaboration with development and DevOps teams.
Product Tester: Focus on product quality from a user and business perspective, including A/B testing, user behavior analysis, and data-driven decision-making.
Specialist Tester: Expert in niche areas such as AI testing, security, performance, or code review.

Recommendations & Insights

Continuous development is mandatory; there are no shortcuts to staying relevant.
Juniors should focus on building technical skills in SQL, API, Git, and automation basics.
Mids must deepen automation, programming, and DevOps knowledge.
Seniors should develop leadership and mentoring skills alongside technical expertise.
AI knowledge and certifications can enhance employability even if not yet widely required.
Understanding security and data privacy is crucial, especially when working with AI tools.
Remote work is decreasing in some companies due to efficiency and trust concerns; hybrid or office presence may be expected.
Candidates should regularly monitor job ads for evolving requirements and tailor applications accordingly.

Q&A Highlights

Testerzy.pl offers training on AI, agent-based automation, and test code generation.
Agent-based automation is recommended over AI-generated test scripts for long-term potential.
Ads analyzed were roughly evenly split between Polish and international companies.
Commercial SQL experience is important but does not require complex queries; ability to read and write basic queries is key.
Data security with AI tools is a concern; testers must act as a “protein interface” to prevent data leaks.
Remote work is under scrutiny due to studies showing lower average efficiency compared to office work.

Main Speakers

Ewelina Chruściel – Organizer of training and exams at testerzy.pl, author of tester competency reports.
Radek Milgin – Creator of testerzy.pl portal, tester and trainer with over 20 years of experience, expert on tester competencies and industry trends.

This webinar provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolving software testing job market in Poland for 2025, emphasizing the increasing technical demands, the shifting roles and expectations at different experience levels, and the growing but cautious incorporation of AI in testing workflows.