Why is it hard to hire versatile testers? What’s the solution?

The quality of software decides its success. We are at a juncture where quality matters the most than anything. When it comes to people who are responsible for the quality, there is a huge scarcity. And it’s a big problem!
Let’s have a few statistics that might reveal an important question

• The most accepted tester to developer ratio is 1:4.
• Requirement volatility and lack of skilled testers are some of the biggest problems when it comes to test execution challenges
• 69% of testers working in the organization agreed that formal training is required
• 24% agreed that they got into testing accidentally
• 65% of testers agreed that they have never been formally taught

Is there a fertile ground to nurture skilled testers? The answer would be no!
There are certificate courses on software testing. True that. But, is that enough?
We are moving to a phase where software quality has of utmost importance to be successful. So Quality assurance has to be given prime importance and nurturing tester skills has to be done ASAP.

An Ample Hiring example
Suppose a company is diligently looking for an automation tester. But, when it comes to the responsibilities of a tester, don’t you think he has to do much more than that of being proficient in tools?
Automating time-consuming tasks such as writing script and maintaining a test environment has to be done to make sure there is a stable agile/DevOps environment. His duty does not end there he has to be the central part that grantees efficiency in any project.
In short, software developers are adding features on a constant basis to keep up with testing there has to be testers who can think out of the box.
But unfortunately, we are at a dilemma where the supply of such skilled testers is in scarce considering the demand.
The organizational dilemma in QA
There exists a situation where developers perform QA to make sure that SDLC is at its right pace.  One of the major reason would be the  few software testing companies to choose from  considering the humongous number of software development companies.
So what happens when developers becomes tester is that, most of the time developers tend to leave their codes unchecked resulting in a bottleneck at any point in the development.
So it’s an urgent requirement that we need companies who can efficiently test software and can be in the loop when it comes to continuous development.
Most of the testers are self-made out of sheer hard work and perseverance
Only 44% of testers across the globe have been formally taught. The rest of them learned with the help of books, video tutorials, and through experience.
But there is a huge problem here. Experience = time. A person who has started his testing career or if he is someone who is interested in QA will require years of experience to master the craft. Learning theory alone most probably won’t land them a job either.
Be it fresher’s, we need testers who can get into the process within a short span of time.
What’s the solution here? 
Make sure that testers are deeply trained and nurtured in a way that they become more than mere testers. They should have a holistic approach to software quality rather than able to carry out certain processes.
What are the basic traits an organization will be looking for in hiring testers?

1. Knowledge of DevOps and Agile Methodology 

With software expected to be delivered in a short time period, testers should be knowledgeable about these collaborative as well as iterative working modules. Agile methodology offers testing speed, whereas DevOps provides cross-functional teamwork from the outset. 
2. The Efficiency with Web and Mobile Technologies 
A tester must have a strong understanding of the latest mobile and web technologies. The knowledge will allow them to understand the particular application and related specifications in order to apply effective testing actions. 
Testers must update themselves of the advancements in the web as well as mobile technologies. Their level of awareness is what helps them understand the coding structure and technical pitfalls to extend relevant Q/A solutions. 
3. Rational Analysis and Logical Thinking 
Testers must be logical, analytical, and rational because these skills when applied to tests, enable them to determine errors, comprehend challenges, assess irregularities within the application, and perform testing accordingly.
Moreover, these skills also help them to validate application against various scenarios and test its performance and elements against the predetermined standards.
Having a logical approach further allows testers to interpret the information, highlight relevant questions, and identify strengths and weaknesses, and eventually implement the right course of action. 
4. SDLC 
Software Life-cycle Management Skills or SDLC allows testers to understand the tasks and plan testing cycles of an application. Having a thorough understanding of the SDLC cycle helps them to figure out complexities within the application. 
By determining the issues in the early stages, allows testers to take the right measures at the right time.
In this, testers must essentially learn certain development methodologies, including Scrum, Waterfall, Lean, and Kanban. 
5. Programming 
Understanding of programming languages helps testers understand an application’s inside out. The ability to comprehend every aspect of the application is what makes a successful tester stand out from the crowd. 
The knowledge of programming language assists testers in efficiently determining potential errors within the code, thereby reducing the chances of inefficiencies and bugs. 
6. Communication Skills 
By imbibing good communication skills, testers will be able to interact with the clients and clearly make them understand the status and requirements of the projects.
Moreover, testers will be able to communicate issues with the development team and translate the technical reports in an easy way to help the management team understand the process.
Additionally, good communication skills help testers provide insights and feedback to both technical and non-technically teams in a more understandable manner. 

Final take
The answer is simple. Many budding testers  are not aware of the huge paradigm shift that has happened or is happening when it comes to quality assurance. Organisational requirement is entirely different from what most of the testers have learned.
Rather than being  a part of a module, software testing has to be taught in its entirety as a full length bachelors or master program so that when it comes to hiring freshers companies will have much more reliable medium than going through the painful experience similar to finding needle in a haystack.