"Some birds aren't meant to be caged, their feathers are just too bright"- Morgan Freeman, Shawshank Redemption. This blog is from one such bird who couldn't be caged by organizations who mandate scripted software testing. Pradeep Soundararajan welcomes you to this blog and wishes you a good time here and even otherwise.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Tour of being an independent test consultant

Hiya! Hope you are doing very well. I am Pradeep Soundararajan, your tour guide for the next few minutes. I am glad you chose to take this tour of being an independent test consultant.





Here are some questions you might have: How does it feel to be an independent test consultant? What is it like to be one such in India? Will I be able to survive? Will I make enough money to run my family? Will I make as much money as the organization I am employed is paying me? Will I get enough paid work? What if I don't get paid work for a long time? Will people want my kind of skills? How do I know someone needs a consultant? How do I get clients? How will my family take this? What do I explain to my spouse? What kind of a pressure does society add when I am not in any paid work for a while? How does it feel to work from home not just for a day but for an entire month, or maybe a year or more? Will I have enough money to pay my home loan EMI?



These are some common questions that have popped up from those who have wanted to take the tour. So, if you have these questions or maybe even more, you won't be disappointed with this tour.




Some people ask me, "Hey, can you give me a few clients of yours and help a fellow Indian to also be an independent consultant?" I want to help people be independent consultants in India. By that, of course, I mean, I'd like to see them do stuff that helps them get credibility, reputation, paid work and clients for themselves.



I'd like to take you through the journey of having been an independent consultant. A journey that is not so often written or spoken about



Tour Point 1: Knowing enough about enough



If you want to be an independent test consultant, there are some prerequisites that you need to fulfill. You need to be bold enough, skilled enough, curious enough, pleasing enough and willing to talk to people or do some work good enough to get good enough people to talk to you.



That's a magical formula right? No one knows what "enough" means and hence it is a problem and an opportunity in disguise. If you knew what "enough" meant, you are kinda through to anything you want to achieve. I think, not knowing how much is "enough" makes you to work hard and get close enough. Oops, close enough?



I have been able to survive so far. I have no clue if my current skills are enough for me to survive for the next year and I am on a constant upgrade of skills and knowledge. I invest money on learning and my investment for July 2010 is on a few books, Ethical Hacking Guide to Corporate Security by Ankit Fadia & Job Interviews - Walter Vierera. Time is a much more important investment than money for me. So, just by spending money on those books wouldn't mean much unless I make a further investment of time on it.



Tour point 2: Love for failures



Many projects today suffer because people working on it aren't willing to try new ideas. They are special people on earth who know things would fail even before trying them out. However, as a consultant, if you try to be like them, you'd be expensive for your clients. You would do what their employees are doing for a price much higher than the employee cost.



Its important to not fail at a client's location but should that stop me and you from loving failures? I have a lab where I can experiment ideas whose results I don't know yet and that lab is the world of my colleagues, community and my gurus.



It's OK to fail, once in a while, at a client's location because even if you do great stuff, there could be things beyond your control that might make it look very bad. However, if you can get that client to call you back for more paid work in future, it boosts your confidence a great deal.



It happened to me. I was black listed in an organization and now they not just white listed me but want to work with me closer. Their CEO is in direct touch with me. If I feared failing, I would have done more mediocre stuff than what they thought I actually did.



Tour point 3: Excellence instead of money



India is a great place for some inspiring movies. I strongly recommend that you watch the movie "3 idiots". No, don't Google and read the story, just watch it. There are several good messages in it and one of them is, "Excellence instead of money". This movie is a super duper hit in India. I just wish people not just like such movies but also bring in necessary changes to their lives.



I want to be rich but I want to be rich while I am excellent. I wouldn't mind money coming on my way but money wouldn't necessarily make me feel rich. I want to be rich in testing skills and knowledge. I want to be rich in knowing many testers and how they work. In the process, if money follows, I am super happy.



Tour point 4: Don't expect people around you to understand what you are trying to do



When an article about me appeared on a few national news papers, my article was published on a few magazines, I was interviewed by CNBC TV18, I was on news for a local TV channel, my parents were so proud of me that I can bet they were flying high. However, whenever they see me sitting in home for more than a week without any paid work, they start to ask me, "Why don't you join some company like Infosys?"



If you expect your parents or spouse to completely understand what independent test consulting means then you'd be inviting disappointment. I was expecting them to understand what I was trying to do but experience teaches that I shouldn't. This has nothing to do with the respect we have for them but a learning of what we can't help them understand.



While at home, I am glued to the computer, trying to learn something, practice testing or support my clients post my onsite engagement or reply to emails. Some people around me take it for granted that I am jobless. Someone calls me and say, "Hey, you are at home only na, so why don't you come pick our luggage and keep it there?" It irritates a lot. I am at home but not jobless. I am trying to generate a paid work, which is a part of my work. People don't understand that. So, be ready for all that.



Tour point 5: No promotions and no designation change



If you were used to being an employee for long and then chose to be a consultant, you must know that there is no one who is going to give you a promotion. It is what you call yourself that matters. I am calling myself a Consulting Tester or just an Independent Test Consultant. If I am bored of it in 2012, I may call myself a Senior Consulting Tester. I give myself fancy title sometimes. I was calling myself a Test Magician and then I am now calling myself a Brainual Tester.




Tour point 6: Being an independent consultant doesn't mean you are the expert



Without saying much, I am not an expert and I am an independent consultant. James Bach, Michael Bolton, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Jerry Weinberg, Scott Barber, Matt Heusser, Jonathan Kohl, Karen Johnson are experts who are independent consultants. People like Ben Simo, Jon Bach, Cem Kaner, Vipul Kocher, Ashok are experts who are employees. There are some good thinkers and future experts like Meeta Prakash, Parimala, Lanette Creamer, Ajay, Santhosh Tuppad, Sajjadul Hakim, Ramit Manohar, Sharath Byregowda, Shmuel Gershon, Issi Hassan, Markus Gartner, who are employees, too.



So, independent consultants don't necessarily mean an expert. Employee don't necessarily mean a non expert. If I had to be an independent consultant only after becoming an expert, I wouldn't have been one till now. If I don't be an independent consultant, I don't know if I would ever get close enough to an expert while being an employee.



So, if you are waiting to be an expert and then be an independent consultant because you thought there was a strong relationship between them, you could be wrong.



Tour point 7: Tackling loneliness



Even in 2nd most populous country in the world, there are a lot of people I have seen who feel lonely. So, loneliness is not about people not being around you but about people whom you want to be around you not being around you. For me, my first wife is my laptop, just like many others I guess. So, despite having two wives (laptop and the one to whom I am married), I get lots of situations where I feel lonely. Loneliness is not always a problem; its a blessing in disguise. Ask our fellow bloggers, they'd tell you that they churned out a cool post during such situations.



However, being an independent consultant and working from home means, I have no colleagues that I meet on a daily basis. I meet a lot of new people every year but meet the same people very few times. Having no colleagues to meet on a daily basis means frustration at times.



When I go through Facebook or Orkut and see some people posting photos of their team member's birthday party celebrations, team outing to a hill station, team lunch, going to movie as a team... it hurts me a lot. I just take it as though I am in a penance of becoming a good tester and I have to bear with all of it. Recently, I was pissed off when I found no one to join me for a movie that I wanted to go. Even if I did find, their timing and my timing was off. Hey, employees are pissed off too. So, I am still fine.



Tour point 8: Getting clients is like sowing seeds and waiting for them to sprout



We think clients come from a specific place or set of places and we are wrong. When I was a rookie consultant looking for opportunities, Michael Bolton, told me that finding business is like sowing seeds. He also told; you never know when the seeds sprout.



I sowed a seed by answering a question in a forum without knowing I was sowing it. The one who asked the question was impressed and help the seed sprout by giving me a business worth thousand dollars.



When I didn't have a public reputation for speaking, I offered 2 hour talk called "Mirchi Test Masala" for free. This attracted at least seven organizations to have my talk at their office. I was gaining experience of speaking to testers and engaging them for at least 2 hours. I was also testing my own testing exercise on them. This was in 2007. One among the 250 people I might have spoken to during my Mirchi Test Masala tour was impressed with my talk. In 2010, he asked his current employer to have my workshop for his team. It happened. As you see the seed sowed in 2007 sprouted in 2010.



So, if you want to be an independent consultant next year, you should have started sowing at least 2 years back unless clients are just waiting for you to becoming a consultant. Also note that there are other consultants sowing seeds in the same place. If you are skilled enough you don't need to be too bothered.



Tour point 9: Freedom at its best



If you are my blog reader then, "Some birds aren't meant to be caged, their feathers are just too bright" isn't a new thing to you. If it is, please note that the quote is from the movie Shawshank Redemption. I struggled for freedom to test. I saw that I could test a lot better when there is freedom. I also see that many testers can perform a lot better with a lot of freedom and responsibility bestowed on them. The only way I could win freedom to test in India was by being an independent consultant. These days, I am coming across a few managers who want to provide freedom to test but they don't have the curious people in place.



Tour point 10: Managing the tough situation of low bank balance



During August 2009 to Dec 2009 there was no paid work. There were enquiries but nothing turning to work. My bank account went low enough that the bank thought it was expensive to send me an SMS about my bank balance. At that moment, everyone around me urged me to look for a job. It isn't a bad thing to go back being an employee. At least I won freedom for a while and I can always win it back. I updated my profile and started to apply for jobs. I didn't even get a single interview opportunity in Bangalore. What? Yeah, so, no matter how much reputed you are, nature teaches you humility at such times. I dropped my plan to look for a job and look for some consulting opportunities. Again, a seed sowed in 2008 sprouted and I found 2 back to back consulting opportunities. Today, as I write, I have certain things lined up, clients asking and competing for my dates. I have no visibility beyond a certain month in this year. I have no problem with that. I am just hoping that some seeds will sprout.



Tour point 11: Live your dream



3 weeks back, my school classmate died in an accident. It just reminded me that death is not certain of a time or situation. Any day it might strike. I was shocked by his death and asked myself; what if I die today? Also, if you have listened to the famous speech of Steve Jobs, he talks about death and suggests that we work as though today is our last day.



Living your dream is very important. So important that you may not have another life to live your dream. My dream is to be a good tester and if possible help others with similar dreams to get there. I know I am living my dream today, at least to some good extent, so I am not afraid of death.



Tour point 12: Earning money is tough but not impossible



Some of my own students hesitate to coach other testers because they think teaching isn't something they want to do. Indirectly they are saying, "This demands me to learn new skills which I am not prepared to". There is money in teaching. If they continue to think that way, they would never be able to earn contacts, different learning, upgrade their skills, learn about different contexts, challenges and hence more money.



Tour point 13: Consulting is not only problem solving but jiggling the right things



I was thinking of myself as a super hero by having solved some problems for my clients. When I interacted with Michael Bolton of what I did to claim success, he helped me understand that I jiggled with things rather than solving problems. I started to learn what exactly I was doing. Although I believed I was solving problems for my clients, it was they who were solving it and I was just helping them do it. At times I did solve problems, too.



If you are serious about being a consultant or being a valuable employee and want to jiggle the right things, I strongly recommend you to read Jerry Weinberg's books on Consulting. I mean, Secrets of Consulting and More secrets of Consulting. They are my best reads.



Tour point 14: Get yourself a guru and a role model



Sachin Tendulkar who is considered to be a God for cricket in India has a guru. Suriya, a rocking Tamil actor has Kamal Hassan has his guru and inspiration. Kamal Hassan has more than just one guru. Rajinikanth has a lot of gurus and role models. Virendar Shewag has a role model (Sachin) that he wants to be like. The great Arjuna of Mahabharatha had a guru teach him archery. Ekalavya had a guru. All these successful people have a guru and a role model. In testing, as we think we are experts or good enough, we don't feel a need to have a guru and role model. We sink our own career that way. I must have avoided thousands of traps by having more than a few gurus.



James Bach helped me be an independent consultant and I often consulted Michael Bolton to shape myself. There are other people who have helped me too and have been my inspiration and role models. I have posters of these people on my wall. It keeps pushing me. Without gurus and role models, I would have been lost by now.



Your tour ends here unless you have a few questions to ask me. Thank you for your patience.

41 comments:

Selim Mia said...

Till date i never thought when to start my tour to be an independent consultant but i liked all the tour points and questions you have mentioned which might have come-up before starting as an independent consultant:)
In current stage your words which are best suited for me "I want to be rich in testing skills and knowledge. I want to be rich in knowing many testers and how they work", and eager to attain it subsequently ;-)

- Selim

AJ said...

Hey Pradeep,

Nice article..rather..Nice guide..I have been subscribing to your articles recently through google reader and each of them are really a wonderful read. I am in testing field (not by choice initially :))but started loving it some 4 yrs back. Never gave enough thought about being an ind. consultant, but the way you have unfolded the whole experience just makes me think this to be a nice opprtunity as it gives the FREEDOM to work. I guess I need to update/upgrade myself sufficiently before thinking about taking this as the career path...Thanks again for a nice article..

vvk said...

Breath taking article indeed.. I did not wink my eyes for long time till i completed the article.. It was as tough i could visualize each of question and answers for the same like a sequence of events.A very impressing way of explaining the thing. I thank you for always writing the Blogs on the Topics that most relevant to a every/most of the test engineer

I have a question here..
What time of the career is one fit to start the consulting job ?
What should be the first step in starting ?

Thanks,
Vijay V.Kalkundri

Fairy Garden said...

Thanks Pradip for this post. It basically teaches a lot.
I agree with Selima and I also vote for the same line.
I just wanted to explore how other testers work and what is my slippages in knowing testing better.

Anonymous said...

There are lots of take away for employees as well. Great inspirational Post oops! tour :)
--Dhanasekar S

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Sunjeet,

I'm curious to know as to what inspired to take this path(of a consultant) ?

Tour point 9 and 11 has the answers to your question.

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@VVK,

What time of the career is one fit to start the consulting job ?
What should be the first step in starting ?


What time of the career is to be decided by the person.

It is too difficult to say what the first step should be. If there is one, then it could be true passion and energy.

Anonymous said...

This was a beautiful post Pradeep. Very inspiring and at the same time readers are faced with the blunt truth.

I want to cut my shackles so desperately and fly towards my dreams.

But I'm a coward and an idiot.

I've been in this state for 2 years.

I had an opportunity to listen to you in Bangalore, I don't know if you remember (I was biting the rubber-ball you gave me)

The first years of my testing career has become a distant reminder - can you believe that I was once working for 72 hours without sleep. But now the passion is lost.

I need to find it.

Thank you Pradeep for this refreshing post. You are a life saver.

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Keshav, the rubber ball biter :)

I want to cut my shackles so desperately and fly towards my dreams. But I'm a coward and an idiot.

No, you are neither a coward nor an idiot. You just probably love thinking of yourself that way. I think you should come out of it and show to yourself what you are capable of.

The first years of my testing career has become a distant reminder - can you believe that I was once working for 72 hours without sleep. But now the passion is lost.

Passion can come from within but to help it grow and sustain we need help from external sources. Go, get yourself a guru. Start working with the weekend testing folks. Enjoy freedom. Practice freedom.

Anonymous said...

One important point, early in your career, you were an employee.

You were a tester, leader and a manager. But the most importantly you were a mentor and an inspiration for the people you work with.

Unfortunately your team-members will lose your valuable ideas when they lose you.

I think Indian testers deserve to be around you and learn from you.

This would not be possible when you are a one man army sitting at home.

Your blog is a pathway to your ideas. But I hope you can think of ways to interact with us physically (maybe workshops, teaching, coaching)

I know many experts across the world - James Bach, Michael Bolton, Cem Karner. But only one in India - you.

Think of an idea, where we can all contribute, learn and grow together and make ourselves the best.

Think of a Company, a community for passionate testers. I know you can do it!

(Now to convince myself that I can do something)

All the best Pradeep, the future Guru.

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Keshav,

Stop praising me. Anyone who wants to interact with me face to face can. This is my record, I have never said "No" to any tester who wanted to meet me.

I am working with more testers than I would have as an employee. In the last 3 months, I have addressed 400 testers, worked closely with 30 testers for 2 days and 3 testers for 15 days.

Sreenuraj said...

Hi Pradeep

I have a question

As an independent test consultant, will there be an opportunity to be a part of the project from its start itself, actually I am asking this because when as a tester I get the opportunity to study the requirement and able to point out the faults in the design phase and giving valuable suggestion gives a great satisfaction.
Have you miss this part as a independent test consultant ?
can you please explain as a test cunsultant from which part of the project we get the entry ?

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Sreenuraj,

As an independent test consultant, will there be an opportunity to be a part of the project from its start itself,

There have been instances where I was involved at the start but most often people hire consultants when there is a problem or they need something different than what is being done to happen. However, if I say something based on my past alone it would be wrong.

Plus being involved in requirements and design phase means, I would be finding testability issues primarily, over design issues.

Have you miss this part as a independent test consultant ?
can you please explain as a test cunsultant from which part of the project we get the entry ?


I don't miss any action or fun. I get a lot more fun because I get involved in projects across companies, technologies and products, contexts, situations, budgets, people, mindset, interests, conflicts and goals. I love this.

Ajoy Kumar Singha said...

A great post Pradeep. It inspired me.

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Ajoy,

I am one of those who want to see you do very well.

Tarik Sheth said...

Hi Pradeep,

Yet another splendid post!!!

Being an independent test consultant, I think this requires a constant learning, upgrading skills both personal as well as professional. This is something in which one has to think (non scipt)creatively all the time.

Again thanks for this NICE post.

keshav said...

"You just probably love thinking of yourself that way" - you are right!

Playing the victim is lame. I agree.

I was waking up as I was posting those comments. You motivated more.

I started the process of learning.

I used to have the "Lessons Learnt in software Testing". But I lost it.

In fact you actual inspire me to write a few lessons that I learnt over the years. I did not start a blog assuming that I don't have much to talk about. But even if it is one article, I will still post it.

Ordered the book again. Also started reading through some of the articles at www.satisfice.com (the last time I read them was in 2003)

Your generosity of spirit is wonderful - "Coffee with Pradeep" is a perfect example.

I never realized someone can interact with so many (400) people in such a short time. WoW

Unfortunately I'm now working in Hyderabad.

But I'll come to Bangalore to have coffee with you some time.

p.s - I'm paying ;-)

rao said...

Pradeep,

Very true and matured article.

Regards

Yeshwanthrao

Unknown said...

Hello Pradeep,

I just wanted to tell you that I have been a great admirer of you since i started reading your blogs. And it seems like the questions you are facing are also applicable in Bangladesh also.

And unknowingly i realized, i wanted to be skilled enough to be a part time consultant also. Part time because i don't want to face the irritating questions you have been facing as full time Test consultant. And unknowingly you became my GURU :). But i think it is not necessary to get lessons from GURU, but just to understand the lessons learned. (though i don't mind advises :P).

Regards
Mohammad Ashik Elahi

Pallavi said...

Inspiring, and very well written Pradeep.

ganesh said...

Yes Mr.pradeep, hope you know me in person for past some years.

Every individual reading this know you as a independent testing consultant , but i know pradeep as pradeep. I am seeing every move of ur life , to be honest i am seeing u as a kind of role model.

Good show pradeep, my best wishes to grow further.

http://tipsoftesting.blogspot.com/ said...

Hi Pradeep,


"If you want to be an independent test consultant, there are some prerequisites that you need to fulfill. You need to be bold enough, skilled enough, curious enough, pleasing enough and willing to talk to people or do some work good enough to get good enough people to talk to you."

When I started reading your article, I was a bit skeptical abt your above statement and after reading the succeeding paragraph, I got the real clarity.Yes, I liked YOUR Statement- "I think, not knowing how much is "enough" makes you to work hard and get close enough."

I'm planning to be an Independent consultant and after reading your post,I altered my plans to wait for a while and gear up with the required skills...not just testing but skills to manage socio-economic risks as well. Thanks again for the post!

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@ Tipsoftesting,

I'm planning to be an Independent consultant and after reading your post,I altered my plans to wait for a while and gear up with the required skills...not just testing but skills to manage socio-economic risks as well. Thanks again for the post!

Remember that skills take away fear and you will be fine.

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Ganesh,

If you are the Ganesh from MCE then I know you :)

Every individual reading this know you as a independent testing consultant , but i know pradeep as pradeep. I am seeing every move of ur life , to be honest i am seeing u as a kind of role model.

Thanks. It excites me that I am able to be a role model to people like you. I shall work hard to retain the status.

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Scornik,

And unknowingly i realized, i wanted to be skilled enough to be a part time consultant also. Part time because i don't want to face the irritating questions you have been facing as full time Test consultant.

Well, the questions are irritating only if we react to it :) So, you may want to practice not reacting to such questions and be fine.

@Pallavi,

Thanks a lot.

@Yeshwantrao,

Thank you very much.

Anonymous said...

For those (if any) who want to just jump into being Ind. Consultant:

Independent consultant is just a state of being. I can quit my current enagegemt and become an independent consultant coach. However, will I get the opportunity to coach the Indian team is the question.

A mediocre in the skill matrix is not worth even a dime. Inside or outside of any organization ... you are worth the same.

There is this general impression (most of times true) about consultant come a COST (read as high cost). Dont jump into it unless you can guage the quality of your work - value you can offer to your clients - the costs involved and evaluate if someone will be ready to take your services.

Its good to have a role model ala Pradeep Soundararajan. Just evaluate if you are ready to work as hard as PS.

glsandeep said...

Hi Pradeep,

Every time i read your blog, i get inspired.Its long time wait i meet you yesterday @ Zappers.
Wanted spend more time, but time constraint.
Thanks a lot Pradeep for all the inspiring articles.

This was the book i was referring to

http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Consulting-Giving-Getting-Successfully/dp/0932633013/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@GL Sandeep,

Was nice meeting you too. I am glad you like my writing. We will catch up again, being in Bangalore.

Fake software Tester said...

Journey that seems very thoughtful, profound and depicted very well.

On a lighter note, can I buy movie rights from you :)? few titles that come to mind --- "The brilliant Idiot", "Idiot-Dog Brillantaire", "Last Idiot Standing"......

Pradeep ---> No offense meant with the lighter side!!! Feel free to delete this comment if it sounds rude in any way!!!

jaiwanth said...

Hi,
I just marvel everytime I read your posts for the such wonderful posts which reminded me of my childhood days when we as kids used to eagerly await (Amar Chtra Katha's or such books ) for their latest editions.
Just the same I await eagerly to read your posts for it throws light on so many aspects along with being a best guide for testing professionals to avoid pitfalls and mistakes which one might be tempted to make.
You have always spoken about how each and every person is fallible but yet has a unique trait of his own which he/she should utilise to excel.Just to say once again thanks for such wonderful posts.

Pavan said...

Pradeep,

I would like to know if there are any legal obligations and legal registrations that one need to get into to become an Independent Test consultant in Inda.
Are the taxation rules applicable to the money that is paid for the consultation service?

I am truly a faithful citizen and want to abide by existing taxation rules. I am not expecting an unrecorded money coming into my account. Can yo help me with some links and pointers.

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Jaiwanth,

Many thanks. Its comments like these that helps me boosts my confidence when I get a kick of my own stupidity :)

@Fake Software Tester,

Your rights are granted.

@Pavan,

I would like to know if there are any legal obligations and legal registrations that one need to get into to become an Independent Test consultant in India.Are the taxation rules applicable to the money that is paid for the consultation service?

There are two ways you can operate:

If you expect your profits for an year cross 15 lac rupees then you need to get a service tax registration and collect service tax from your clients apart from your billing.

If your profits don't cross 15 lacs or you anticipate so, you can just bill your client your consulting charges and they would deduct tax of 10.3 percent on your fees and pay you the rest.

I am truly a faithful citizen and want to abide by existing taxation rules. I am not expecting an unrecorded money coming into my account. Can yo help me with some links and pointers.


It is hard to get an unrecorded money as a consultant mostly because your clients are abiding by the rules and they wouldn't pay unless something is recorded. If they do so, they land up in trouble and invite you into it.

Quality Assurance Service said...

Yet am not thinking about this. Even though I have more than 4 years experience in testing. After read this article I am thinking it. Any way thanks for sharing such a valuable information.

Aditya Kalra (Ady) said...

Hi Pradeep,
I am really impressed by your blog . I was just searching on google for this "best testing post" and i was surprised to find just one blog and that's your blog and it truly deserved that title.

I have a blog that which has a collection of the best of the testing world and i'm adding this post of yours.Feel free to let me know if you want me to change anything.

I am sure you will be happy to see your blog post at my blog .

My Blog : http://go-gaga-over-testing.blogspot.com/
Best Regards,
Aditya Kalra

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Aditya,

I thank you for your kind words. I was excited to read your comment however the next moment I thought that just because my post appears top on Google, it doesn't mean it is good.

The best post might be something that you haven't discovered yet.

Also, you might want to consider your experience in your blog and I would love to be a reader there.

I don't mind you posting about my blog posts but ensure you credit properly and don't make it a complete content copy paste. Put in the first two paragraphs and put a read more link to the post on my blog.

I am just wondering why would you do that. By seeing your English I feel you can write well on your own. You might have written but it doesn't appear so.

Do good, more.

Aditya Kalra (Ady) said...

Hi Pradeep,
Thanks would love to add more from your blog will keep you posted.The reason i changed my blog from an exclusively mine blog to a best of all blogs :
1. I tried but couldnot dedicate time to write good articles.
2. I never found a single place on the web where i could read the best of news, blogs, articles, tools, code snippets, testing magazines, or anything that had to do anything with testing
3. There are people like you who are gifted writers so it improves my learnings when i hunt and add something new and helps others as well.

Thanks again.
Best Regards,
Aditya Kalra

Siddharth Balaravi said...

I tend to agree with the points made here. For one, I've been having to deal at least with a couple of these challenges in trying to get my own firm off the ground too :)

That being said, in the end persistence is the key to success. Gotta do what we gotta do!

Googler said...

Hi Pradeep,

I am Gopalakrishnan, Tester by profession in an organization and an Engineer by qualification. I am helping one of my friend who is running a company for past one year in areas of software testing and its allied activities. But i am not sure or having honestly no idea on how i can promote or present myself as an Independent Software Tester. Can you please advise.

Pradeep Soundararajan said...

@Gopalakrishnan,

What are your skills? Why does the industry need it? What have you demonstrated about your skills that makes people think they should hire you? If you could answer questions like those to yourself, you can know how to go about being an independent consultant.

Jayshree said...

Hi Pradeep,

I would say I was forced to be a Test Consultant by so called recession and I am glad for it.

Actually I was working with one company in Ahmadabad but when I couldn't found a single good reason to continue that job I resigned. The M.D personally called me and offered me a salary raise and also work from home facility as I live in Gandhinagar and was doing up-down. It was very kind of him but still I left.

Then my struggle begun. I sent many application to several companies but they didn't bother to even call me for an interview. What I was getting is HR calls who was more interested in why I left the job than hiring me.

I decided to find work on my own and it took me around 6 months to find me some good work for myself and see I am a happy Test consultant and now work from home since Oct'2009

After hat I have not tried for any company even though I get calls from the companies where I had sent applications during those 6 months.

Yes, having no colleagues sometime frustrates but when I look at the freedom It feels great.

The only problem I am struggling is, reading/learning were like things of the past. Though recently I have started learning sql.

Working as a consultant has increased confidence in me and now I know that I can fight with any recession now.

and last but not the least "Your posts always motivates us, so keep motivating"

Jayshree

Shikhar said...

Hi Pradeep,

Nice post from you.
I just read it when searching for "Working as a Test Consultant" on Google.

rgds.
Shikhar