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Qualities to look for in a software performance tester

Mike Kelly EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Mike Kelly

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QUESTION POSED ON: 15 February 2007
Can you give me five or six bullet points for a performance tester and what we need to be looking for when hiring a new person?

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EXPERT RESPONSE
Attempting to honor the request for a short list (because I could very easily come up with a long list), here is what I came up with off the top of my head. Note the things that I would be willing to pay more for in terms of salary. If I didn't say based on salary, then the level I've indicated would be required.
  1. Can they test (analysis skills, techniques, planning, etc.)?
    • intermediate

  2. Can they model (UCML, UML, various diagrams, concept modeling, etc.)?
    • intermediate to advanced based on salary

  3. Do they know math (probability and statistics)?
    • intermediate to advanced based on salary

  4. Do they know hardware, networks, and application servers (servers, routers, switches, JVMs, configurations, etc.) ?
    • basic (they know where to find info and what questions to ask)

  5. Do they know tools (HTTP Spy, Etherial, LoadRunner, Robot, RPT, OpenSTA, etc.) ?
    • basic to advanced depending on salary

  6. Can they code (not tool-code, but code-code)?
    • basic to advanced depending on salary


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Advice from Mike Kelly
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