How I Passed the ISTQB Foundation Level Agile Tester Exam: A Senior QA Engineer’s Story

Passing the ISTQB Foundation Level Agile Tester (CTFL-AT) certification exam can seem overwhelming to some. While it may seem intimidating, we’re here to give you a roadmap and the tools you need to pass the exam stress-free.  

We’ll share background information about the ISTQB, the benefits of becoming a certified software testing engineer and tips for taking the exam.  

Why do QA engineers need ISTQB certifications? 

Almost everyone interested in software testing has heard about the ISTQB certification, the most popular certification worldwide for software testing engineers.  

The requirements and responsibilities of candidates are growing every year. Passing exams and getting certificates is one of the best ways to prove your skills and qualifications — especially for those who want to land highly coveted QA engineer jobs. 

The ISTQB provides opportunities to pass various software testing-related certifications on various levels. The certification at the foundation level is not complicated but does require preparation. 

Certification overview

Benefits of obtaining the Foundation Level Agile Tester (CTFL-AT) certification: 

• Gain expertise in the specific testing process for agile projects. 
• Broaden your understanding of the necessary tester skills to ensure quality at various levels. 
• Refresh your knowledge of fundamental testing approaches and principles. 
• Ensure an excellent knowledge base to qualify for promotion and salary increase. 
• Get the opportunity to move to a more advanced level. 
• Share your acquired knowledge within your company and with colleagues. 

Requirements for passing the certification exam 

• One year of work experience in a QA engineering role.  
• Basic certificate: You must have the Foundation Level (CTFL) certificate to proceed to any other certificate. 
• An intermediate level of English will be required to pass the exam.  
• At least two weeks of daily preparation before taking the exam to learn the required materials. 
• Choosing an exam provider (e.g., ISQI). 

To prepare for the exam, focus on agile methodologies, values and principles. The official ISTQB syllabus, along with sample questions and answers, is one recommended source of study material. Scrum and Kanban guides are also invaluable resources.  

My personal experience of passing the CTFL-AT exam 

As a fan of Agile methodologies, I enjoy continuously learning more about them.  

After earning my CTFL certificate, I worked on earning the CTFL-AT as it is the most appropriate next step for my current career path. 

Since most projects work in an agile environment, it's helpful to know about the different approaches and terminologies in this area, as workflows can vary from project to project.  

The more you know about the variations of approaches, terminologies and workflows, the faster you can become familiar with each new project in your career. 

Overall, the questions in the CTFL-AT exam were not very complicated, and many looked familiar to those I answered in the preparation course I found online. 

The CTFL-AT certification made me more confident in using my agile knowledge and taught me new terms and ways to improve my approach to testing.  

Four tips for passing the CTFL-AT exam  

The overall duration of the exam is 60 minutes, although you can request an additional 15 minutes if English is not your native language. This may seem like more than enough time in theory, but time passes very quickly.  

Here are my top four tips for passing the CTFL-AT exam confidently:  

1. Skip questions that seem confusing to you. If any questions or answers are confusing, it's better to return to them after all the other questions have been answered. 
2. Don’t try to learn anything new the day before the exam. Your mind should be clear and not overstressed. 
3. Read all the answer options for multiple-choice questions. Even if some seem completely wrong, it's important to read the whole thing. One of the complexities of this certification is that some questions are written so that one answer can be more correct or incorrect than another. 
4. When taking the exam online, it's essential to create a proper working atmosphere and fix all secondary things ahead of time, such as setting up the microphone or camera so you can concentrate on just passing the exam. 

With due preparation, you will be all set to pass this certification. My personal experience has been rewarding, and becoming a certified software testing engineer has proved helpful in my day-to-day activities.  

I wish you good luck! If you’re excited about this opportunity, be sure to explore our available jobs for QA engineers at EPAM.