A Tool is a tool is a tool

With this post, I do not wish to demean the importance of tools in human's lives, or software development or in the subject dear to our heart, Software Testing.

This post is to let all those people/companies looking for that three lettered acronym tool Experts or the experts in the so-called best load testing solution in the world; know about the importance of people with their soft skills and aptitude  (communication, attitude, testers' mindset, challenge loving) OVER skimming through the tool's vocabulary and now withered out FAQs mentioned over ******interview.com

While interviewing a candidate for testing (automation) position, I am not interested in someone who calls her/him as a tool expert but someone who is an automation expert. Because an automation expert is good at the basics of automation, who would be able to replicate the success that one had with one tool with any other tool with higher percentage of predictability.

In the interviews, instead of asking the theory questions for the tool, I would get the candidate work on creating an automated test. With the test it is much easier to judge the automation acumen of the candidate.

So, for all the testers out there, do not learn a tool first. Learn the basics of automation. And then we would be able to appreciate the beauty of the tool better.