Higher Starting Salaries and Productivity Gains Associated with Micro-Credentials

Employers highly value candidates who hold recognized micro-credentials, according to a new study by Coursera entitled "Micro-Credentials Impact Report 2025."

Globally, 96% of employers say micro-credentials strengthen a candidate’s job application. Additionally, 9 in 10 are willing to offer micro-credential holders a higher starting salary. 

Employers love micro-credentials for the gains in productivity and efficiency: 94% believe micro-credentials reduce training time and cost.

Know Someone Looking for a Testing Job?

Software quality demands have never been greater, but finding the perfect match between employers and software testers can be difficult. The new AT*Work™ software testing directory makes it easy. 

AT*Work lets employers search for certified and credentialed software testers using the following self-reported criteria:

• Testing Areas
• Scripting/Programming Languages
• Test Tools
• Domains

Software testers meeting the criteria are sorted based on their Testing Tiers® ranking and shown with a self-reported rating of experience for each item.

American employers will especially appreciate that all software testers in AT*Work™ have demonstrated their commitment to communicating well in American English because they have passed the official American English exams from ASTQB – ISTQB in the US – and AT*SQA.

For testers seeking job opportunities, the AT*Work directory provides a platform to showcase their talents and connect with prospective employers. Creating a profile is simple and intuitive, allowing testers to highlight their skills and demonstrate their proficiency in various software testing areas. Learn how to appear in the AT*Work directory.

The AT*Work software testing directory is the easy way for employers to find certified and credentialed testers with specific skills, knowledge, and experience. Learn more or search now. 

Get Extra Benefits When You Take Your Exams through AT*SQA

• Get Extra Recognition and Career Options: You can appear in both the Official U.S. List of Certified & Credentialed Software Testers™ and the ISTQB successful candidate register, giving you credibility wherever your career takes you.
• Get Ahead with Specialty QA Knowledge: You get a free software testing micro-credential exam with each ISTQB exam purchase, letting you prove your expertise in high-demand QA areas like API testing.
• Get Job Help If Needed: You can add yourself to the AT*Work™  list of testers for hire anytime you are between jobs. This gives you extra career security and value from your ISTQB certifications.
• Boost Your Company: You can help your company get business by adding it to the AT*Consult™ list of testing services & consulting companies if it provides those QA services.
• Show How Good You Are: You will increase your level in the Testing Tiers® software tester rankings and move up in the Official U.S. List, AT*Work, and AT* Consult.