This document provides survival tips for testers and is formatted as a handbook containing lyrics from songs and advice. Each entry includes a song lyric and sometimes additional tips. The tips encourage testers to focus on the value they provide rather than their job title, seek out conversational platforms to provide context and details, and accept that some things are outside their control but to still strive for positive change. The overall message is to remain enthusiastic in the face of challenges and failures as a tester.

1. A MODERN TESTER’
SURVIVAL HANDBO
Neil Studd
Zoopla Property Group
Host ofTesters’ Island Discs podcast

2. “Everyone thinks we’re wrong”
Marvin Gaye
⚠️ SURVIVALTIP:
Visit www.neilstudd.com/survival for slides, links and Spotify playlist.

3. “I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I’m meant to be”
Keala Settle

4. “There’s some kind of magic inside you”
Carly Simon

5. “You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness”
Gotye

6. “We used to waste hours just walking around”
Arcade Fire

7. “Haven’t you heard, it’s a battle of words”
Pink Floyd

8. “I know you say that I am assuming things”
Destiny’s Child
⚠️ SURVIVALTIP:
It’s about the value you bring, not what you’re called.

9. “Our work is never over”
Daft Punk

10. “These are the days it never rains but it pours”
Queen & David Bowie

11. “This shit is lovely, this shit ain’t random, I didn’t get lucky”
G-Eazy

12. “You’re stuck in the middle of all irrelevance”
Imagine Dragons

13. “My face will never show what is not real”
Red Hot Chili Peppers

14. “I tried my hardest, I’ve been conscientious”
Hepburn

15. “All the things that you’ve seen will slowly fade away”
Oasis
⚠️ SURVIVALTIP:
“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm”
–Winston Churchill

16. “I can be your bearer of bad news”
Foo Fighters

17. “I wanna let go, but there’s comfort in the panic”
Linkin Park

18. “She was practiced at the art of deception”
Rolling Stones
⚠️ SURVIVALTIP:
Be a force for change, but don’t sweat the things outside your control.

19. “Ain’t nothing but a mistake”
Backstreet Boys

20. “A guy like you should wear a warning”
Britney Spears
⚠️ SURVIVALTIP:
Context and detail matter! Seek out more conversational platforms.

21. “I’ll go my way if I’m going at all”
CHVRCHES

22. “There’s things I’ve done I can’t erase”
BonJovi

23. “You must explain why this must be”
The Clash

24. “Sometimes we come last but we did our best”
Shakira

25. “It’s no good complaining and pointless to holler”
Rowlf the Dog & Kermit the Frog

26. “Be careful of what you do, because the lie becomes the truth”
Michael Jackson

27. “Open up, everything’s waiting for you”
Fleetwood Mac
⚠️ SURVIVALTIP:
Find me onTwitter @neilstudd, or via my website www.neilstudd.com