Software Tester Technical Interview Questions

Basic Qa Interview Questions & Answers

Everyone with a basic understanding of math can answer the question Whats 2+2? These questions are essentially on that level of simplicity when it comes to the role of a quality assurance engineer. For example, if you were applying to be a chef in a high-end restaurant, they would expect you to have your own knife set or know how to make poached eggs.

Consider these questions to relate to the backbone of QA testing responsibilities. You should be able to answer them with ease due to how intrinsic they are to the job at hand.

• What is the difference between quality assurance, quality control, and testing?
• Can you explain the Software Development Life Cycle, and how testing fits in?
• When do you think QA activities should start?
• What is a good test case?
• How do you define the format of writing a good test case?
• Have you used any automation tools?
• What is the difference between severity and priority?
• What is the difference between Assert and Verify commands in test automation?
• What is a use case?
• What is a test plan?
• What does a test plan include?
• What is a test strategy?
• Are test plans and test strategies the same?
• What is testware?
• What is a bug?
• Can you explain the basic steps of the bug cycle?

How to Write Test Cases for Software: Examples & Tutorial

The 20 Best Software Tester Interview Questions

1) How well do you handle ambiguity?Test cases are not always straight-forward and QA Engineers will need to act on their personal judgement. They need to feel comfortable with ambiguity.

2) What is your mentality toward automating tests that are currently being done manually?Automating test cases brings numerous benefits. Automation saves time and reduces human error. QA engineers should recognize the value in automation.

3) Explain how you distinguish a symptom vs. a cause when testing.Often times within the QA process, test cases fail. But why are they failing? This can be tricky. A great QA engineer is able to provide exact reasons to the developer, rather than simply saying a test case failed.

4) Do you feel comfortable standing up to developers who disagree with your results?In some situations, reporting failures can be a delicate process. Perhaps a developer spent a lot of time on some code which does not exactly meet specifications. QA engineers need to be able to stand up for what they know is right.

5) Are you willing to cut corners to save time?The correct answer is NO. All test cases need to be run, and making assumptions frequently leads to issues down the road.

6) Can you explain the SDLC and Agile methodology?QA engineers must understand their role and where it fits into the ecosystem.

Download our guide understanding agile testing methodologies.

What are your favorite software tester interview questions to ask candidates? Let us know on twitter .

Tell Me About Some Of The Essential Qualities An Experienced Qa Or Test Lead Must Possess

A QA or Test Lead should have the following qualities:

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How Many Test Cases We Can Write In A Day

We can tell anywhere between 2-5 test cases.

• First test case â 1st day, 2nd day.
• Second test case â 3rd day, 4th day.
• Forth test case â 5th day.
• 9-10 test cases â 19th day.

Primarily, we use to write 2-5 test cases, but in future stages we write around 6-7 because, at that time, we have the better product knowledge, we start re-using the test cases, and the experience on the product.

Are There Specific Tools You Use For Testing If So How Do You Choose Which Tools To Use

The interviewer is trying to get a better sense of how you work and which tools you use when you do. Take this opportunity to demonstrate your skills as an automation tester and provide the interviewer with real-life examples.

Example: “The first thing I do is determine which tests I want to run on cases. From there, I can decide which tools I want to use by researching which ones support the requirements of my project. I also look at my employer’s budget and which resources we have at our disposal. There are some tools I prefer using, however, I’m open to any tool and often research new tools when beginning automation testing. My overall goal is to find tools that perform the tests I need them to within my company’s budget.”

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What Is Defects In Software Testing

The term defect refers to a system error that prevents the intended action from being accomplished. Testing is most important when it comes to finding defects. Testing needs to begin early in the development process since defects can be found throughout. As shown in the following figure, defects are divided into three main categories:

• Wrong: It implies incorrect implementation of requirements. There is a variance between the specifications and what was expected, resulting in this defect.
• Missing: This indicates that a specification has not been implemented, or a requirement of the customer has not been properly noted.
• Extra: In this case, the defect is caused by a requirement incorporated into the product that was not provided by the end-user.

C Qa Interview Questions For 2 Years Experience

81). Why have you chosen QA for your career?

Ans:- I wanted to connect my career with development, so I decided to start with QA first. It can be a platform to become a successful developer with the right skills and knowledge.

82). Why do you like the QA job?

Ans:- It makes you a highly knowledgeable resource with depth knowledge of the product and helps in identifying and resolving the most potential errors to achieve maximum client satisfaction.

83). According to your resume, you have worked for multiple industries in a short time span. Can you explain why?

Ans:- Well, I am not concerned about workplaces because I worked on projects. In my previous work, I was a consultant and more focused on project work.

84). What have you done in your last project?

Ans:- Answers for this question vary from person to person. You just have to brief your experience for the last project and how you become successful in fixing malfunctioning issues.

85). Do You love to work in a group or alone?

Ans:- Mostly, I like to work in a team where each member supports others, and there are always more options to learn something new.

86). How are you dealing with your team members?

Ans:- Everyone has different hobbies, lifestyles, and their area of expertise is also different. Based on my experience, I believe in establishing a nice relationship with team members during short tea breaks.

87). How was your experience with Managers in your previous Companies?

90). What are your career goals?

• Manager.

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How Well Do You Pay Attention To Detail

Attention to detail is important in a software testing role, so use this question to include an example of your skill in this area.

Example: I believe that attention to detail is one of my greatest strengths, and it is an important skill for a software tested. I can look closely for even the smallest bugs and defects, as I want to ensure that every product I test meets or exceeds the quality standards set forth by the distributor.

Related:

Mention What The Different Types Of Test Coverage Techniques Are

Different types of test coverage techniques include

• Statement Coverage: It verifies that each line of source code has been executed and tested
• It ensures that every decision in the source code is executed and tested
• Path Coverage: It ensures that every possible route through a given part of the code is executed and tested

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What Are The Common Mistakes Which Create Issues

• Matching resources to wrong projects
• Test manager lack of skills
• Not listening to others

The benefits of test reports are:

• Current status of project and quality of product are informed
• If required, stakeholder and customer can take corrective action
• A final document helps to decide whether the product is ready for release

What Methodologies Of Qa Testing Have You Used

Have you worked in agile or waterfall conditions? Does the word âscrumâ mean anything to you? Do you make it to the finish line when you sprint?

âThe interview is where I learn if youâve only had simple jobs,â says Egor Bulyhin, project manager and team lead at Smart IT. The interviewee may have been a QA tester for ten years, but that doesnât mean the candidate has the depth and breadth of experience your demanding company requires.

Asking candidates to explain which methodology they preferâand whyâdemonstrates how well they understand the benefits and drawbacks of each. Plus, it proves communication skills, and as we know, being able to clearly communicate is one of the few things that makes people superior to puppies.

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Why Selenium Is A Preferred Tool For Automation Testing

Selenium is an open source tool which is used for automating the tests carried out on web browsers. Since Selenium is open-source, there is no licensing cost involved, which is a major advantage over other testing tools. Other reasons behind Seleniums ever-growing popularity are:

• Test scripts can be written in any of these programming languages: Java, Python, C#, PHP, Ruby, Perl & .Net
• Tests can be carried out in any of these OS: Windows, Mac or Linux
• Tests can be carried out using any browser: Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari or Opera
• It can be integrated with tools such as TestNG & for managing test cases and generating reports
• It can be integrated with Maven, Jenkins & Docker to achieve Continuous Testing

Explain How Does A Test Coverage Tool Work

When software is being tested, the code coverage measures how much of the program’s source code is covered by the test plan. Code coverage testing runs in parallel with actual product testing. Using the code coverage tool, you can monitor the execution of statements in your source code. A complete report of the pending statements, along with the coverage percentage, is provided at the end of the final testing.

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What Do You Think Are Some Advantages Of Manual Testing

Here are a few advantages of manual manual testing that you can talk about:

• It can be less expensive compared to automated testing
• For new teams or people new to QA, it can be easier to learn how to run manual test, so it can be rolled out faster
• To a similar point, manual testing can be great on short-term projects when test scripts won’t be re-used many times
• You can analyze the product from the point of view of the end user when doing manual testing
• Testing the GUI can feel more intuitive and lead to more accurate results when doing a manual test the visual accessibility and preferences can be tricky to automate

Here’s an article where you can read more about the pros and cons of manual testing and automated testing.

What Is Load Testing

When an interviewer asks you to define a key term, they want to know that you are familiar with the work required in the position.

Example:Load testing validates how the system behaves under the expected user load, which may include the number of users on the system or the resources that access the database at once.

Related:

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What Is A Bug In Software Testing

A software bug is an error in the software that produces wrong results. A software tester tests the software to find bugs in it.

There are many causes for the bugsfor example, poor design, sloppy programming, lack of version control, or miscommunication. Throughout development, developers introduce hundreds or thousands of bugs in the system. The goal of the tester is to uncover those bugs.

You can find a bug in many different ways, regardless of your role. When building the software, the software developer might notice the bug in another module, written by another developer or by themselves. The tester actively tries to find the bugs as part of a routine testing process. Finally, the users could see the bugs when the software is in production.

All bugs, no matter how they are found, are recorded into a bug-tracking system. A triage team triages the bugs and assigns a priority to the bug, and assigns the bug to a software developer to fix it. Once the developer resolves the problem, they check in the code and mark that bug as ready for testing. Once a bug is ready for testing, it goes to the tester, who tests the software to verify if its indeed fixed. If it is, then its closed. If not, they assign it to the same developer with a description of the exact steps to reproduce the bug. Some examples of popular bug-tracking systems include BugZilla, FogBugz, etc.

Trivia:

Practice With A Friend

The best way to prepare for an interview is to practice with a friend or someone close to you. Have them create a list of questions you may be asked in an interview and practice until you have a better idea of what you’ll say. By doing this, your mock interviewer can provide you with helpful feedback before the interview takes place.

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

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How Do You Write A Test Case

Of course you want someone who can write a test case as easily as they can drink quarantinis. But not every interviewee gets an A+ and a gold star, particularly those who are new to a software testing career.

Donât expect the applicant to have the answer, Bulyhin says. But the discussion can show what the interviewee considers important. âYou should see attentiveness, clear articulation of thoughts, and how comfortable they would be when working.â

It isnât their answers that matter as much as their questions. âWhat I look for here is for the potential QA tester to ask a question,â says Shayne Sherman, CEO of TechLoris. âI want them to ask what platforms we support. Anyone who has done any QA on web applications knows that there are significant differences between the different browsers and devices. QA shouldn’t sign off on any test case until it has been tested on all device/OS/Browser combinations.â

So even if QA newbies flub that part of the interview, they might still walk away with an offer…as long as they flub it the right way.

How Much Testing Is Considered Sufficient

It is impossible to exhaustively test an application. Testers need to pick test cases that the most likely to test the apparent vulnerabilities of the code. In order to stay efficient, the focus on testing should be on common problem areas and important features and functionality.

The interviewee should be able to define a good balance between exhaustive and efficient testing. Itâs essential to acknowledge that the testing process needs to have a definitely end goal.

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What Are The Different Models Available In Sdlc

There are various models available in software testing, which are the following:

• Waterfall model

How Does Stress Testing Differ From Load Testing

Stress testing involves raising the load on the system is increased beyond the normal, expected range. Load testing, on the other hand, testing that involves a steady, consistently high load which is still within expectations.

While this is a subtle difference, the interviewee should be able to spell out possible scenarios where each approach might be useful and what each method of testing might be used to diagnose.

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What Is An Associate Level Engineer Interview Like

As an interviewer, I often see associate level engineers who havent quite found their footing yet. They understand the concept of QA and that it entails testing, but there are so many different types of testing available.

If an associate level engineer candidate doesnt enrich their knowledge with different methodologies in testing , this makes them a less appealing candidate. To me, this is just part of being prepared for an interview and understanding the field that is software QA.

What Exactly Is Black Box Testing What Are The Various Black Box Testing Methods

Black box testing is a software testing approach wherein the application is tested without understanding the actual structure of the code or program. This testing is often performed to ensure that an application works properly. The various black box testing procedures are as follows

• Partitioning by Equivalence

• Graphing cause-and-effect

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What Is The Strategy Used To Test A New Mobile App Which Types Of Testing Should Be Included

A comprehensive test strategy should be planned based on specific guidelines to secure an effective performance of a new mobile application. Here are some of the essential points:

• Selection of the devices Understanding the markets demand and the commonly used devices will be highly recommended before choosing the set of testing devices.
• Utilizing emulators The use of emulators is useful, especially in the initial stages of development, since they allow quick checking of the app. It is a system that runs software from one environment to another environment without changing the software itself. It also duplicates the features and works on the real system.
• Types of testing:As for testing a new mobile application, several types of tests should be involved in order to ensure the app works as expected. Therefore, the strategy is all tied into these following types of testing:
• Functional testing

For further test automation strategies and best practices, please have a glimpse into the Automated Testers Checklist and consider which strategies are best suited to your team.