Margarita Simonova, Founder and CEO ILoveMyQA.com.
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It is difficult to find skilled quality assurance (QA) professionals. In this article, I’ll discuss some basic interview questions that will help you identify the key behaviors and skills these professionals need. These guidelines can help interviewers and interviewees prepare for both sides of a job interview.
Based on my experience in the QA field, I have identified the following as core competencies for the QA role.
• Time management.
• Think critically.
• Solve the problem.
• Attention to detail.
• Communication skills.
Interview questions that focus on these competencies will allow interviewers to best understand their candidates, and candidates with these competencies in mind will be more successful in interviews.
1. Time management
Have you ever experienced conflicting priorities when trying to work on multiple projects? Tell me how you structured your QA activities to handle it.
You will need to demonstrate your ability to answer these questions:
• Set goals and priorities wisely.
• Identify and allocate resources as needed.
• Set realistic goals.
For example, for an audit to be effective, adequate planning must be done in advance.
2. Critical Thinking
Have you ever had to make a decision with incomplete information or made a complex decision under a very tight deadline? Tell me what’s going on.
When answering this question, you should:
• Highlight your ability to analyze situations.
• Specify your decision criteria.
• Demonstrate that you have considered any available resources, constraints, and organizational goals.
• Show that you can use a structured process to develop alternative solutions.
• Ability to work on the most convenient course of action.
3. Problem solving
Describe the most complex problem you’ve had to deal with at work lately, and describe the tools and methods you used to solve it. Is there ever a time when you thought you had solved a problem, but then realized it was part of a bigger problem? Tell me how you dealt with it.
In your answer, demonstrate your ability to:
• Collect and organize relevant data.
• Identify key parts of the problem.
• Recognize cause and effect.
• Effectively take corrective action to eliminate the root cause of the problem.
4. Attention to detail
When monitoring corrective actions, what are your ways to ensure that no details are missed? Let me know when you found an issue the team missed.
When you answer these questions, you will need to demonstrate:
• How detail-oriented you are.
• Your accuracy in delivering details.
• Your ability to focus on all aspects of the process at hand.
• Your accuracy during routine inspections.
• How you stay vigilant over time.
5. Communication skills
Describe a time when you persuaded a colleague or manager to undertake a QA activity. Have you ever had a time when you had to share expectations with colleagues? Tell me what’s going on.
When answering communication-related QA interview questions, you must do the following.
• Emphasize how you can effectively use appropriate communication and interpersonal methods to gain approval for a plan, activity or document.
• Demonstrate your ability to choose an appropriate approach to a situation and communicate the benefits of your proposed action to affected parties.
• Acknowledge concerns and manage objections throughout the communication process.
final thoughts
QA candidates also need to understand what is expected of them when answering behavioral interview questions during their job interviews. They should be able to clearly list these expectations in the job description of the position they are interviewing for.
In addition to the specific QA interview questions we’ve discussed, candidates must ensure they are prepared for standard job interview questions, including the following.
1. Why do you want to work with us?
2. Why are you the best person for the job?
3. Talk about yourself.
Additionally, candidates should come to the interview with a list of questions they have prepared for potential employers. It should be that they have done their homework and are familiar with the company they are interviewing for.
With these questions and qualifications in mind, interviewers can find themselves better prepared for important roles in tech. On the other hand, if respondents are prepared to focus on these qualifications during interviews, they will be better able to land a job in the QA field.
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