Common Software testing Interview Questions

When applying for a tester position, one of the most crucial stages is the interview. There are common interview questions that candidates should be prepared to answer confidently. Let’s go through some of the frequently asked software testing interview questions and suggest answers!

1. General Interview Questions:

1.1. Can you introduce yourself?

This question is familiar to most job interview candidates. Regardless of the industry, you should carefully prepare for this question. Introduce yourself briefly, focusing on skills related to the position.

1.2. Why do you want to be a tester?

Express your passion and curiosity for the testing job. Mention your interest in software testing, bug finding, and contribution to product development. Additionally, demonstrate that you have skills, characteristics, achievements, etc., that align with the job.

1.3. Have you had experience as a tester before?

If you have testing experience, provide detailed information about the projects/ products and the role you played. Specify the scope of work, testing processes, and achieved results. If you are a fresher, discuss projects or exercises you participated in during your studies to showcase your abilities.

1.4. What are the essential skills of a tester?

Focus on fundamental skills such as understanding Test Cases, system testing, attention to detail, responsibility, comprehensive problem analysis, and effective collaboration with team members.

2. Technical Software testing Interview Questions:

2.1. What makes a good test case?

A standard and effective test case should clearly show the results the tester will achieve, including a clear title, a well-stated test purpose, a comprehensive description of the test subject, and specified testing conditions. Please give the most appropriate answer based on the suggestions above and combine it with your actual working process.

2.2. What do you understand about test cases and use cases?

• Test case: A document that provides step-by-step instructions for testing an application, including detailed guidance on how to test, descriptions, comments, actions, and test case results.
• Use case: A document that helps testers understand user actions in an application, including specific functions and the system’s response.

2.3. How many software testing methods are there?

There are three primary software testing methods applied today:

• Black-box testing: Primarily detects technical parameter-related errors, and doesn’t require knowledge of internal paths, structure, or software deployment.
• White-box testing: In contrast to black-box testing, white-box testing relies on internal links, code structure, and software deployment. So white box testing also requires advanced programming skills.
• Gray-box testing: With this method, the tester doesn’t have much knowledge related to limitations or errors inside the program. 

2.4. What are the stages of software development?

Software development involves specific stages, and testers need to be familiar with them. You can answer the recruiter as follows:

The process will unfold from the unit testing stage until the errors have been fixed and accepted. This involves four main steps:

• Unit testing: Checking individual small code units to ensure functionality and reliability.
• Integration testing: Verifying the operation of code units when combined.
• System testing: Testing the entire software system in a real-world environment.
• Acceptance testing: Ensuring the software meets customer or end-user requirements.

2.5. What are the components of a test report?

In response to this question, list the components necessary for a test report:

• Tester’s Name: The person conducting the test.
• Project Name: The name of the project or product being tested.
• Number of Test Cases: The total number of written or executed test cases.
• Test Case Results: The number of test cases evaluated as Pass or Fail.
• Defects in the Module: The number of errors or flaws detected in a specific module.
• Progress in Bug Fixing: Information on the progress of fixing errors, including the number fixed and the remaining.

2.6. When should the testing process be stopped?

When faced with this question, you can cite several cases, such as:

• Exceeding the testing time.
• Running out of budget.
• Meeting test case requirements and bug rates.
• Errors found during testing have been fixed.
• The product has few bugs, operates stably, and is good.
• Testing is complete, and documentation is updated.
• The project manager decides to stop testing

3. Situational Software testing Interview Questions:

In addition to personal and technical questions, when interviewing for a Tester position, you’ll encounter situational questions. Each company will have specific case study questions to evaluate your analytical and problem-solving abilities and your adaptability to the job. Let’s look at some typical situational questions compiled by SmartOSC Careers to help you prepare!

3.1. When you discover an error, but you and the Dev team do not agree, how will you handle it?

3.2. After testing and delivery, the project encounters errors. What will you do next?

3.3. What is your approach when there is a conflict with a team member?

Above are some frequently asked software testing interview questions and suggested answers for each question. However, not only the answers but also your attitude, confidence, and communication play a crucial role in the interview. Master your professional knowledge and prepare thoroughly to succeed in finding a tester job! Currently, SmartOSC is recruiting for the Senior Tester position. Check out more job opportunities on the SmartOSC Careers website.