This article for Software tester interview questions is curated after carrying out deep research from the frequently asked questions and the questions which are a must for any interview, mostly asked to break the ice.
This article is a mix of questions that are expected to be asked to a fresher and an experienced professional. Before appearing for an interview, you can go through these questions to recall the concepts learnt during college.
These software tester interview questions are great to help if you are a beginner or even advanced in software testing. You will give many interviews in your life; these will help you get great opportunities in your career.
Giving interviews is a great way to learn how to speak in an interview and get yourself a hike in the salary package. This article is divided into six categories, with sub-headings given for each one of them. There is a different section for freshers and for people with experience in the industry. Furthermore, it has sections for questions on Manual testing, automation framework, Concepts of Software testing and software testing methodologies. So go ahead and crack all your interviews with the help of this blog.
General and credential verification questions
1. Tell me something about yourself.
A: To answer this question:
- Begin with announcing your name even when they know your name because that is a general way of answering. You can mention your family members (not necessary).
- If you have any experience working in the industry or even internship experience, tell me about your responsibilities and achievements in that company in brief.
- Mention the skills required for the job you are good at.
The company continually seeks skills and talents, which will benefit the company, avoiding personal details.
For example, my name is Rohit Sharma. My family consists of my mother, father and older brother and myself. I am very proficient in web and mobile methodology, which I learnt in my previous job. I am also good at manual as well as automated testing. Other than these technical skills, I have learned through experience several soft skills like leadership skills, decision-making skills, and communication skills.
2. What do you know about this company?
A: Make sure you research well and learn the answer the way you are going to answer it. At least, points on the sequence which you are going to answer is very important. It is essential to know what’s new with the company, the major projects, and its recent achievements.
For example, About Deloitte- I know that Deloitte is a global professional services network. It is one of the big four accounting organizations and the largest professional services network in the world by revenue and number of professionals. This company is headquartered in London and is spread over 150 countries all over the world. This company is involved in providing audit, risk advisory, tax, consulting and legal services.
3. Why do you want to work with our company?
A: I am intrigued with the growth the company has achieved in the past few years. Also, it is one of the best companies. I know that the company is an excellent place to work, but it also provides scope for beginners like me to learn in between the work process. I am familiar with the services it has for the employees and how there is a good scope for work-life balance, which most of the companies lack. I feel my skills perfectly fit the requirements of this company, and I would be delighted to serve this company and help it grow.
4. Which are the challenges you have faced in your experience till now?
A: The challenges which I have faced so far are not related to a technicality. Tests are all about analyzing the functioning of the software.
And till now, the issues I have faced are all non-technical, such as communication gaps that lead to delay in delivery of the software. The other major issue was sometimes, the documentation that we received was incomplete. So, the exact requirements needed were not precise, which resulted in more time required for testing.
5. What was your average grade throughout your degree program?
A: To answer this software testing interview question, make sure you have your CV by heart and give the exact grade which you got in your college. The purpose of this question is to verify the details mentioned in your CV.
I consecutively scored a ___ grade in all my semesters.
6. How many months’ training did you undergo?
A: I started my internship in XXXXX Company in September 2020 and ended it in March 2021, which makes it six months.
7. How was your internship experience?
A: During my internship, I got excellent exposure to the actual working of the company. There are many technical and non-technical skills that I learnt. Moreover, working in that company was fun because of the helpful colleagues that I had.
8. In which year did you start working in your current company?
A: I started working in my current company in 2019, and I have completed almost two years in this company.
9. Do you know who discovered the first software bug?
A: Yes, the first software bug was discovered by Admiral Grace Hopper.
10. Which institute did you go to for your engineering program?
A: I completed my engineering degree from K. J. Somaiya Institute of Engineering and Technology, located in Sion East.
11. How do you maintain good relations with your boss?
A: I try my best to maintain harmonious relations with my colleagues and superiors:
- I try to know what the output the boss expects.
- I try to be as calm as possible, even in the most complex situations.
- I always stay one step ahead of my boss’s expectations.
- I try to show my value for the company by taking the initiative.
12. Why did you choose software testing as your career?
A: Since I was little, I used to love solving puzzles. Testing is also like solving a puzzle but a more complex one.
The software we test will be ready to be released if we know that there are no bugs. This is quite a challenge, but an exciting one to find the bugs and fix them in stress testing. After joining the industry, I gained more interest in exploring the system.
13. For example, a defect was identified at the initial stage, which could have been removed, but it was removed later. Will it affect the costs?
A: Yes, it will affect the costs because the defect should have been removed at the initial stage when it was identified because if it is kept as it is for a more extended period of time, the costs will increase up to 20 times. Because as it reaches the maintenance stage, the costs get higher and reach their maximum.
14. Why did you think that software testing is a good career option?
A: For this software testing interview question, you could say; with the world moving forward, several software is being built that makes man’s work easier. Many big start-up companies are also coming up which are focusing on developing software.
There is good demand in software development, but to rectify the issue with particular software, a software testing is needed. Because of this reason, I thought that software testing could be a good career option because of the scope it has now, and it will be ever-increasing.
15. What is the hardest part of the job, according to you?
A: According to my experience, the hardest part of the job is meeting deadlines and coping with incomplete documents.
Because some companies do not provide complete details of the internal working of the software, it becomes challenging to identify the issue and, in turn, fix it. Everyone nowadays is in a hurry to get their work done, so strict deadlines can sometimes become challenging.
16. Why do you think that you are the best fit among your peers for this job position?
A: This is one of the highly asked questions. If you are looking for software testing interview questions, you can expect this question, especially if you are a fresher.
You can answer it like this: I think I am the best fit for the role because I am pretty thorough with my theoretical and practical knowledge and have a clear understanding of the software.
The skill that makes me stand out from the other candidates is that I have learned these skills briefly during my other course of study, which makes me a quick learner.
17. What were the responsibilities that you had in your previous job?
A: If you have mentioned your previous job’s responsibilities in your resume, make sure you know every bit of it.
You can answer it in points like this:
- I got in touch with my team members and other departments.
- Executed all the levels of testing like system testing, integration testing and regression testing.
- Prepared documents based on the defects and inconsistencies.
- Development of automation scripts.
18. How many team members did you work with at your previous job?
A: In my previous job, we worked as a team of six people. Our team was very successful as everyone was very understanding and helpful. Especially for me being a newbie, everyone cooperated a lot.
19. What is Software Testing?
A: This is a basic software testing interview question you could answer by saying; Software testing is a method of analysing whether a software product or an application matches the requirements it is made for. It is free of any issues like bugs. It ensures that the software application is working fine, complete, and superior, which helps smooth running.
The errors are found using this method before the software reaches the end-users. It also makes sure that less maintenance cost is required in the future and gives more accurate and reliable results.
20. What is the difference between alpha testing and beta testing?
A: Alpha testing is a type of software testing carried out before making the software available for the end-users or market. It uses both white box and black-box testing. The internal employees of the company do it. It is the first stage of testing before moving forward to beta testing.
On the other hand, beta testing is carried out by the end-users of the software application. It uses only black-box testing and is performed by the customers who are not employees of the company.
21. What is the procedure for manual testing?
A: There are six stages involved in the procedure for manual testing:
- Check for the requirements- Go through the software requirement specification document, which will clearly understand the software to be tested and the end user’s expectations.
- Planning- plan the types of testing to be carried out, the scope of testing and the time in hand.
- Writing test cases- This document consists of high-level test scenarios and details entailing the scope of testing. There must be a clear overview of what is to be tested, how it is to be tested, the data to be used, and the output it will give.
- Review the test cases- The QA lead must review the test cases for any feedback or recommendation.
- Execution- This is the most crucial stage where the theoretical documents are brought into practicality. The plan is then executed and detected for any bugs.
- Report bugs- Bugs found, if any, have to be fixed, and the test has to be carried out again to verify it.
22. What is verified in white box testing?
A: The following is verified in white box testing:
- To ensure that the paths inside a module have been exercised.
- To ensure that the loops made on the boundaries are valid.
- To check if there are any security bugs in the code.
- Check all the loops in the code and the functionality of the application or software.
- Ensure that there are no typographical errors
- This can be due to the difference between the logical flow of the program and the actual implementation to discover the design errors.
23. Which are the different types of testing?
A: This is one of the most asked software testing interview questions; There is a total of three types of testing:
- Black Box Testing: Black Box testing is carried out with a person who has no idea about the internal workings or history of that application. In this, an input is provided, and it is observed to check the output generated by the system by putting it in a test. It shows the user actions, response time, usability and reliability issues.
- White Box Testing: White Box Testing is a method that analyses the internal structures or the working of an application. It shows not only internal design but also the code structures as well as the data structures.
- Grey Box Testing: Grey Box Testing is a combination of White Box Testing and Black Box Testing. It aims to search for any issues due to faults in the structure and usage of applications.
24. Explain the difference between a bug, a defect and an error.
A: A bug is a fault in the application which is detected in the testing process. They usually occur due to errors in the coding and lead to a functional issue.
A defect is seen after the product is released to the market. It is the difference between the output that was expected and the output that is seen.
An error is made by the software developer if there is any mistake or misconception in the product by software engineers, programmers, analysts and testers.
25. Explain the difference between test cases, test scenarios, and test scripts.
A: This is another most asked software testing interview question; A Test Scenario is a method that uses actual scenarios for testing the software applications to understand the complex problem in the software.
A Test Case is a method that contains the steps that should be taken. It is a document that is pre-planned after analysing the issues.
A Test Script is a programming language that helps the testing perform the testing of the systems as expected.
26. What is positive testing and negative testing?
A: Positive Testing: It shows what the system was supposed to do and checks the problem because it is failing to do the task. It helps to justify the outputs.
Negative testing: It is done to determine what the system was not supposed to do. Usually, if the system is performing differently than it has to, this testing is carried out.
27. Who prepares the contents of a test plan?
A: A test plan is prepared by the test lead or the test manager.
28. What are test deliverables?
A: Test deliverables are a set of documents that have to be developed and given to the stakeholder of a software project. These are handed over to the client along with the final delivery of the product.
29. Tell me some of the popular types of test automation frameworks.
A: This is an important software testing interview question; The range of automation frameworks available is very diverse. They are differentiated from each other based on functionality, reusability and ease of maintenance.
Some of the popular test automation frameworks are:
- Data-Driven Testing Framework
- Module Based Testing Framework
- Behaviour Driven Development Framework
- Hybrid Testing Framework
- Library Architecture Testing Framework
- Keyword Driven Testing Framework
30. Why is automation testing beneficial?
A: Automation testing is useful when:
- You have to run the same test across multiple machines simultaneously, and the entire test is the same.
- It helps detect bugs or defects in the application early because the costs are reduced.
- It boosts up the validation process and reduces the feedback cycle.
- Manual testing is expensive. So automation testing helps the company to save costs that are spent on testing the product.
- More features can be tested at the same time by automation testing.
- Automation testing is a fast process. It reduces the testing cycle to a great level.
- It helps the user to get better insights than the one which manual testing gives.
31. What is the process to determine which tools will be helpful for automation testing in the projects?
A: The steps to determine the tools useful for a particular project are:
- Go through the requirements of the project thoroughly and determine the test scenarios that you wish to automate.
- Search from the list of tools that support the requirements of the project.
- Check for your budget and choose the tools that fit your budget.
- Check if you have the skilled resources required for the project. If not, estimate the cost required to train the resources or hire new ones.
- Compare the tools according to the requirements.
- Finally, choose the tools that fit within your budget and adhere to the project requirements.
32. What are the disadvantages of automation testing?
A: Some of the disadvantages of automation testing are:
- To write the automation scripts, a professional in the field is required.
- If playback methods are used, test maintenance becomes costly.
- Maintenance of test data files is sometimes a tough job.
- Debugging a script is very difficult at times.
- It generally has a lower degree of flexibility if compared to manual automation systems.
- The capital expenditure incurred is very high.
33. What is an automation testing framework?
A: Automation testing framework is a collection of tools and processes. The testing has to choose from the set of tools that are required to complete the task. The tools to be used are according to the requirements of the job, which are mentioned in the document.
It performs various functions like libraries, test data and other reusable modules. It is also helpful for writing scripts in the standard format. Moreover, it enhances the speed at which testing progresses and maintains a good strategy across the test fields.
34. Explain some of the top automation testing tools.
A: Some of the popular automation testing tools are:
- Selenium: It is an open-source tool that provides a single interface that enables the user to write test scripts in programming languages like Java, Python, Ruby, Perl, PHP, and NodeJS and C #.
- Appium: It is also an open-source tool used for automating native, mobile web and hybrid applications on Windows, iOS and Android. Furthermore, it enables you to write tests against multiple platforms using the same API.
- Micro Focus Unified Functional Testing: It is mainly used for functional, regression and service testing. By using this, one can automate user actions on a client-based application and identify bugs.
- Test Complete: It is based on an open API and COM interface. It can read the debugger information and use it through the Test Complete Debug info agent.
- Cucumber: It is a tool based on the Behaviour Driven Development framework. It helps write acceptance tests for the web application. It enables automation that is easily readable by Business analysts, developers, testers and other related people.
35. What are the pros and cons of the Keyword-Driven Testing framework?
A: The advantages of the Keyword-Driven Testing framework are:
- The exact keywords can be used for multiple sets of data.
- Coding is cut off, and the same scripts can be reused.
- Expert in the field is not required as we can use the already existing keywords multiple times.
- The exact keywords can be used across multiple test cases.
Some of the disadvantages of the Keyword-Driven Testing framework are:
- The framework is more complicated.
- The keyword actions need to be taken care of.
- The test cases become lengthy and complicated
- Test cases become challenging to maintain.
36. What is the name of the framework you have used in your past and have good hands-on experience using it?
A: The organization which I am working for is using a Modular testing framework. But during my course of study and including the internship, I can say that I have sound knowledge of the Data-Driven Testing framework and Hybrid testing framework. Other than this, I am currently gaining more knowledge about the other types of frameworks to understand them better.
37. Name some important keywords that are used in Qtp.
A: This is another important software testing interview question; These are the most important keywords which are used in Qtp:
- Test Objects (page, EX: Browser, webEdit, etc.)
- Functions (User-defined and Built-In)
- Methods (Ex: Set, Activate, Select, Navigate—etc.)
- Statements ( If, EX: Dim, For, wait, Exit, option explicit —etc.)
- Operators (EX: +,and, or, not—etc.)
38. Why is Selenium the most preferred automation tool?
A: Selenium is the most preferred automation tool because of the following reasons:
- It is a free and open-source tool.
- The communities are helping and have a vast customer base.
- It supports multiple programming languages.
- It is compatible with different types of browsers
- It has good platform compatibility.
Interview questions on software testing methodologies
39. What is software testing methodology?
A: This is one of the most asked software tester interview questions; Software testing methodologies are the strategies and types of testing which are used to certify that the particular software meets the client’s expectations. These are also referred to as Waterfall, agile and other models of QA.
40. Explain the waterfall models in software testing methodologies.
A: Development of software progresses and goes through different phases like requirements, design, implementation, verification and maintenance. This phase goes in sequence, and the next phase is started only after the previous phase is completed.
41. How is Iterative Development different from the Waterfall model?
A: In Iterative development, a particular project is divided into small parts, and each part is tested individually and goes through all the phases of the Waterfall model. Later it is integrated into software architecture, and the complete system is tested together. It gives the advantage of fast feedback after each test is completed.
42. Which are the functional and non-functional software testing methodologies?
A: To answer this software testing interview question, you could say; There are different functional testing methodologies. Which include:
- Unit testing
- Integration testing
- System testing
- Acceptance testing
The non-functional testing methodologies are:
- Performance testing
- Security testing
- Usability testing
- Compatibility testing
43. Explain System Testing.
A: System testing uses the black-box technique to check the completed system and to see if the system meets the requirements as specified by the clients. It checks the functionality of the system from end to end. It is usually carried out by a different testing team, not the development team.
44. Give an overview of testing with TestComplete.
A: TestComplete is an automated GUI testing tool. It excels in compatibility and integration testing. It enables the testers to work with it on desktop, mobile and web applications. It enhances the quality of the application and also speeds up the testing process to a significant level. It allows building a solid testing design that uses a broad spectrum of the already available software testing methodologies.
45. Why are software testing methodologies critical?
A: A software testing methodology is a robust way of making sure that the software being developed is able to meet the requirements of its clients or not. It also checks if the software meets the required usability and is secure enough. These methodologies are divided into two parts- Functional testing and non-functional testing.
46. What is usability testing?
A: Usability testing checks how easy it is to operate software from the end user’s perspective. It is carried out usually during the acceptance testing stage. It aims to determine the visible aesthetics and design of software and its workflow. It is a great way to analyse the functions separately or the whole system together.
47. What is security testing, and what are its principles?
A: To answer this software testing interview question, you could say; Due to the rise in cyber-attacks, there is an immediate need to secure the data used and stored in the software. It comes under the non-functional testing methodologies to ensure that the data is being protected at all times. The essential principles of security testing are:
- Integrity
- Confidentiality
- Authentication
- Authorization
- Availability
- Non-repudiation
48. What is performance testing, and what are its types?
A: Performance testing comes under the non-functional testing methodology. It is used to know how particular software will work under certain conditions. It tests responsiveness and stability in real-time situations.
Different types of Performance testing are:
- Load Testing
- Stress Testing
- Endurance testing
- Spike Testing
Software Testing Interview Questions for Freshers
49. Where do you see yourself five years down the line?
A: Never exaggerate while answering this question as I look forward to getting the topmost position as it requires experience of more than five years.
You can answer like this, I see myself as a successful person who has excelled in this field. I wish to be independent and capable enough to take care of my family.
50. What are your expectations from this job?
A: My expectations from this job are in favour of me as well as the company. I want to contribute to the company’s success while developing new skills and gaining expertise in the field from my seniors.
51. What is your motivating factor to do a good job?
A: Good work results in appreciation of the employees. I, too, love being appreciated for the hard work I put in; it motivates me a lot. Other than that, my willingness to do the job is also essential.
52. Are you good at handling pressure?
A: There are times when the workload is too much, and it leads to pressure. But during such a situation, I choose to work harder than I usually do because being calm in the situation delays work. According to me, rushing things is what makes you want to do them and succeed in it.
53. Are you flexible to do overtime?
A: I am at a point in life where I am excited to work. I know every industry has its own work situation. I like working till the time I don’t finish the job I have been assigned. So, working overtime is not a problem for me at all.
54. What are your short term goals?
A: My short-term goals are to work for a company that will allow me to learn new things while contributing to the company’s success. Moreover, I want to be happy with the work I do.
55. What is the role of testing in software development?
A: This is an important software testing interview question for a fresher. Development of any software requires testing to check if it works properly or not. Any software must undergo the following stages: Requirements, Specification, Design, Implementation, Testing and Maintenance.
56. What is end-to-end testing?
A: End-to-end testing is testing software from start to end. The tester tests the software from the end user’s perspective.
57. What is Quality Assurance?
A: Quality Assurance is testing the software thoroughly from start to end before it is handed over to the end-users. It ensures customer satisfaction, improvement, business, standard, service and guarantee.
58. What do you mean by a software bug?
A: A bug is a fault in the software because of which the results are often shown wrong. Sloppy programming, lack of version control, poor design and miscommunication cause the development of bugs.
59. What qualities do you think a software tester must possess?
A: A good software tester must have a good eye for detail to find out the bugs in the software program. He must possess good domain knowledge. He must be able to understand the problem from the end user’s perspective.
60. What is a bug report?
A: A bug report is a document that helps to understand the problem, how to reduce the problem, The environment and the conditions which result in having those problems and The resolution after the problem is fixed.
Conclusion on Software Testing Interview Questions
After going through this blog, you must have brushed up your knowledge and recalled what you have learnt in the past. A candidate with enhanced interview skills has better chances of getting hired in MNCs and top companies.
As we all know, this department has a lot of demand in the market as new software emerges. No developer can do without a tester.
This article contains all the important topics expected for software testing interview questions. Everything is covered in this article in the most understandable language, starting from introduction to software testing and going up to types and their functions.
So, a day before your interview, read this article, and you are good to go. We wish you good luck in your future endeavours and a bright career ahead!
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