Entries Tagged 'Testing Interview questions' ↓

I am glad to share “Manual Testing Help” eBook prepared by one of our readers. The content of this eBook is very useful to understand manual testing concepts, testing methodologies and preparing for software testing interviews.

Here are some of the topics covered in this book:

• Fundamentals of software testing
• When defects gets introduced in SDLC?
• Why does software have defects?
• What is Verification?
• What is Validation?
• Software Testing Techniques
• Continue reading →

Q. What is difference between Performance Testing, Load Testing and Stress Testing?

1) Performance Testing:

Performance testing is the testing, which is performed, to ascertain how the components of a system are performing, given a particular situation. Resource usage, scalability and reliability of the product are also validated under this testing. This testing is the subset of performance engineering, which is focused on addressing performance issues in the design and architecture of software product.

Performance Testing Goal:

The primary goal of performance testing includes establishing the benchmark behaviour of the Continue reading →

This is a guest article by Megha S. – A Career Counselor.

Interviews have always been a nerve racking experience. A situation where you are judged on your performance for a job. Everybody gets the jitters when it comes to interviews. Relax! Don’t panic. You need to overcome the nervousness.

Job Interview Tips and advice Applicable for Any Job Seeker Looking for a Dream Job.

No matter which career path you want to choose below are the best tips to help you land your dream job.

1. Always do your homework well before walking into an interview. Make sure you have complete knowledge about the company and the role.

2. Know yourself. Remember first impression is the last impression. Demonstrate your capabilities and qualities and how well you can serve them. Don’t be overconfident and aggressive.
Continue reading →

This is a guest article by “N. Sandhya Rani”.

As Software testers, we keep performing testing activities in various phases of a project. When it comes to testing our own skills, we may not end up choosing an appropriate approach. I am talking about how the interview rounds go and how to face them. The whole article is a very general discussion about the challenges that a tester has to face in an interview.

Let’s start with preparing a CV for software testing job profile.

How to prepare a good CV?
By the term ‘Good’ I mean a CV that describes best about your skills, your expertise, your strengths etc. It’s better not to use a same CV for different types of job profiles. Making slight changes will help to get a call. For e.g. you can highlight the skill set that you posses for the required job like any automation tool or experience in other related automation tools. You can also add about the basic knowledge of any technologies that you posses. This may be an added advantage.

Preparation before the job interview:

Before attending the interview, check the job profile in detail. Understand if the requirement is purely in manual testing, Automation testing or on both. Check if your job profile experience match with what is expected.
The interviewer will mostly stick to questions around the given job profile and what you have mentioned in your CV.  Make sure you can answer questions confidently which are based on your CV. It depends on how the discussion goes between the candidate and the interviewer, which leads to discussion in other areas.

Appear confidently at the time of interview:

In most cases, the interview starts with a brief up about the candidate. One can answer to this question by following a sequence like starting with your Name, what qualifications do you posses, how you started your career as a software tester etc. Some interviewers do not like to hear about personal details like family. So do not proceed with these details unless the interviewer asks for it.

While answering any question tell what you know. Do not try to explain about ideal cases. Interviewers are interested in practical approach, rather than ideal cases. Tell the interviewer how you will go about solving the problems or about your way of tackling things. Do not talk anything negative about any person especially about developers/programmers. If you do so, then it shows that you are not mature enough. Now a days in most of the interviews, scenarios are cited rather than direct question and answer. If the scenario is new to you, take few seconds to think on it and then answer. Do not hurry up things.

The way you present in interviews is very important. Right attitude is very important too. Many managers can judge it easily, if you have really worked on projects or it’s just a fake experience. The confidence level with which you answer makes a strong impression. For any question if you are not sure about the correct answer, just make an attempt. Do not just give up. You can also talk about things that you explored in free time or with your interest. This shows that you take initiative and are a continuous learner as well.

As many of us must have experienced that the interviewers keep asking about the processes that you have followed or are familiar with. One does not need to worry if they have never followed any processes. Following the processes is up to the company and a tester cannot do much regarding that. But of course one can follow some processes for his/her own task (I mean the modules that you own or are in charge of etc). This will not only help to manage things but also inspires other to follow some processes. Any process, which has proven some good results, can be followed. So, instead of blaming others for not following any processes, one can take an initiative to do it. Do not forget that Initiative is one of the qualities that a tester should possess.

One more important point: It’s not necessary that the person who is taking your interview is a person from QA background. A person from developing background can also take software testing job interviews. What I mean to say is the person need not have actually worked on the QA processes. In such case it becomes very important to answer the questions very carefully. It may sound illogical when a person from non-QA background interviews a tester but remember it will be a very good experience as you will get to know how testing is perceived by others.

Over to You:
What’s your experience about software testing interviews? If you want to share some do’s and don’ts please make comments below so that other testers can get benefit from your experience. And finally ‘all the best’ for your testing career!

In continuation with our Previous article on “ISTQB software testing certification sample papers and tips to solve the questions quickly“, we are posting next set of ISTQB exam sample questions and answers with detailed evaluation for each option.

This is a guest article by “N. Sandhya Rani”.

ISTQB ‘Foundation level’ sample questions with answers and detailed evaluation of each option:

1. Methodologies adopted while performing Maintenance Testing:-
a) Breadth Test and Depth Test
b) Retesting
c) Confirmation Testing
d) Sanity Testing

Evaluating the options:
Continue reading →

Please welcome ‘Sandhya’ on softwaretestinghelp.com writer’s board. Sandhya is having extensive experience in software testing field and helping many software testers in clearing the testing certification exams like ISTQB.

Sandhya will be giving you ISTQB paper pattern and tips on how to solve the questions quickly. To start with, here are 10 sample ISTQB ‘Foundation level’ questions with detailed explanation for answers.

ISTQB question pattern and tips to solve:
ISTQB questions are formatted in such a way that the answers look very much similar. People often choose the one, which they are more familiar with. We should carefully read the question twice or thrice or may be more than that, till we are clear about what is being asked in the question.

Now look at the options carefully. The options are chosen to confuse the candidates. To choose the correct answer, we should start eliminating one by one. Go through each option and check whether it is appropriate or not. If you end up selecting more than one option, repeat the above logic for the answers that you selected. This will definitely work.

Before you start with the question papers, please read the material thoroughly. Practice as many papers as possible. This will help a lot because, when we actually solve the papers, we apply the logic that we know.

ISTQB ‘Foundation level’ sample questions with answers:

1. Designing the test environment set-up and identifying any required infrastructure and tools are a part of which phase

a) Test Implementation and execution
b) Test Analysis and Design
c) Evaluating the Exit Criteria and reporting
d) Test Closure Activities

Evaluating the options:
a) Option a: as the name suggests these activities are part of the actual implementation cycle. So do not fall under set-up
b) Option b: Analysis and design activities come before implementation. The test environment set-up, identifying any required infrastructure and tools are part of this activity.
c) Option c: These are post implementation activities
d) Option d: These are related to closing activities. This is the last activity.

So, the answer is ‘B’

2. Test Implementation and execution has which of the following major tasks?

i. Developing and prioritizing test cases, creating test data, writing test procedures and optionally preparing the test harnesses and writing automated test scripts.
ii. Creating the test suite from the test cases for efficient test execution.
iii. Verifying that the test environment has been set up correctly.
iv. Determining the exit criteria.

a) i,ii,iii are true and iv is false
b) i,,iv are true and ii is false
c) i,ii are true and iii,iv are false
d) ii,iii,iv are true and i is false

Evaluating the options:
Let’s follow a different approach in this case. As can be seen from the above options, determining the exit criteria is definitely not a part of test implementation and execution. So choose the options where (iv) is false. This filters out ‘b’ and ‘d’.

We need to select only from ‘a’ and ‘c’. We only need to analyze option (iii) as (i) and (ii) are marked as true in both the cases. Verification of the test environment is part of the implementation activity. Hence option (iii) is true. This leaves the only option as ‘a’.

So, the answer is ‘A’

3. A Test Plan Outline contains which of the following:-

i. Test Items
ii. Test Scripts
iii. Test Deliverables
iv. Responsibilities

a) I,ii,iii are true and iv is false
b) i,iii,iv are true and ii is false
c) ii,iii are true and i and iv are false
d) i,ii are false and iii , iv are true

Evaluating the options:
Let’s use the approach given in question no. 2. Test scripts are not part of the test plan (this must be clear). So choose the options where (ii) is false. So we end up selecting ‘b’ and ‘d’. Now evaluate the option (i), as option (iii) and (iv) are already given as true in both the cases. Test items are part of the test plan. Test items are the modules or features which will be tested and these will be part of the test plan.

So, the answer is ‘B’

4. One of the fields on a form contains a text box which accepts numeric values in the range of 18 to 25. Identify the invalid Equivalence class
a) 17
b) 19
c) 24
d) 21

Evaluating the options:
In this case, first we should identify valid and invalid equivalence classes.

Invalid Class | Valid Class | Invalid Class
Below 18 | 18 to 25 | 26 and above

Option ‘a’ falls under invalid class. Options ‘b’, ‘c’ and ‘d’ fall under valid class.

So, the answer is ‘A’

5. In an Examination a candidate has to score minimum of 24 marks in order to clear the exam. The maximum that he can score is 40 marks. Identify the Valid Equivalence values if the student clears the exam.

a) 22,23,26
b) 21,39,40
c) 29,30,31
d) 0,15,22

Evaluating the options:
Let’s use the approach given in question 4. Identify valid and invalid equivalence classes.

Invalid Class | Valid Class | Invalid Class
Below 24 | 24 to 40 | 41 and above

The question is to identify valid equivalence values. So all the values must be from ‘Valid class’ only.

a) Option a: all the values are not from valid class
b) Option b: all the values are not from valid class
c) Option c: all the values are from valid class
d) Option d: all the values are not from valid class

So, the answer is ‘C’

6. Which of the following statements regarding static testing is false:

a) static testing requires the running of tests through the code
b) static testing includes desk checking
c) static testing includes techniques such as reviews and inspections
d) static testing can give measurements such as cyclomatic complexity

Evaluating the options:
a) Option a: is wrong. Static testing has nothing to do with code
b) Option b: correct, static testing does include desk checking
c) Option c: correct, it includes reviews and inspections
d) Option d: correct, it can give measurements such as cyclomatic complexity

So, the answer is ‘A’

7. Verification involves which of the following:-
i. Helps to check the Quality of the built product
ii. Helps to check that we have built the right product.
iii. Helps in developing the product
iv. Monitoring tool wastage and obsoleteness.

a) Options i,ii,iii,iv are true.
b) i is true and ii,iii,iv are false
c) i,ii,iii are true and iv is false
d) ii is true and i,iii,iv are false.

Evaluating the options:
a) Option a: The quality of the product can be checked only after building it.
Verification is a cycle before completing the product.
b) Option b: Verification checks that we have built the right product.
c) Option c: it does not help in developing the product
d) Option d: it does not involve monitory activities.

So, the answer is ‘B’

8. Component Testing is also called as :-
i. Unit Testing
ii. Program Testing
iii. Module Testing
iv. System Component Testing .

a) i,ii,iii are true and iv is false
b) i,ii,iii,iv are false
c) i,ii,iv are true and iii is false
d) all of above is true

Evaluating the options:
a) Option a: correct, component testing is also called as unit testing
b) Option b: not sure (but as all the options indicate this as true, we can conclude that Program testing is also called as unit testing)
c) Option c: correct, component testing is also called as module testing
d) Option d: wrong. System component testing comes under system testing.

So, the answer is ‘A’

9. Link Testing is also called as :
a) Component Integration testing
b) Component System Testing
c) Component Sub System Testing
d) Maintenance testing

Evaluating the options:
As the name suggests, this testing is performed by linking (say modules). Now if
we look at the options, only option ‘a’ is performed by linking or integrating
modules/components.

So, the answer is ‘A’

10.

What is the expected result for each of the following test cases?
A.TC1: Anand is a 32 year old married, residing in Kolkatta.
B.TC3: Attapattu is a 65 year old married person, residing in Colombo.
a) A – Issue membership, 10% discount, B–Issue membership, offer no discount. B
b) A – Don’t Issue membership, B – Don’t offer discount. C
c) A – Issue membership, no discount, B – Don’t Issue membership.
d) A – Issue membership, no discount, B- Issue membership with 10% discount.

Evaluating the options:

Explanation:
For TC1: follow the path in green color
(The person is Indian resident, so select only ‘True’ options.
The person is aged between 18-55, so select only ‘True’
The person is a married, so again select only ‘True’
For this person, the actions under ‘Rule 4′ will be applied. That is, issue membership and no discount)

For TC3: follow the path in blue color
(The person is not Indian resident, so select only ‘False’ (under Rule 1)
The person is not aged between 18-55. No need to select any path, as it is written “Don’t care”.
The person is married. No need to select any path, as it is written “Don’t care”.
For this person, the actions under ‘Rule1′ will be applied, That is, Don’t issue membership and no discount.)

So, the answer is ‘C’

Note: The answers are based on writers own experience and judgment and may not be 100% correct. If you feel any correction is required please discuss in comments below.

Please feel free to ask any question related to ISTQB exam and testing certifications in comment section below.