Quality Assurance
Interview Questions

These essential quality assurance interview questions explore the key competencies or behaviors required of a quality assurance professional. The answer guidelines will help you formulate your own winning answers for the QA job interview.

Businessman with quality assurance icons with text "Competency-based QA Interview Questions"

The core competencies that have been identified as essential to successful job performance in the quality assurance role include:

planning and organizing
problem analysis and assessment
judgment and decision-making
attention to detail
communication skills

Expect behavioral interview questions that evaluate these competencies.

Competency-Based Quality Assurance Interview Questions

These competency-based or behavioral interview questions explore the 5 core areas of competence for QA professionals

1. Planning and Organizational Skills

Tell me about a situation where you had to handle multiple projects.

Tell me about a time you experienced conflicting priorities. How did you schedule your quality assurance activities accordingly?

In your answer highlight your ability to

set priorities and establish objectives
to identify and allocate the necessary resources
to establish a course of action to achieve these objectives

For example, the planning for a quality audit is key to ensuring the effectiveness of that audit.

Time management interview questions

2. Attention to Detail

What methods do you use to ensure that no details are forgotten when monitoring corrective action?

Describe a time that you identified an error or problem that had escaped the team's attention.

In your answer to quality assurance interview questions about your quality orientation highlight your ability to:

focus on all aspects of the process
to be detail oriented
to accurately complete all details
to precisely check processes
to maintain vigilance over a period of time

3. Analysis and Problem Assessment

Describe the most complicated problem you recently dealt with in your job. What methods and tools did you use to manage it?

Tell me about a time that you thought you had successfully handled a problem only to discover it was a symptom of a larger problem.

In your answer focus on your ability to

gather and organize the relevant data
identify the key issues and problems
identify cause and effect relationships
identify corrective action
define a plan to eliminate the root cause

Problem-solving behavioral interview questions

4. Judgment and Decision Making

Tell me about a time you had to make a decision with less than perfect information.

Tell me about a situation in which you had to make a complex decision within a very limited time frame.

In your answer focus on:

your capacity to evaluate the situation
define the decision criteria
to consider and review resources, constraints and organizational objectives
to develop alternative courses of action using a structured process
to commit to the most appropriate action

5. Communication Skills

Describe a situation when you had to persuade a manager or colleague about a quality assurance activity.

Tell me about a time when you had to communicate expected standards to a co-worker.

In your answer to quality assurance interview questions about communication highlight your competence in using the appropriate interpersonal styles and communication methods to gain acceptance of an activity, plan or document.

Include your ability to select an approach that is appropriate to the situation and to demonstrate the benefit of the activity to the receiver.
Handling objections and acknowledging concerns are part of the communication process.

Communication skills interview questions

Get help with understanding what is expected from you when answering behavioral interview questions in your job interview.

Quality assurance duties and responsibilities

The quality assurance job description provides a clear overview of the job requirements for the QA role.