Why this matters:
Quality assurance (QA) specialists often play a fundamental role in developing and maintaining the standards of quality that a company strives to meet. This may require them to work closely with leaders across the business and to stay abreast of evolving regulatory requirements. This question can also help you determine how experienced a candidate is. Do they draw from theory or practice?
What to listen for:
- A thorough understanding of regulatory requirements, if applicable
- Details around developing operational processes to deliver quality — and establishing benchmarks that must be met
- Examples drawn from experience
Why this matters:
For a quality assurance specialist working in the software industry, auditing a website should be second nature. An answer here will help you determine whether or not your candidate has the right set of skills to carry out their core responsibilities — one of which will be planning and executing audits that accurately and efficiently evaluate website health.
What to listen for:
- Established procedures and best practices for conducting a website audit
- An ability to implement changes and shift operational structure when needed
- Any specific tools, technology, or industry-standard methodologies
Why this matters:
Seasoned quality assurance specialists have hands-on experience using a wide range of testing-specific tools and methodologies. As a result, they know which tools they need to get the job done — and can clearly back up their choices with well-reasoned justifications. A quality assurance specialist is only as good as their sharpest tools!
What to listen for:
- Prior use of industry-standard tools and procedures in a professional setting
- An ability to explain how those tools might aid in the day-to-day responsibilities laid out in the job description
- Tools that align with your organization’s current resources
Why this matters:
Improving current methodology and procedural strategy is at the heart of any quality assurance role — and continuous improvement is the goal. A candidate should be able to logically evaluate and step over potential hurdles. Top quality assurance specialists will also demonstrate the levelheadedness that it takes to deal with complications in a professional manner.
What to listen for:
- An ability to set aside emotional concerns to reassess strategy
- Consistent perseverance in the face of adversity
- An understanding of the factors that might interfere with output quality and techniques for correcting missteps when they occur
Why this matters:
Streamlining existing processes and increasing productivity is an essential responsibility of any QA role. If team members are always in a crunch to get things done, the quality of work will undoubtedly suffer. Your next QA hire must be an individual who understands how to increase efficiency, meet deadlines, and guarantee quality in the final product.
What to listen for:
- An ability to efficiently prioritize tasks and manage team schedules
- An emphasis on open communication between employees and management
- Strategy development skills and the ability to accurately evaluate productivity
Why this matters:
This is a chance for a candidate to show what they are capable of and demonstrate whether they have the right mindset to perform well in a quality assurance role. In a similar fashion to asking a candidate how they respond to setbacks, their reaction to success will clue you in on a few key aspects of their personality.
What to listen for:
- An ability to learn from their successes
- An attitude that is focused on continuous improvement
- Confidence in their ability to drive operational success and improve output quality
Why this matters:
In addition to offering more insight into the candidate’s auditing process, this question also serves to evaluate a potential new hire’s problem-solving skills and their understanding of the full responsibility embedded within the QA role. Candidates should be able to highlight and explain the variables that contribute to the lifecycle of the auditing process.
What to listen for:
- Answers that consider a number of constraining factors
- A demonstrated ability to manage high-level project oversight and implement standardized procedures
- An in-depth understanding of the auditing process and its key components
Why this matters:
Quality assurance is a fundamental piece of the project management puzzle. If your organization consists of a quality assurance role that is separate from that of the project manager, then coordination between the two is necessary to implement strategy and procedural changes that contribute to the success of your business.
What to listen for:
- A collaborative nature and willingness to work as part of a team
- An understanding of the relationship between project management and quality assurance
- The ability to see a larger picture and an understanding of where they fit in
Why this matters:
This question can help you assess a candidate’s passion for the field as a whole, and the specific work your organization does. Quality assurance is all about paying attention to the details, so a candidate who is truly interested and engaged in their work is likely to do a careful and thorough job.
What to listen for:
- An in-depth understanding of your company’s goals and objectives
- Interests that align with the goals of your organization
- Aspects of quality assurance that the candidate finds satisfying, such as making things better for the end user
Contact a sales consultant.