Imagine you're the captain of a team that checks if everything works perfectly. That's what a Test Manager does! They make sure products, services, or processes are top-notch and meet everyone's needs. It's a job that needs someone who can lead, talk clearly, and solve problems like a superhero.
If you're thinking about becoming a Test Manager, or if you're already on that path, you'll likely face some tricky interview questions. Don't worry, we're here to help you get ready!
What Does a Test Manager Do?
- Plans the tests: They decide how to check if things are working right.
- Leads the team: They guide the testers and make sure everyone knows what to do.
- Tracks problems: They keep an eye on any issues that come up.
- Makes sure everything follows the rules: They ensure the testing meets all the necessary standards.
- Keeps everyone talking: They make sure everyone on the team and other related teams are communicating.
Getting Ready for the Interview
To get ready for your interview, you'll need to know about the basic and advanced parts of testing. Let's look at some questions you might be asked.
Test Manager Interview Questions for Beginners
- What are the jobs of a Test Manager? (We talked about this above!)
- What do you do if testers keep finding big problems?
- You should check the rules for accepting the product.
- Look at the test cases again.
- Add more test cases, if possible.
- Check for invalid conditions.
- Adjust the rules for the finished product.
- What is a Requirement Traceability Matrix?
- It's a way to connect the documents that say what the product should do with the test cases.
- It helps make sure everything gets tested.
- How do you pick a testing tool?
- Figure out what features you need.
- Look at tools that have those features.
- Think about the cost and benefits.
- Make a decision with your team.
- What are some big challenges in testing?
- Testing everything.
- Talking with developers.
- Testing changes.
- Not having enough time.
- Deciding what to test first.
- What is a Test Plan?
- A document that tells you what tests will be done.
- What are the types of test plans?
- Master Test Plan
- Testing level specific Test Plan
- Testing type specific test plans
- What talking skills should a Test Manager have?
- Good and clear talking.
- Building good team relationships.
- Good listening and understanding feelings.
- Getting the team excited.
- Solving problems and dealing with right and wrong.
- What is 'Design Management'?
- It's how you organize and keep track of all the testing stuff.
- What is the PDCA model?
- Plan, Do, Check, Act. It's a way to make testing better.
- What are casual reviews?
- Checking for problems without running the code.
- What kinds of risks are there in testing?
- Risks with the process, the project, and the people.
- How do Test Managers deal with risks?
- Avoiding the risk.
- Making the risk smaller.
- Sharing the risk.
- Accepting the risk.
- How do Test Managers measure the project?
- By looking at cost, resources, skills, and time.
- What is a three-point estimate?
- Using the best, most likely, and worst-case scenarios to guess how long something will take.
- What's in a good test report?
- Project details, test goals, a summary, and problems found.
- What are good testing practices?
- Early testing, clear goals, good communication, and using the right tools.
- How do you know if the testing is good?
- By looking at the problem rejection and leakage rates.
- How do you handle team problems?
- By expecting them and planning for them.
- What do you want from this job?
- Show you know what the job is about.
- Have you led a team before?
- Talk about your experience.
- Should a test lead write test cases?
- How do you set team goals?
- Based on skills and experience.
- Are you comfortable with testing practices?
- How do you train the team?
- By getting feedback and training new people.
- What are your hiring rules?
- Skills, attitude, and team fit.
- What testing tools do you know?
- Talk about the tools you use.
- Do you know about automation?
- Do you understand Requirement Traceability Matrix?
- Yes, and talk about its uses.
- What risks to avoid?
- What acceptable practices do you follow?
- Have you estimated tests?
- What are your big wins?
Test Manager Interview Questions for Experienced Folks
These questions might be more about your experience and how you've handled tough situations.
- What's the difference between Agile and Scrum?
- What is Configuration Management?
- What are casual reviews?
- What is a "three-point estimate"?
- What are the big challenges in testing?
- How do you make test content?
- Why is testing important?
- What's in a Bug Report?
- What is Exploratory Testing?
- What are severity and priority?
- How do you pick a testing tool?
- When should QA start?
- What talking skills do you need?
- How do you handle risks?
- How do you know if testing is good?
- What are good estimation practices?
- How do you use talking and teamwork?
- How do you handle risks?
- Give examples of your jobs.
Scenario-Based Questions
These questions will see how you handle real-life problems.
- What if you find big problems near the release date?
- Tell me about a time you used a new testing strategy.
- How do you talk to people when tests are late?
- How do you handle fights between testing and development?
- Tell me about a time you used risk-based testing.
For even more detailed answers and insights into these questions, be sure to check out Sprintzeal's blog on
test manager interview questions:
Test Manager Interview Questions. It's a great resource to help you prepare and succeed!
