Xebia IT Architects Test Engineer Interview: Rounds, Questions and Preparation

What the job involves

A Test Engineer at Indian IT services companies like Xebia IT Architects validates software by writing and executing test cases, reporting defects, and ensuring quality before release. Day to day involves understanding requirements, preparing test scenarios, performing manual and basic automation testing, and collaborating with developers and business analysts. Freshers often start with manual testing on web or mobile applications and gradually learn automation tools.

Role and Technical Knowledge

1. 1

   What is the difference between verification and validation in software testing?

   Verification checks if the product is built correctly (reviews, walkthroughs), while validation checks if the correct product is built (actual testing). Give a simple example like reviewing a requirement vs executing a test case.

2. 2

   Explain the defect life cycle with an example.

   Cover states: New, Assigned, Open, Fixed, Retest, Closed, Reopened, Deferred, Rejected. Use a scenario where a login button fails and how it moves through each stage.

3. 3

   What are the different levels of testing?

   Mention unit, integration, system, and acceptance testing. Briefly state who performs each and why they are needed in an IT services project.

4. 4

   How do you decide when to stop testing?

   Talk about exit criteria like test case execution percentage, defect density, severity of open defects, time and budget constraints, and risk analysis.

Practical Scenarios

1. 5

   You find a bug but the developer says it is not reproducible. What do you do?

   Show a systematic approach: capture detailed steps, screenshots, video, logs, environment details, and try to reproduce on different browsers or devices. Communicate clearly and involve the test lead if needed.

2. 6

   How would you test a login page for an e-commerce website?

   Cover positive and negative cases: valid credentials, invalid password, empty fields, SQL injection, password masking, forgot password link, account lock after multiple failures, and session timeout.

3. 7

   Write a simple SQL query to find duplicate email addresses in a users table.

   Use SELECT email, COUNT(*) FROM users GROUP BY email HAVING COUNT(*) > 1. Explain that this checks data integrity, a common task in database testing.

4. 8

   What is the difference between smoke testing and sanity testing?

   Smoke testing checks critical functionalities on a new build to decide if further testing is possible. Sanity testing checks specific fixes or narrow areas after a minor change. Give a quick example for each.

Automation and Tools

1. 9

   What are the advantages of automation testing over manual testing?

   Mention speed, reusability, coverage, accuracy, and cost savings for regression. Also note that automation is not a replacement for manual exploratory testing.

2. 10

   How do you locate an element in Selenium if it has no id or name?

   Use XPath or CSS selectors. Explain absolute vs relative XPath and give an example like //input[@type='submit'] or using contains and text functions.

3. 11

   What is the difference between implicit wait, explicit wait, and fluent wait in Selenium?

   Implicit wait applies globally for a default time. Explicit wait waits for a specific condition on an element. Fluent wait polls at regular intervals and ignores specific exceptions. Mention when to use each.

4. 12

   How do you test a REST API using Postman?

   Cover creating a request with method, URL, headers, and body. Check status codes, response time, and response body. Use assertions in the Tests tab and mention GET, POST, PUT, DELETE methods.

Behavioural and HR Questions

1. 13

   Tell me about a time you found a mistake in your own work. How did you handle it?

   Be honest about a small error, like missing a test case. Show that you took ownership, fixed it, and learned to double-check or use a checklist. Avoid blaming others.

2. 14

   Why do you want to work as a Test Engineer in an IT services company?

   Connect your interest in quality, attention to detail, and willingness to learn automation. Mention exposure to different domains and clients that services companies offer.

3. 15

   How do you handle pressure when a release deadline is near and many defects are pending?

   Talk about prioritizing based on severity and business impact, communicating with the team, focusing on critical test cases, and staying calm. Give an example from a college project if possible.

4. 16

   Are you willing to relocate or work in different shifts for client projects?

   Answer positively if true, and show flexibility. IT services often require working from client locations or overlapping with different time zones. Mention your adaptability.