QA and test automation engineers design the checks that keep software reliable, finding bugs before customers do. It suits you if you notice what others miss and like thinking like a user. It is one of the most accessible entry points into tech, and many engineers move into development later. Not sure? Take the 2-minute career quiz or compare tracks in the explorer.
Testing fundamentals & test design
Automation without good test design just automates bad tests. Strong fundamentals are what interviewers probe first.
WHAT TO LEARN
- Types of testing: functional, regression, smoke, exploratory
- Test design techniques: boundaries, equivalence classes, decision tables
- Writing clear test cases and bug reports
- The testing pyramid
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
- Design test cases for a login or payment form
- Write a bug report a developer can reproduce in one try
- Explain why most tests should be unit and API tests
COMMON MISTAKES
- Only testing the happy path.
- Bug reports without steps, expected results and evidence.
FREE RESOURCES
- ISTQB Foundation Level syllabus — free PDF
- Ministry of Testing free articles
- Test Automation University — free courses
Programming for testers
Modern QA roles are coding roles. You need to write maintainable code, not just record scripts.
WHAT TO LEARN
- One language: Java, JavaScript/TypeScript or Python
- OOP basics and clean code
- Data structures used in tests
- Reading application code to find risk
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
- Write small programs without a tutorial
- Refactor duplicated test code into reusable functions
- Read a developer's change and suggest what to test
COMMON MISTAKES
- Relying only on record-and-playback tools.
- Copying test code between files instead of reusing it.
FREE RESOURCES
- Exercism — free mentored exercises
- Python official tutorial / MOOC.fi Java
- Test Automation University programming courses
UI automation
UI tests cover the journeys users care about most. Done well, they catch costly regressions; done badly, they are slow and flaky.
WHAT TO LEARN
- Playwright or Selenium fundamentals
- Stable locators and waiting strategies
- Page Object Model
- Running tests across browsers
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
- Automate a full user journey on a demo store
- Make a flaky test reliable and explain the fix
- Structure tests with page objects
COMMON MISTAKES
- Using fixed sleeps instead of proper waits.
- Automating everything through the UI when an API test would be faster.
FREE RESOURCES
- Playwright official docs
- Selenium official documentation
- Practice sites such as saucedemo.com
API testing
API tests are faster and more stable than UI tests and catch problems earlier. Many teams rely on them most.
WHAT TO LEARN
- HTTP methods, status codes and JSON
- Postman collections and environments
- Automated API tests with REST Assured, Playwright or pytest
- Contract and schema validation
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
- Test create, read, update and delete for an API
- Validate a response schema and error codes
- Chain requests using data from earlier responses
COMMON MISTAKES
- Checking only that the status is 200.
- Hard-coding test data that breaks when the environment changes.
FREE RESOURCES
- Postman Learning Center — free
- REST Assured documentation
- Public practice APIs such as reqres.in
Frameworks, CI & reporting
Tests only protect quality if they run automatically and their results are clear to everyone.
WHAT TO LEARN
- Test runners: JUnit, TestNG, pytest or Playwright Test
- Data-driven tests and configuration
- Running tests in CI on every commit
- Readable reports and failure screenshots
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
- Tests running in GitHub Actions on every pull request
- A report that shows exactly what failed and why
- Run the same tests against two environments
COMMON MISTAKES
- Tests that only run on your laptop.
- Ignoring failing tests until nobody trusts the suite.
FREE RESOURCES
- GitHub Actions official docs
- Allure Report documentation
- Playwright Test reporters guide
Performance, mobile & non-functional testing
Quality is more than features. Knowing the basics of performance, accessibility and mobile testing makes you stand out.
WHAT TO LEARN
- Load testing with k6 or JMeter
- Accessibility checks
- Mobile testing basics with Appium or device farms
- Security testing awareness
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
- Run a load test and explain the results
- Find accessibility issues with automated tools
- Explain how you would test an app on different devices
COMMON MISTAKES
- Load testing production without permission.
- Treating non-functional testing as optional.
FREE RESOURCES
- k6 official docs
- Appium documentation
- axe accessibility tools documentation
Working in agile teams & bug advocacy
QA engineers influence quality across the team. Communication and risk thinking matter as much as automation.
WHAT TO LEARN
- Agile and Scrum basics
- Reviewing requirements for testability
- Risk-based testing and prioritisation
- Communicating bugs and quality risks clearly
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
- Find gaps in a user story before development starts
- Prioritise what to test with limited time
- Explain a serious bug's impact to a product manager
COMMON MISTAKES
- Waiting until the end of a sprint to start testing.
- Blaming developers instead of working with them.
FREE RESOURCES
- Scrum Guide — free
- Ministry of Testing community
- Agile Testing resources by Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory (blog)
Projects that prove these skills
Three projects, each harder than the last. Interviewers would rather see one finished, deployed project you can explain than ten half-done tutorials.
Manual test suite and bug reports
1–2 weeksProves you can think like a tester.
- Test plan for a demo web app
- Test cases using boundary and equivalence techniques
- Five well-written bug reports with evidence
- Published on GitHub or a portfolio page
UI + API automation framework
3–5 weeksThe core of most SDET interviews.
- UI tests with Page Object Model
- API tests with schema validation
- Data-driven tests and configuration
- Clear README explaining structure
CI-integrated quality pipeline
4–6 weeksShows you can protect a real product continuously.
- Tests run in CI on every pull request
- Reports with screenshots and logs
- A load test and an accessibility check
- Quality dashboard or summary for the team
Interview preparation
Most junior QA interviews have four parts. Prepare for each separately — candidates often over-prepare algorithms and under-prepare explaining their own project.
| Round | What they check | How to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Screening | Testing fundamentals and basic coding | Design test cases aloud; solve easy coding problems. |
| Technical interview | Automation, APIs and frameworks | Explain your framework, waits, locators and API tests. |
| Practical | Finding bugs and writing tests | Practise exploratory testing on demo apps under time limits. |
| Behavioural | Collaboration and quality advocacy | Prepare a story about a bug you found and how you communicated it. |
Are you ready for entry-level roles?
Tick honestly. If you can do at least 8 of these 10 without looking things up, start applying — you will learn the rest on the job.
Written by Mubashar Hussain · Founder, TechCareerWay
Engineering leader with 20 years building software and hiring developers across 7 countries. Are you a working QA engineer? Become a technical reviewer for this guide. Spotted an error? Tell us.