What to know before hiring QA Engineers

Quality Assurance (QA) engineers are critical to the software development process, ensuring that products are reliable, functional, and bug-free before they reach users. A skilled QA Engineer helps improve the overall quality of software, identifies issues early, and enhances the user experience by catching defects before they impact end-users.

Here’s what you need to know to hire QA Engineers for your team.

What does a QA Engineer do?

A QA Engineer is responsible for testing software products to ensure they meet established quality standards before they are released. They design and execute tests, find bugs, and collaborate with developers to fix issues. Their primary responsibilities include:

• Test planning and strategy: QA Engineers develop detailed test plans that outline the scope of testing, the types of tests to run, and the resources needed to ensure complete coverage.
• Manual and automated testing: Depending on the project, QA Engineers may perform manual tests (such as exploratory testing) or write automated scripts to test functionality repeatedly and efficiently.
• Bug identification and tracking: QA Engineers document and prioritize bugs, working closely with developers to ensure they are fixed before release. They use bug-tracking tools like JIRA or Bugzilla to track issues.
• Regression testing: After bugs are fixed or new features are introduced, QA Engineers conduct regression tests to ensure that no new issues were introduced and that previously fixed bugs have not resurfaced.
• Performance and load testing: They measure the software’s performance under various conditions, such as high user loads, to ensure the application can scale effectively.
• Security testing: QA Engineers perform tests to identify security vulnerabilities and ensure the software meets regulatory and security standards.
• Collaboration with cross-functional teams: QA Engineers collaborate with developers, UX/UI designers, and product managers to understand the product’s requirements and ensure that testing aligns with project goals.

How to hire QA Engineers: a quick guide

Define your requirements

By defining your project’s QA needs early on, you can target candidates who possess the right expertise and experience to meet your project’s specific requirements. Some considerations include:

• Type of testing needed: Will your project require manual testing, automated testing, or both? Manual testing is great for user interface (UI) and exploratory testing, while automation can handle repetitive tasks.
• Testing environment: Does your project target mobile, web, desktop, or embedded systems? Ensure the QA Engineer has experience in the specific platforms and environments you work with.
• Specialized testing: Does your project need specialized testing such as performance testing, security testing, or compliance testing? If so, look for QA Engineers with experience in tools and processes for these specific types of testing.
• Development methodology: Are you following Agile, Scrum, or DevOps methodologies? A QA Engineer familiar with your development approach will integrate more smoothly with the team and contribute effectively.
• Automation needs: If your development process involves automated testing, ensure the QA Engineer has experience with automation tools such as Selenium, Cypress, or Appium, as well as scripting knowledge in languages like Python or Java.

Where to find QA Engineers

There are several platforms where you can hire top-tier QA Engineers. Job boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, Jobshark, and Glassdoor are excellent starting points. Additionally, platforms like Toptal, Jobshark, Upwork, and Fiverr offer access to freelance QA Engineers.

Engaging with QA-specific forums and communities like Reddit’s testing subreddit, Ministry of Testing, or Stack Overflow can help you connect with QA Engineers who are passionate about software testing. Events like the EuroSTAR Testing Conference and the SeleniumConf provide excellent opportunities to network with QA professionals.

For quicker hiring, partnering with tech sourcing companies, like Jobshark, can help streamline the process.

Assess technical skills

When hiring a QA Engineer, evaluating their technical proficiency is essential to ensure they can efficiently test your software. Some technical skills to assess include:

• Manual vs. automated testing: Ensure the QA Engineer has experience in both manual and automated testing, depending on your project needs. Manual testing is useful for exploratory testing, while automation saves time on repetitive tests.
• Proficiency with testing tools: QA Engineers should be skilled in using industry-standard testing tools such as Selenium, JIRA, Appium, LoadRunner, or TestRail. Their familiarity with these tools can significantly enhance productivity.
• Scripting and coding knowledge: If automated testing is required, the engineer should have scripting knowledge in languages like Python, Java, or JavaScript to write and maintain test automation scripts.
• API testing: For projects involving back-end services, ensure the QA Engineer has experience with API testing tools like Postman or SoapUI to verify API functionality and performance.
• Bug tracking and reporting: The QA Engineer should be adept at using bug tracking systems such as JIRA or Bugzilla to document, track, and communicate defects effectively.
• Performance testing: If scalability and performance are important, look for experience with performance testing tools like Apache JMeter or Gatling to assess how the system performs under different loads.
• Knowledge of version control: QA Engineers familiar with version control systems like Git will better collaborate with developers when working on automated test scripts or managing code for continuous integration (CI) and continuous deployment (CD).

Assessing these technical skills through interviews, hands-on tests, and code reviews will help you gauge the QA Engineer’s expertise and how well they fit your project’s needs.

Evaluate soft skills and cultural fit

Some soft skills to assess when hiring QA Engineers include:

• Attention to detail: QA Engineers need a sharp eye for detail to spot subtle bugs, usability issues, and inconsistencies in the software that others might overlook.
• Problem-solving skills: A good QA Engineer should be able to troubleshoot complex problems, figure out why bugs occur, and recommend practical solutions to developers.
• Communication skills: QA Engineers must communicate effectively with developers, project managers, and stakeholders, clearly reporting bugs, offering feedback, and discussing improvements.
• Collaboration: A collaborative QA Engineer works well with developers, understanding how the code works and offering suggestions that improve the software’s quality.
• Adaptability: Software projects often evolve, and QA Engineers must be able to adapt to new features, changing priorities, and updated testing requirements.

Evaluating these soft skills during interviews and collaborative exercises will help ensure the QA Engineer integrates well with your team and contributes positively to your project.

Benefits of hiring a skilled QA Engineer

Hiring a skilled QA Engineer brings several key benefits that help ensure your software meets quality standards and provides a seamless user experience:

• Fewer bugs and defects: QA Engineers catch bugs early in the development cycle, reducing the likelihood of costly fixes and improving the overall stability of the software.
• Better user experience: QA Engineers help improve the user experience by ensuring the software is intuitive, user-friendly, and bug-free before release.
• Automated testing for efficiency: With automation, QA Engineers can run repetitive tests more efficiently, speeding up the release cycle and reducing human error.
• Security and compliance: QA Engineers ensure that your software meets security standards and regulatory compliance, minimizing the risk of data breaches or legal issues.
• Cost and time savings: By catching issues early and optimizing the testing process, QA Engineers reduce the time and resources needed for post-release bug fixes and maintenance.

These benefits make hiring a skilled QA Engineer an essential part of any software development process, ensuring high-quality, reliable products for your users.

A brief overview of QA tools and technologies

QA Engineers use a variety of tools and technologies to test software, track bugs, and ensure overall quality. Some of the most used tools include:

• Selenium: A popular open-source tool used for automating web browser tests, enabling QA Engineers to write scripts in various programming languages to test websites across browsers.
• Appium: An open-source tool for automating mobile application testing on iOS and Android, allowing engineers to test mobile apps with ease.
• JIRA: A bug-tracking and project management tool that helps QA Engineers document, prioritize, and manage defects and testing tasks.
• Postman: A tool for API testing, allowing QA Engineers to send requests, validate API responses, and test back-end services.
• JMeter: A performance testing tool used to measure how well an application handles traffic and other stress conditions.
• TestRail: A test case management tool that allows teams to organize, track, and report on testing efforts across projects.
• Git: Version control software that allows QA Engineers to manage and collaborate on test automation scripts and ensure test code is properly versioned.