[HOW DO YOU DECIDE] [HOW DO YOU HANDLE] Flashcards
How would you handle three high-priority tasks simultaneously?
When I’m faced with three high-priority tasks at the same time, First, I’d grab a Red Bull to keep my energy up then I look at which tasks have the most immediate deadlines or the biggest impact on the project. Then, I prioritize them based on that. If all three seem equally important, I’ll talk to my manager or the team to make sure I’m focusing on the right thing. Once I have a clear plan, I’ll break the tasks into smaller steps and tackle them one by one, rather than trying to do everything at once also make sure to communicate with the team if any deadlines might need adjusting, so everyone’s on the same page.
What is your approach to receiving constructive feedback?
I welcome constructive feedback as an opportunity to grow. It offers a fresh perspective and helps me identify areas where I can improve.
For instance, early in my career, I received feedback about improving my bug documentation. I adopted best practices, such as adding detailed reproduction steps and including screenshots, which significantly reduced back-and-forth communication with developers.
Feedback has always been a valuable tool for personal and professional development.
Describe a time you worked with a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
While I haven’t directly faced a difficult team member, I understand that collaboration challenges can arise in any team environment. If I were in that situation, my approach would be to remain polite and friendly. Avoid being passive-aggressive. If necessary, escalate the issue to a manager for guidance.
How do you handle challenges in communication, especially when delivering negative feedback?
Delivering negative feedback can be challenging, especially when collaborating with developers who may have a different perspective. My approach is always to come prepared. I gather all relevant documentation, use cases, and evidence to clearly present why an issue needs immediate attention.
I focus on fostering a collaborative mindset, positioning feedback as a shared opportunity to enhance the product rather than criticism. By staying professional, evidence-based, and empathetic, I’ve been able to resolve many such challenges effectively.
How do you handle stress?
with food, When handling stress, I rely on prioritization and a structured approach to problem-solving. For example, when faced with multiple testing tasks, I break them into smaller, manageable pieces and prioritize based on risk and impact. I use automation to script repetitive test cases early, freeing up time for edge-case analysis. Time-blocking helps me stay focused and avoid burnout. Additionally, I take short walks to clear my mind, ensuring I maintain balance under pressure.
**How do you handle a situation where there’s a difference in opinions between you and a developer? **
When I have a difference of opinion with a developer, I try to approach it as a collaborative discussion rather than a disagreement. I’ll explain my point of view, whether it’s about a bug or a testing approach, and then ask them to share theirs. I try to keep an open mind because sometimes they have insights into the code or architecture that I might not be aware of. If we still don’t agree, I suggest we involve a third person, like the Scrum Master or Product Owner, to help us decide on the best approach. My main goal is to make sure we’re all working toward the same objective: delivering a high-quality product.
Can you work under pressure?
Absolutely. I don’t remember any project that I worked on that HAD NO PRESSURE Working under pressure is often part of delivering high-quality software, I focus on maintaining clarity, prioritization, and automation to handle tight deadlines or unexpected issues. For example, during a critical release when multiple bugs were discovered late in the cycle, I stayed calm and methodical—first reproducing and documenting each issue, then prioritizing fixes based on severity and risk. I also relied on automated regression suites to quickly verify fixes, which saved valuable time. Clear communication with developers and stakeholders ensured everyone was aligned on the most urgent tasks. I find that pressure can actually sharpen focus when approached the right way.
**Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision during testing. **
There was a time when we were really close to a release, and I found a bug that wasn’t breaking the main functionality, but it did affect a less-used feature. The tough decision was whether to hold up the release to fix it or go ahead with the launch and address it in a patch. I brought it up with the team, and we weighed the impact. After some discussion, we agreed that it wasn’t critical enough to delay the release, but I made sure to document the issue and prioritize it for the next sprint. It wasn’t an easy call, but by communicating with the team, we made sure everyone was aligned on the decision.
Tell me about a time that you decided that you are not going to test something?
During a sprint where we had tight deadlines, I was responsible for testing a minor UI text change—updating a label from ‘Submit’ to ‘Save.’ While my instinct was to test everything thoroughly, I evaluated the risk and decided not to dedicate full test coverage to it.
*I reasoned that:
The change was purely cosmetic with no functional impact
It had no dependencies or downstream effects
The developer had already done a visual verification
Instead, I focused our testing efforts on higher-risk areas like a new payment integration. Later, I added the label check to our automated visual regression suite for future coverage.*
This experience taught me to make risk-based testing decisions—sometimes not testing something is the right call if it means allocating resources to more critical areas.
‘How do you approach performance reviews?
I approach performance reviews as a structured opportunity for growth—both for myself and the quality of our testing efforts. Here’s my typical process:
Self-Assessment:
I review my past goals (e.g., test automation coverage, bug detection rates) with data to highlight achievements (“Increased API test coverage from 70% to 90%, reducing post-release defects by 25%”).
I identify areas for improvement, like learning a new tool or enhancing performance testing skills.
Feedback Gathering:
I proactively seek input from developers, PMs, and peers on how my testing impacted their work (Example: “After a dev mentioned my bug reports lacked repro steps, I now include videos/logs consistently”).
Goal-Setting:
I align my next objectives with team priorities (“Implement automated load testing for our checkout flow”) and personal growth (“Complete certification in security testing”).
This way, reviews become actionable—not just retrospective, but a roadmap for adding more value as an SDET.”
