Software Tester / QA (Junior)
Scope of knowledge. For an entry-level software tester (QA), the required knowledge differs from typical programming roles. Here, the key is testing and quality fundamentals. Below is what a junior tester should know:
Testing process: Understanding that testing is not just “clicking through an application” but a process with phases: planning, preparing test cases, executing tests, and reporting. Candidates should know concepts such as test plan, test case, test scenario, bug report.
Basic terminology: It’s important to know the definitions and differences between types of tests (functional vs. non-functional, regression, exploratory, etc.) and testing levels (unit, integration, system, acceptance). A common interview question is the difference between manual and automated testing or types of tests (smoke, ad-hoc, security, etc.).
Defect (bug) lifecycle: What happens from bug detection to fix – reporting, triage, fixing, retesting, closing. A tester must know how to write a proper bug report: description, reproduction steps, expected vs. actual result, priority/severity, environment version.
**Basic IT knowledge: **Even a manual tester should understand the technological context. Useful knowledge includes software development methodologies (Agile/Scrum vs. Waterfall), the tester’s role in a team, and bug-tracking tools like JIRA. Increasingly, basic SQL (e.g., running a simple SELECT in a database) and HTTP/API fundamentals (testing APIs or using Postman) are appreciated.
Test automation (basics): Even when applying for manual tester roles, questions about automation may arise, as the market is moving in that direction. At least be aware of tools like Selenium/WebDriver, the purpose of unit tests (written by devs), and what Continuous Integration means from a QA perspective. If you’ve done courses in automation (e.g., basics of Python or Java for testing), mention it. Still, programming is not the primary requirement for a manual tester – it’s “nice to have.”
Attention to quality and detail: A tester must be inquisitive. Recruiters may check your attention to detail by asking how you would test a simple feature (e.g., a login form). You should know to check different paths (valid data, invalid data, empty fields, special characters), validations, error messages, and security (e.g., whether the password is masked). Analytical thinking often distinguishes good candidates.
Soft skills in a tester’s role: Recruiters place high value on communication and teamwork for testers. A tester works with developers and managers, and their reports often influence product quality decisions. That’s why clear communication, persistence, and assertiveness (e.g., defending a bug that a developer dismisses) are assessed as strongly as technical knowledge.
Summary: Focus your preparation mainly on testing theory and the practical aspects of a tester’s work. The ISTQB Foundation certificate is not required, but its syllabus is a good overview of what you need to know. It’s also useful to know the specifics of the company’s domain – e.g., banking app testing differs from game testing. Showing that you understand the industry is a plus (in finance accuracy is critical, while in games – user experience).
Sample technical questions. In a tester interview, you’ll likely get a mix of theory and scenario-based questions. Examples:
What are the types of tests and how do they differ from testing levels? – Candidates often confuse the two. Correct answer: types (by purpose) include functional, non-functional, structural, and change-related (regression, retesting); levels (by scope) include unit, integration, system, acceptance tests.
What’s the difference between verification and validation? – Verification checks whether the product is being built correctly (“building the thing right”), while validation checks whether the right product is being built (“building the right thing”).
What is exploratory testing and when is it used? – A test with no detailed pre-scripted steps; the tester explores the system, creating the scenario on the fly to uncover new paths and defects.
What should a bug report include? – A unique title, clear description, reproduction steps, expected vs. actual results, environment (app version, device), attachments (screenshot), plus priority and severity.
Is a tester responsible for product quality? – A trick question. Good answer: partly yes, but not alone. The whole organization is responsible for quality. Testers provide information, but they don’t make release decisions alone.
SQL or API questions: e.g., “Which SQL query shows how many records meet a condition?” – Answer: SELECT COUNT(*) ... WHERE .... Or “How would you test a REST API without a UI?” – Use Postman or curl, send a GET/POST request, check response code and body.
Scenario-based testing: e.g., “You have a calendar app – how would you test adding an event?” – Mention positive cases (valid data), edge cases (long title, past date), missing fields, conflicts (two events at the same time), permissions (can another user see my event?), etc. A logical order helps – positives first, then negatives and boundary cases.
Some companies replace questions with a practical task – e.g., giving you a mock-up and asking “list as many bugs as you see” or asking you to test a simple demo app live. That’s why practicing “tester thinking” is crucial – not just memorizing definitions. Recommended Learning Resources
A few ideas on where to gain knowledge while preparing to become a tester:
• ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus: Even if you’re not planning to take the certification right now, it’s worth downloading the syllabus (available for free, also in Polish) and reviewing the concepts it contains. It’s a compact theory of testing – perfect to make sure you understand the terms (such as functional/non-functional testing, test design techniques, etc.).
• Books on Testing: A classic is Testing Computer Software (Cem Kaner, in English). A Polish alternative is Zawód Tester (R. Smilgin) – accessible and rooted in the Polish market reality. You can also check out Certyfikowany Tester ISTQB. Podstawy (M. Łukasiewicz) if you’re aiming for thorough preparation.
• Courses and Testing Blogs: There are plenty of free online beginner testing courses – for example, on Udemy you’ll often find Software Testing for Beginners. Polish sites worth attention include testerzy.pl (a portal with articles on testing techniques) or blogs of experienced testers (e.g., Jakub Paczkowski, Remigiusz Bednarczyk). On YouTube, look up recordings of testing meetups – there’s plenty of material on channels like WrotQA or test:fest.
• Practice on Your Own: Although it’s hard to build a tester’s portfolio, you can practice testing on available applications. Pick any web app (e.g., a simple online store, blog) or mobile app and try to list ten potential bugs or improvements. You can even write short bug reports for 2–3 of the defects you found. This exercise helps you develop observation and documentation skills.
• Tools: If you have time, get familiar with the basics of tools testers use, e.g., JIRA (issue tracker) – a free version is available, so you can create an account and see how a bug report form looks. Also check out Postman (API testing tool) and Selenium IDE (a simple browser-based test recorder – even if you don’t use it later, it gives you an idea of how UI test automation works).
• Tester Community: Visit the testerzy.pl forum, join Facebook groups (like “Testowanie Oprogramowania”), where beginners ask questions and share experiences. Other juniors often share what questions they got in interviews – priceless insight! You can also look for online testing events – many are free.
Common Candidate Mistakes (QA)
There are several recurring mistakes candidates make when applying for tester roles:
• Being too theoretical: Some juniors memorize the ISTQB handbook and answer every question with a dry definition. That’s not inherently bad, but it may signal lack of practical thinking. Try to back up every definition with a real-life example (even a hypothetical one). For example, when talking about integration testing, say: “For instance, I would connect the login module with the password reset module and check how they work together.”
• Lack of attention to detail during the interview: Ironically, a tester who is imprecise (mixes up terms, can’t structure answers) may raise concerns. Be precise – practice answering in full, clear sentences. If you get a live testing task, jot down notes so you don’t forget anything when discussing your results.
• Negative attitude toward developers: Some candidates (especially career changers from non-technical fields) stress that “a tester points out developers’ mistakes.” This “quality police” approach is not well regarded. Instead, present yourself as a partner in delivering quality – someone who works with devs to ship a good product. Avoid suggesting competition; emphasize collaboration.
• Lack of confidence / overconfidence: Striking the right balance is key. If you have experience (e.g., from a course or university project), talk about it confidently – highlight your strengths. Don’t downplay yourself (“I’m just learning, others are better...”), as it weakens your case. On the other hand, avoid arrogance – admit you still have gaps and are eager to learn. Recruiters want someone who believes in their abilities but remains open to growth.
• Lying or misleading: This applies to any job but is worth repeating – don’t lie. If your CV says “SQL – intermediate,” be ready to prove it. It’s better to say “I know the basics, still learning” than get caught bluffing. Trust is crucial, especially for testers reporting on product quality. No one will hire a candidate who seems dishonest.
• Lack of research about the company: Testers should show curiosity – also about their potential workplace. If asked, “What do you know about our company/product?” and you can’t answer, it shows poor preparation. Solution: always read about the company beforehand and think about the quality challenges their product may face. You can even say you tried their app and have some observations (but share them diplomatically – don’t sound critical during the interview).
• No questions at the end: As with other roles – if a candidate has no questions for the recruiter, it signals lack of engagement or preparation. As a future tester, you could ask: “How big is the testing team, and do you follow a methodology (Scrum/Kanban)?” or “What types of tests are most often done manually, and what’s automated?” or about tools used (Jira, test management, CI). This shows you’re already thinking concretely about the role. Common Candidate Mistakes (QA).
When recruiting testers, some common mistakes appear on the candidate’s side:
• Being too theoretical: Some juniors memorize the ISTQB handbook and answer every question with a dry definition. While not inherently wrong, recruiters may feel you lack a practical view. Try to support every definition with an example (even a hypothetical one). For instance, when talking about integration tests, add: “For example, I would connect the login module with the password reset module and check their interaction.”
• Lack of attention to detail during the interview: Ironically, a tester who is imprecise in an interview (mixing up terms, being disorganized) may raise doubts. Be precise with your words – practice answering questions in clear, full sentences. If you get a live testing task, jot down your observations briefly so you don’t miss anything when presenting your results.
• Negative attitude toward developers: Some candidates (especially those switching from non-technical careers) emphasize that “a tester is someone who points out developers’ mistakes.” This “quality police” attitude is not well received. It’s better to present yourself as a partner in delivering quality – someone who cooperates with devs to deliver a good product together. Avoid suggesting you’ll compete with programmers – focus on collaboration.
• Lack of confidence / overconfidence: Striking the right balance matters. If you have experience (from a course, academic project, etc.), confidently talk about it – highlight your strengths. Don’t downplay yourself (“I’m still learning, others are better…”), as this discourages recruiters. On the other hand, avoid arrogance – admit where you still lack knowledge and show willingness to learn. Recruiters prefer candidates who believe in their abilities but are open to growth.
• Lying or misleading: This applies to any job, but it’s worth repeating – don’t lie. For example, if you list “SQL – intermediate” on your CV, be prepared for someone to test you on it. It’s better to honestly say “I know the basics, still learning” than to be caught. Trust is key, especially for testers, whose job is to report on product quality. No one will hire a candidate who behaves dishonestly.
• Not researching the company: Testers are expected to be inquisitive – also about their potential workplace. If asked “What do you know about our company/product?” and you can’t answer, it shows a lack of preparation. Always read about the company beforehand, and think about what quality challenges their product may have. You can even mention that you tried their app and have some observations (but be careful – frame it diplomatically so it doesn’t sound like harsh criticism during the interview).
• No questions at the end: As with other roles, if a candidate has no questions for the recruiter, it signals lack of engagement or preparation. As a future tester, you can ask: “How big is the testing team, and do you follow a methodology (Scrum/Kanban)?”, “What kinds of tests are usually done manually, and which are automated?”, or about tools used (Jira, test management, CI). This shows you’re thinking concretely about your role.
Recommended Learning Resources. Some ideas on where to gain knowledge while preparing for a tester role:
• ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus: Even if you’re not currently planning to take the certification, it’s worth downloading the syllabus (available for free, also in Polish) and going through the concepts it contains. It’s a concise package of testing theory – perfect for making sure you understand terms (such as functional/non-functional tests, test design techniques, etc.).
• Books on testing: A classic is Testing Computer Software (Cem Kaner, in English). A good Polish option is Zawód Tester (Radosław Smilgin) – more accessible and grounded in the local market. You can also look into Certyfikowany Tester ISTQB. Podstawy (M. Łukasiewicz) if you’re aiming for thorough preparation.
• Courses and testing blogs: There are many free beginner-friendly testing courses online – for example, Udemy often features Software Testing for Beginners. Worthwhile Polish resources include testerzy.pl (a portal with testing articles, including test design techniques) and blogs by experienced testers (e.g., Jakub Paczkowski, Remigiusz Bednarczyk). On YouTube, you can find recordings of testing meetups – lots of material is available on channels like WrotQA or test:fest.
• Hands-on practice: While testers rarely build portfolios, you can still practice on publicly available apps. Choose any web application (e.g., a simple online store, a blog) or a mobile app and try listing ten potential bugs or areas for improvement. You can even draft bug reports for 2–3 issues you find. This exercise helps you build observation and documentation skills.
• Tools: If you have the time, get familiar with some of the tools testers commonly use: e.g., JIRA (issue tracker – the free version is available, so you can create an account and explore a bug report form). Also look into Postman (API testing tool) and Selenium IDE (a simple recorder for browser automation tests – even if you won’t use it, it gives you an idea of how UI test automation works).
• Testing community: Check out the Testerzy.pl forum or join Facebook groups like “Testowanie Oprogramowania,” where beginners ask questions and share experiences. Other juniors often post about the questions they were asked during interviews – priceless insights! You can also look for online testing events – many are free.
Common Candidate Mistakes (QA). When recruiting testers, certain recurring mistakes often appear:
• Being too theoretical: Some juniors memorize the ISTQB manual and answer every question with dry definitions. While not inherently wrong, it may come across as lacking practical insight. Always try to back up definitions with real-life examples (even hypothetical ones). For instance, when talking about integration tests, say: “For example, I’d connect the login module with the password reset module and check how they interact.”
• Lack of attention to detail in the interview: Ironically, a tester who is imprecise during an interview (mixing up terms, structuring thoughts poorly) can raise doubts. Be precise with your wording – practice answering in full, clear sentences. If you get a live test task, jot down notes so you don’t miss anything when discussing results.
• Negative attitude toward developers: Some candidates (especially those switching careers from non-technical fields) emphasize that “testers point out programmers’ mistakes.” This “quality police” stance is poorly received. It’s better to present yourself as a partner in delivering quality – someone who collaborates with developers to ship a good product. Avoid suggesting competition; emphasize teamwork.
• Lack of confidence / overconfidence: Striking the right balance is key. If you have experience (e.g., from a course or a university project), talk about it confidently and highlight your strengths. Don’t downplay yourself (“I’m still learning, others are better…”), as it may discourage recruiters. On the other hand, avoid arrogance – admit where you’re still learning. Recruiters look for candidates who believe in their abilities while staying open to growth.
• Lying or misleading: This applies to any job, but it’s worth stressing – don’t lie. If your CV says “SQL – intermediate,” be ready to prove it. It’s better to admit “I know the basics and I’m learning more” than to get caught. Trust is crucial, especially for testers who must report on product quality. No one will hire a candidate who seems dishonest.
• Not researching the company: A tester should demonstrate curiosity – including about the potential workplace. If asked “What do you know about our company/product?” and you can’t answer, it shows a lack of preparation. Solution: always read up on the company before the interview and think about what quality challenges their product might face. You could even mention that you tested their app and noticed a few things (just be very diplomatic so it doesn’t sound like criticism).
• No questions at the end: As with other roles, if a candidate has no questions for the recruiter, it signals a lack of engagement. As a future tester, you might ask: “How large is the testing team and do you follow a methodology (Scrum/Kanban)?” or “Which types of tests are usually performed manually, and which are automated?” or about the tools used (Jira, test management, CI). This shows you’re thinking concretely about the role. Sample Technical Questions. DevOps interviews can be very diverse – ranging from theoretical check-up questions, through practical tasks (e.g., write a script), to architectural discussions. Here are some sample junior-level questions:
• What is the difference between a virtual machine and a container? – You should explain that a VM (Virtual Machine) emulates the entire hardware and guest OS, while a container runs on the shared kernel of the host, isolating processes. A container is lighter (less resource-intensive), while a VM provides stronger isolation.
• What is a CI/CD pipeline and what benefit does it bring to a project? – Answer that it’s a sequence of automated steps (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) that allows frequent and reliable deployment of application changes. The pipeline builds code, tests it, and deploys it, which minimizes human errors and speeds up releases. You may mention a tool you’ve used (e.g., “I configured a simple pipeline in GitLab CI for building a Node.js app”).
• Name monitoring tools you know. – For example, Prometheus + Grafana, Zabbix, NewRelic, Datadog – details are not required, they just check if you understand why monitoring is important (to track performance and system stability).
• What is the difference between TCP and UDP protocols? – TCP establishes a connection (handshake), guarantees packet delivery and order, and is stateful; UDP is connectionless, faster, but without delivery guarantees. You may add which types of applications use each (TCP – e.g., HTTP, UDP – video streaming, DNS).
• How to check in Linux which process is listening on a given port? – Correct answers include: lsof -i :port_number or netstat -tulpn | grep port. This tests your practical Linux skills.
• What is DNS and what role does it play? – Domain Name System, it translates text-based addresses (domains) into IP addresses; you may add that it uses port 53 (UDP, sometimes TCP).
• How does the Linux boot process work? – A more advanced question, but it’s good to know the keywords: BIOS/UEFI → bootloader (GRUB) → kernel → init/systemd (service startup).
• Which version control systems do you know and what are they used for? – It’s enough to mention Git (likely the only one you’ve really used) and maybe SVN as an older one, and explain that they’re used to track code changes and enable team collaboration.
• (Git) What is the difference between merge and rebase? – Merge combines branches while preserving commit history, with a merge commit at the end; rebase “rewrites” history by applying commits from one branch onto another, resulting in a linear history.
• (CI) What is a pipeline (in CI/CD context)? – A definition of CI/CD tasks, e.g., a sequence of steps in Jenkins or a .yml file in GitLab CI defining build/test/deploy phases.
• Have you worked with cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP)? – If yes, prepare for questions like “what is EC2/S3/VPC” (if AWS) or more general ones: “Which is more cost-effective: own infrastructure or the cloud?” There is no single right answer – you can say that the cloud reduces administrative overhead and allows scaling up/down, but with constant heavy load, own infrastructure might be cheaper. The goal here is to test your reasoning and awareness of pros and cons.
Remember, in DevOps interviews it’s often more important how you think than how many things you’ve memorized. You may get unexpected questions, sometimes with intentional mistakes (to check if you notice). They may also ask about your personal experience: “Tell me about the hardest technical problem you solved.” Prepare a short story, even from private projects (“I had trouble configuring nginx to handle multiple domains – that’s how I learned about virtual hosts”). What matters most is showing passion and problem-solving ability.
Recommended Learning Resources. The DevOps path is broad, but luckily the community shares knowledge generously. Here are some resource types worth using:
• Official tool documentation: Docker, Kubernetes, Ansible, Azure/AWS docs – they may be long, but very well structured. Start with introductions/tutorials in the docs. For example, “Docker Get Started” gives you hands-on basics of containerization.
• Interactive labs: Excellent resources include sites with browser-based scenarios, e.g., Katacoda (now part of O’Reilly) – you can practice scenarios like “deploy your first pods in Kubernetes”, “configure a CI server”. Similarly, Linux Survival or OverTheWire (Bandit) – the latter is a console-based game teaching Linux and security. Practicing this way speeds up learning.
• DevOps blogs and case studies: Worth reading others’ experiences – e.g., DevOpsiarz.pl (with recruitment Q&A and guides). No Fluff Jobs also publishes posts for junior DevOps (e.g., “How to become a DevOps”). Reading such materials helps you understand the key focus areas.
• Community and open source: Join groups like “DevOps Polska” on Facebook or Slack/Discord communities (both Polish and international). There you’ll find course recommendations, beginner questions, and expert answers. Also, try playing with open source: e.g., GitHub projects related to DevOps – clone a repo and run it locally to see how it works.
• Certifications (optional): Some consider certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or Linux Foundation Certified SysAdmin). The cert itself won’t teach you, but preparing for it helps structure your learning. If you have time and budget, it’s worth considering – but not mandatory at the start. More important is real understanding and research skills (knowing how to find information is itself a DevOps skill). • Online courses: Platforms like Udemy offer courses such as “Complete DevOps Bootcamp”, which provide comprehensive knowledge – from Docker, through CI, to cloud technologies. Make sure to choose a current course, as tools change quickly. On YouTube, you can find educational channels (e.g., “TechWorld with Nana” – excellent graphics explaining Kubernetes, Terraform, etc., in English). You can also visit sites like roadmap.sh – there’s a “DevOps Roadmap”, an interactive list of technologies to learn (a good checkpoint to see what you still don’t know).
Common candidate mistakes (DevOps). Starting as a junior DevOps, watch out for the following pitfalls:
• Listing many tools without practical knowledge: Sometimes candidates put everything they’ve heard on their CV (“Docker, K8s, Ansible, Terraform, AWS, GCP…”), but then cannot answer simple questions about them. This approach doesn’t work – recruiters prefer someone who knows fewer tools well. It’s better to say “I haven’t worked with X technology” than to bluff. Questions can also be tricky – they may ask about a non-existent technology (to check if you admit not knowing or start improvising). Admitting lack of knowledge is no shame – pretending to know something can disqualify you.
• Gaps in fundamentals (so-called “clicking in the cloud without understanding”): If you learned AWS by clicking in the web console but don’t understand what’s happening under the hood, you’re at a disadvantage. Example: someone can click “Deploy to Cloud” from a template but cannot explain how DNS works or what an IP address is. A DevOps engineer must understand the fundamentals – build your knowledge from the ground up, especially networking and operating systems – there’s no shortcut here.
• Inability to research or investigate: This might not be obvious during an interview, but if you get an open-ended question, e.g., “What would you do if an application is slow in production?”, the recruiter expects to see your thought process and how you would investigate the cause. It’s a mistake to give a single-shot answer (“the server is probably too weak”) – better to show that you’d analyze possible causes, check metrics, logs, etc. Demonstrate that you know how to learn and diagnose – continuous learning is key in DevOps.
• Neglecting security considerations: If the discussion moves to security (e.g., access management, encryption, backups), be careful not to say something that shows a lack of caution. Example: “I keep passwords in Evernote” – bad answer 😉. It’s better to acknowledge that security is important and that rules must always be followed (you don’t need to know everything, but awareness is crucial). If asked “Is it okay to do X” (e.g., storing passwords in plaintext), and you say there’s no problem, that’s a serious negative.
• Overconfidence or technological rigidity: You may be highly skilled in one tool (e.g., Docker) and want to impress. Be careful not to appear arrogant – showcase your skills, but also show openness. For example, if the company uses a different CI system than you know, say: “I haven’t worked with X, but I understand CI principles, so I can adapt quickly – after all, tools serve the same purpose.” Avoid categorical statements like “Only Kubernetes makes sense, the rest is obsolete” – you don’t yet fully know the company context.
• Unpreparedness for English-language interviews: Many companies require English (documentation, communication in international teams). Often, part of the technical interview is conducted in English. A common mistake is becoming extremely stressed at this moment. If you know your English might be tested, practice explaining yourself and technical concepts in English beforehand. Make flashcards with translations of key terms (e.g., load balancer, outage, pipeline, script). This will boost your confidence when asked: “Could you describe how DNS works, in English?”. Practical tips. How to approach a junior DevOps interview:
• Show your DIY projects: In DevOps, a “passion for technology” is highly valued. If you’ve hobbyist experience – setting up a game server, your own blog on a VPS, tinkering with Raspberry Pi – make sure to mention it. For example: “I set up my own NAS server on a Raspberry Pi at home and automated photo backups” or “I configured a GitHub Actions pipeline to automatically build my project.” Even small projects demonstrate initiative and passion, which often outweigh formal experience at the junior level.
• Prepare for practical tasks: Possible formats include writing a simple script (bash/Python), analyzing a configuration, or solving a logical problem. For example, you might get a fragment of an nginx server configuration with an error and be asked what’s wrong – so review sample nginx/Apache config files beforehand to know what they generally look like. If it’s a script, practice beforehand writing a bash script that reads a file and outputs unique lines, or prints numbers 1–10 in a loop. You might be asked: “Write a deploy.sh script that copies files to a server and restarts the service” – you don’t need to know the exact environment; pseudo-code using scp and systemctl restart is sufficient. The key is to show automated thinking skills.
• Think aloud when diagnosing problems: If the recruiter hypothetically asks: “Imagine a new version of the application stopped working after deployment – what would you do?” don’t give a single answer immediately. Instead, say: “First, I’d check the monitoring – is CPU or memory usage spiking? Then I’d look at application and system logs. If nothing shows up, I’d try rolling back to the previous version for comparison. It might be a dependency issue – I’d also check the server configuration.” A methodical analysis like this impresses, showing maturity. Remember – DevOps often has to put out fires, so calm, step-by-step problem-solving is valued.
• Emphasize DevOps culture (collaboration): You may be asked about team experience. If you’ve worked on a group project (e.g., at university), explain how you divided tasks and whether you used Git. Highlight that you enjoy helping others with tech issues (e.g., “In my previous role, I was the go-to IT person even though it wasn’t my main responsibility – I like supporting others and improving team workflows”). DevOps philosophy is about breaking silos, so showing you don’t have a “that’s not my job, I just do my part” mindset, but rather “I help and optimize team work” is a strong plus.
• Take care of formalities and transparency: DevOps interviews may include questions about availability (e.g., on-call shifts – as a junior, you likely won’t handle them immediately, but be prepared). They may ask about preferred work environment (Linux/Windows – Linux wins 😉). Answer honestly. If you don’t know something technically, admit it – this is often a test to see if you can acknowledge gaps (a valuable trait in an industry where no one knows everything). As mentioned earlier – lying is a definite no-go.
• Show that you care: At the end of the interview, ask questions demonstrating engagement. For example: “What are the company’s upcoming infrastructure modernization plans? Will there be a chance to learn Kubernetes if it isn’t in use yet?” – this signals forward-thinking. Or ask a senior DevOps engineer (if present) about their biggest challenge at the company – it shows interest in real work, not just the position. Interviews are also your chance to evaluate the company, so don’t hesitate to ask questions.