What a QA tester does
A QA tester checks that software works as intended before it reaches users. That includes reading requirements, writing test cases, running manual tests, logging defects clearly enough for developers to reproduce them and confirming fixes. Many QA roles now include test automation, where the tester writes scripts that run checks on every build. Others focus on exploratory testing, usability or regression testing ahead of each release.
Defects found by customers cost more than defects found in testing, both in support time and in reputation. A good tester thinks like a user who does unexpected things and reports findings without creating friction. Finch screens QA candidates for their testing methods, the tools and automation frameworks they have used and the clarity of their bug reports, matched to your release process.
Typical responsibilities
- Review requirements and user stories, and identify gaps before development starts
- Write and maintain test plans, test cases and regression suites
- Run manual, exploratory and regression tests on each release
- Log clear, reproducible defect reports and verify fixes
- Build and maintain automated tests where the role includes automation
- Report on release readiness to developers and product owners
Qualifications and credentials
- A diploma or degree in computer science, information technology or a related program is common
- Experience with test management and defect tracking tools such as Jira
- For automation roles, scripting in Python, Java or JavaScript with frameworks like Selenium, Cypress or Playwright
- Familiarity with API testing tools and basic SQL
- Testing certifications such as ISTQB may be listed as an asset, though experience usually matters more
Who hires a QA tester
- Software and SaaS companies
- Banks, insurers and other regulated businesses
- Game studios and media companies
- Health technology and medical software firms
- IT consulting firms that test software for clients
Where we recruit QA tester candidates
We fill QA tester roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Whether the candidate's experience is manual, automated or both, and how that matches your need
- Sample defect reports or test cases, reviewed for clarity
- Familiarity with your tools, test frameworks and release schedule
- Curiosity and the habit of testing beyond the obvious path
- Ability to raise concerns with developers constructively
Interview questions to ask
- How would you test a login page? Talk me through the cases you would cover.
- Describe a serious bug you found late in a release. What did you do?
- How do you decide which tests to automate and which to keep manual?