Software quality work involves understanding risk and producing evidence that helps a team act. It is broader than following a checklist or claiming that a feature works because one happy-path example succeeded.

Read the vacancy to understand the balance of investigation, automation and domain knowledge. The list below is a preparation guide, not a universal certification requirement.

1. Understanding expected behaviour

Show how you clarify a requirement and identify assumptions. If the expected result is unclear, explain which question needs answering before a test can be meaningful.

2. Designing relevant cases

Include ordinary use, missing information and reasonable edge cases in your own demonstration. Explain the risk each case explores instead of producing a long unexplained list.

3. Reproducing a problem

Record the environment, steps and actual result clearly. Use an authorised project and avoid publishing private account data in screenshots or logs.

4. Writing useful defect reports

Explain the difference between expected and observed behaviour, relevant evidence and impact. Avoid exaggerating severity merely to make a finding look important.

5. Choosing automation sensibly

Describe what a repeatable check should verify and what it cannot assess. A passing automated test is evidence about that check, not proof that the whole system has no bugs.

6. Communicating uncertainty

State what was tested, what was not and what remains unresolved. Clear limits help a team make a decision more than an unsupported promise that everything is safe.

7. Collaborating on a correction

Show how you clarified the issue and verified the relevant behaviour after a change. Keep the focus on the problem and evidence rather than blaming a developer.

Choose the next practical step

A small original project can show these skills if you explain the context and your contribution. Use the developer portfolio guide for a suitable presentation structure. Choose evidence relevant to the role and label any tutorial or AI assistance accurately.

Further reading: official source. Demand references were checked on 27 October 2026; source periods and individual vacancy requirements matter.