How to Build a QA Portfolio That Gets You Hired (GitHub + Playwright)

my-playwright-tests/

├── playwright.config.ts

├── package.json

├── tests/

│ ├── auth/

│ │ ├── login.spec.ts

│ │ └── logout.spec.ts

│ └── items/

│ ├── create-item.spec.ts

│ ├── edit-item.spec.ts

│ └── delete-item.spec.ts

├── pages/

│ ├── BasePage.ts

│ ├── LoginPage.ts

│ └── ItemsPage.ts

└── utils/

└── testHelpers.ts

A README that explains what you built

Write a README that covers:

1. What the test suite does (what application, what scenarios)

3. What technologies are used (Playwright, TypeScript, POM pattern)

4. What you would add next (shows you can think about scope and priorities)

Keep it short, 200–400 words. The README is read by hiring engineers deciding whether to look at the code.

What makes portfolio code stand out

The difference between portfolio code that impresses and code that's forgettable:

// Weak

await expect(page).toHaveURL('/dashboard');

// Strong

await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'My Travel Items' })).toBeVisible();

await expect(page.getByRole('navigation')).toContainText('admin@becomeqa.com');

Setting up the portfolio repository

# Initialize a new project

mkdir my-playwright-portfolio

cd my-playwright-portfolio

npm init playwright@latest

# Choose TypeScript when prompted

# Select tests/ as the test directory

# Yes to GitHub Actions workflow

This gives you a working Playwright setup with TypeScript and a GitHub Actions workflow file that runs your tests in CI.

Add the tests

// tests/auth/login.spec.ts

import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';

import { LoginPage } from '../../pages/LoginPage';

test.describe('Login', () => {

test('user can log in with valid credentials', async ({ page }) => {

const loginPage = new LoginPage(page);

await loginPage.goto();

await loginPage.login('admin@becomeqa.com', 'testpass123');

await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'My Travel Items' })).toBeVisible();

});

test('shows error with incorrect password', async ({ page }) => {

const loginPage = new LoginPage(page);

await loginPage.goto();

await loginPage.login('admin@becomeqa.com', 'wrongpassword');

await expect(page.getByText('Invalid credentials')).toBeVisible();

await expect(page).not.toHaveURL('/dashboard');

});

});

Push to GitHub with CI passing

Check your Actions tab after pushing. If the tests pass: your portfolio now shows a live CI pipeline running Playwright tests. This is better than anything you can write on a CV.

If they fail: fix them before sharing the link.

What else to include

Sample bug reports

Format them exactly like the The Anatomy of a Bug Report That Developers Actually Fix template: title, environment, preconditions, steps, expected, actual, severity, attachments.

Test plan or test case document

A short document showing how you'd approach testing a feature from scratch. Pick a specific feature (the file upload on lab.becomeqa.com, for example) and write:

• The test scenarios you'd cover
• Why you chose those scenarios
• What you'd prioritize and why

This demonstrates test strategy thinking, not just test execution.

Where to share your portfolio

Common mistakes to avoid

// Bad

await page.fill('#email', 'admin@becomeqa.com');

// Better (though for a portfolio, hardcoded test credentials to a test app are fine)

await page.fill('#email', process.env.TEST_EMAIL || 'admin@becomeqa.com');

FAQ

A minimum viable portfolio (15–20 tests, POM structure, CI passing, README) takes 15–25 hours of focused work for someone who knows Playwright. If you're still learning, budget 30–40 hours spread over a few weeks.

Yes, if you have them. One or two API tests using Playwright's request fixture show that you understand the full testing stack:

test('API: create item returns 201', async ({ request }) => {

const response = await request.post('/api/items', {

data: { destination: 'Tokyo', status: 'Planned' },

});

expect(response.status()).toBe(201);

});