Birmingham, 14/08/2024 – Our Marketing Executive, Eve Lister, shared a few behind-the-scenes thoughts from our latest SDET Academy selection day, hosted on the 12th of August in Birmingham. It was a jam-packed day where we had the pleasure of welcoming a new cohort of aspiring SDET graduates.
nFocus Testing, with 24 years of experience in the software testing industry, has been running its highly successful SDET Academy since 2021, and this selection day marked the beginning of the journey for the seventh cohort.
The event is a crucial step in the SDET Academy process, providing an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and potential to grow in a dynamic testing environment.
Ryan James, our Managing Director, gave everyone a warm welcome. True to his servant leadership style, Ryan encouraged everyone to just relax and be themselves. “No need to be nervous, just take it easy,” he said with reassurance, and you could see the tension lift as everyone began to feel more at ease.
Introductions followed, where each candidate shared a bit about their background and answered the all-important ice-breaker question: “What’s your favourite TV show?” The answers sparked plenty of laughs and nods of agreement which helped everyone settle in.
Gary Kingsmill, our Talent Manager, then stepped in to split the group into smaller teams for the first task of the day. This was all about collaboration and communication, two key skills in our field. One person from each group volunteered to present their team’s answers to everyone.
The next phase of the day was divided into two parts. Half of the candidates went into “rapid fire” interviews with the SDET Academy team, including our MD, Ryan James, Danny Crone (Technical Director), Michael Massiah (Client Delivery Manager), Ben Beardsmore (Technical Test Consultant), and George Calvey (SDET Consultant). This time gave candidates the chance to show off their knowledge and passion in a one-to-one setting.
Meanwhile, the other half of the group tackled a written task. This was a chance to see how they approach problems, think critically, and articulate their thoughts clearly.
By lunchtime, everyone was ready for a break. We headed to the hotel restaurant, where a buffet spread awaited. It was the perfect time to refuel and socialise.
After lunch, it was back to the conference room for the final set of activities. These tasks were designed to test the candidates’ technical skills and teamwork one last time.
While the candidates were busy with their tasks, some of our Academy team members were already at work marking their written pieces. These written assessments played a crucial role in giving us a deeper insight into how each candidate processes information and problem-solves independently.
Everyone gave it their all, and as the day wrapped up, Ryan gave a final talk, highlighting how important this day was in their journey and how excited we are to see where they’ll go next.
But the day wasn’t quite over for the SDET Academy team. After the candidates left, we gathered for a final review session, a bit like a scene from The X Factor, complete with Polaroid photos lined up in front of us. We went through each candidate, discussing their strengths, how they performed throughout the day, and whether they had what it takes to move on to the next stage, Bootcamp! It was a tough decision with so many excellent candidates in attendance, but we felt confident that we had selected the best of the best.
So that’s a wrap on our latest SDET selection day! It was a full-on day, but seeing potential talent from this latest round of candidates made it all worthwhile. Now the real journey begins for them, and we can’t wait to see how they’ll grow and contribute to our team!
Struggling to find skilled SDETs?
You’re not alone. With only 32% of organisations having testers who can code, the demand for technical testers has never been higher. At nFocus, we’re tackling this industry-wide shortage head-on with our Software Testing Academy. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your team with the next generation of SDETs. Discover more about nFocus SDET Academy and enquire today!
