Hiring The Next Generation of Skilled Software Testers Adam White Manager, Test Engineering
Mar 26, 2015
Hiring The Next Generation of Skilled
Software Testers
Adam White
Manager, Test Engineering
Topics to Cover
The testing conundrum What do skilled testers do? Why the different definitions? What PlateSpin does The type of testers we look for.
Where And How We Find “The Next Generation”
Our Success What we’ve done so far Keeping them successful Other techniques we are investigating
Wrap Up/Questions/Feedback and Your Stories
Make sure that the product meets the requirements
Write unit tests
Verify processes are being followed
Read stack traces and follow code execution
Verify documentation
Report private, virtual and working set bytes
What Do Testers Do?
Here are a few possible reasons
Education systems
Testing stereotypes
Lack of training Not certifications
Why the different definitions?
What PlateSpin Does
PlateSpin PowerConvert™ OS Portability
Free movement of servers throughout your data center across infrastructures Awareness of what you
have Move OS, Data, and
applications Continuous Server
optimization
Our interview process revolves around 4 key areasAttitude (Read - PASSION!!!)SmartsCommunicationSkills
Test Engineer VS Quality Assurance In-depth Technical and troubleshooting skills Systems level knowledge Passion!!!
What We Are Looking For
Universities Mainly WaterlooExpanding to Queens, U of T, McMaster
Career fairsRIM parkPlateSpin
LinkedIn.com
Job boards
Recruiters
Where We Look for The Next Generation
Interview Process
Our Interview process evolution Unstructured conversation
Structured/Canned questions
Free-form and structured
Interview Process
Sample QuestionsAsk them to test something (anything!)Black box testing machines from Workroom productions.
Puzzle QuestionsMany debates can be had on thisBook: How Would You move Mount Fuji Surprisingly all the testers at PlateSpin love puzzles
The CandidateWhat questions do they ask?
Figure out what your team culture isWhat do you value? What do they value?
Set expectations from the beginning What are your expectations for your team?
Teach them what you know!!
Give them feedbackTell them when they are doing a good jobTell them when they are doing a bad job
When They Arrive
Do they provided value to your organization?Reward them!
Pay attention to their learning styleBreakthroughsTrial and errorAccidental learning through experiments and
persistence
Keeping the Team Going
Co-ops25 co-ops over 4 years4 returned for more than 1 term3 returned for full-time.
New grads 8 employees straight out of school
Full Time6 testers10 developers
Our Success
Resources Audition interviews (Johanna Rothman - jrothman.com) Lyndsay Machines (workroomproductions.com) Open book testing (Jon Bach) Books for Knowledge workers (http://tinyurl.com/j7jqh)
Books Lessons learned in software testing. Testing computer software First Break All the rules Discover your strengths
Other Techniques and Resources
Make your hiring process fit your contextWhy use someone else’s process?
Good people tend to stick around if you challenge them from the beginning, put them in a position to grow and succeed,
IF and ONLY IF you express appreciation to them!
Conclusion