Passion and determination – from an internship to the role of Resource Manager leading a team of testers

The Testing Services Competence Center is one of the largest organisational units in Sii, supporting clients worldwide. Behind its success lie experts who have gained key skills and competences through the completion of numerous projects. Among them is Izabela Nadolska, currently a Resource Manager, whose determination, commitment and passion for technology allowed her to develop a career in the field of software testing, and then take on a managerial role in this field.

How’s your average day at work?

Izabela Nadolska, Resource Manager at the Testing Services Competence Center: Every day my main task is to manage the largest team in the Testing Services Competence Center, which already numbers 80 people. This is a major challenge, all the more so because we are scattered throughout Poland. As a Resource Manager, I make sure that the engineers complete projects suited to their own particular skills and strengths, and I am also responsible for their development, problem-solving and team-building. My job is a bit of a mix of recruitment and HR. A solid technical background and several years of experience as a tester was a major advantage. It helps me understand the team and their needs better. This is also a big plus when problems arise in a project. I’ve always said that working with technology is close to my heart, so I’m glad that I still have contact with it.

You began your career in marketing. What made you want to try your hand at IT? It is a completely different world.

I.N.: I graduated from the Faculty of Management at the Lublin University of Technology and at the beginning I was indeed involved in marketing. I coordinated promotional campaigns in the tourism industry, FMCG, and large shopping centres. However, I always gravitated towards technology, because I liked mathematics very much. After I decided to return from Warsaw to my home town of Lublin, I completed a second major in Software Engineering. Then I managed to get an internship at Sii. I started my IT adventure as a junior test and analysis engineer.

Your career at Sii can be summed up as a “double five”. Five years and five different roles. What is your recipe for success?

I.N.: Working hard, a willingness to develop, and commitment. I think that’s how I would sum up my career path so far. Besides, I was very determined – from the very beginning I knew that I wanted to be a tester. When I started my studies I also chose in which company I wanted to complete an internship. Why Sii? This is a large company that I felt would give me the opportunity to develop, work with international clients and where I would meet many specialists. I wasn’t wrong. Later, the time came for my promotion to Test & Analysis Engineer, and then Team Leader. Now I’m treading the managerial path. That’s how my 5 years at Sii went.

What is the greatest challenge you have had to face?

I.N.: Each role presents a different challenge. One of the biggest appeared when I was working as a Test & Analysis Engineer. My potential was noticed and I ended up in a very difficult and developmental project for a global giant in the pharmaceutical industry. I was in at the deep end, but it turned out well and the project was completed successfully. This gave me the greatest momentum for development – I was appreciated and soon became Team Leader of the test team in Lublin. At that time, I was also an Sii Ambassador. And now the big challenge is managing such a big team, meeting the expectations of engineers, as well as fostering good relations with people who work remotely or in another city.

You chose a managerial path. What did you feel when you were offered a job as a resource manager?

I.N.: At the beginning I hesitated over the decision, because I was afraid that I would miss technical work. I knew, however, that Sii is always open to change and conversation and if I ever feel the need to return to my previous role, I will be able to do so. This made it easier for me to make a decision. Now I’m focusing on developing soft skills, while also keeping an eye on the project side of things. I don’t regret taking on this challenge.

Your team is growing all the time. What projects are you currently working on and what kind of specialists are you looking for?

I.N.: We support major international customers from many industries – banking, healthcare and food production, telecommunications, high-tech or retail. Diversification is enormous – for Bombardier we prepared software to control railway traffic, while for LPP, we conducted security tests for their online store. We are currently working, among others, on an application based on non-relational databases. Among our specialists, we have many experienced Test Architects and Automation Testers who know different programming languages, frameworks or tools. As a result, we are able to respond flexibly and effectively to the diverse needs of our clients. Our team is growing in strength, so recruitment is picking up momentum. Currently, we are looking primarily for Manual Testers, Automation Testers with Java, Python or C#, as well as Performance Testers. All our job offers can be found on the Sii website, under the Job Ads section.

Sii gives you the opportunity to embark on your own testing adventure – soon the next editions of the “Tester” training in Lublin, Warsaw and Wroclaw will commence. For those who have the right kind of motivation, it presents a great opportunity to change career paths and retrain. The course, as an original Sii project, is run by employees and finishes with the ISTQB exam. People who have successfully completed the training have the opportunity to kick start their first projects at Sii.