An Opening Comment

Since beginning of this year, I’ve been running Toronto chapter of Weekend Testing Americas, mixing online and live events. As we’re expanding, I was presented an opportunity (i.e. a venue) to run workshops. In June we had an opening session, dedicated to discussion of our work experiences and gathering of feedback from the members – what are the main interests and expectations?

I duly noted the feedback, discussed it with the leading members, and coming back with the follow up. This message is publicly available as a Discussion under  www.meetup.com/Weekend-Testing-Toronto-Meetup/, and by publishing it in my blog I’m hoping to increase awareness and gather even more feedback. I’d appreciate experiences and ideas from testing meetup members and organizers from around the world. Thank you!

The Message

Dear fellow testers!

I thank those who came forward to the workshop opening and hope to see everyone else in sessions to come!

We had a few good rounds of discussing of the interests and expectations for our testing meetup. I have to say – what I heard are very important matters to me, as the meetup organizer and personally as a tester.

I appreciate all the thoughts and ideas shared, and would like to sum them for the whole group. The main interests and expectations are the following.

• Meeting new people and networking
• Job search: finding out about job prospects  in Toronto market
• Learning what is testing and how to present yourself as a testing professional
• How to /be/ a testing professional – developing and sharpening hands-on testing skills
• Leadership and management: developing and practicing facilitation, motivation, and organization skills
• Learning about tools in testing, automation, programming, technical hacks and tricks

If there’s anything else about testing, technology and quality that /you/ are interested in but don’t see it in the list – let me know! Reply in comments, send message, tweet me – make sure to get in touch :).

Now, I’m happy that the purpose of the meetup meets the expectations so well. How about fulfilling the purpose? – You may ask.

To drive us towards our goals we’re going to have dedicated projects, and the first one opening is Job Finding Club. Please, welcome!

Workshops under Job Finding Club brand will have sessions on:

• resume review and feedback;
• practice interviews;
• perspectives of Toronto testing job market;
• inventorying one’s job skills;
• application process, written and verbal communication;
• … end so on.

I believe that our re-occurring Job Finding Club project will help us to feel strong and confident in presenting professional skills to employers and will enable growth path to the excellence of the testing craft, for what we’ll have dedicated workshop.

Everyone is invited!

Whether you are an active job seeker or happily employed, keeping job search skills polished is a wise investment. If you are a hiring person, manager, lead (or wanna be!) I ask you to volunteer and help with facilitation – for the benefit of the community and sharpening of your own skills. And if you know testers who are not members of our group yet – please invite them in! Growing our ranks is on all of us.

Don’t be fooled by the name :) We welcome all people interested in technology, quality, professional development and growth of personal skills. So if you know a programmer or accountant struggling to make a strong resume – bring them along! We will help whenever we can.

Last but not least.

Job Finding Club is the first but by all means not one and only project we’re going to run.

Stay tuned and get engaged! Much more to come.

 

Sincerely,

Albert Gareev

 

PS. Summary of action items :)

 

1. Book your calendar. Whenever possible, we’ll be holding live workshop on 2nd Wednesday of each month.

 

2. Reply here or get in touch with me if you want to receive personalized resume review/feedback at the upcoming session. Spaces will be limited, so don’t wait too long :)

Note. You can come along to the workshop anyway; if you don’t need / couldn’t make for the personalized session, we’ll be also holding a group discussion on the same.

 

3. Reply here or get in touch with me if you’re willing to volunteer as a facilitator for Job Finding Club.

 

4. Invite all fellow testers and other folks. Just send them a quick note and this link: www.meetup.com/Weekend-Testing-Toronto-Meetup/

Participation begins with membership.

 

5. Don’t mind to brag about your meetup in social networks :) Whatever you use to tell the world about yourself, especially in professional aspects – Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook..