Secura are growing rapidly and as we expand, we’re dedicated to delivering the same high levels of customer service and technical excellence that have been the bedrock of this growth.
To do this, we’re committed to recruiting, training, nurturing and promoting talented graduates across all the teams in our business. In the spotlight interview below, we talk to one of our new recruits in Operations, Shehara.
Shehara joined the Operations team at Secura in November 2017. She came to us through Pareto, the UK’s leading training and recruitment agency.
Four months into her Cloud Engineer role at Secura, we asked Shehara a few questions about the Pareto and Secura recruitment and training process, and how she has settled into day-to-day working life at Secura.
Name: Shehara Haththotuwa
Position: Cloud Engineer L1
Started at Secura: 01/11/17
1. When did you join Secura?
1st November 2017
2. What interested you in Secura and the technology sector?
What attracted me to Secura was the rate at which its expanding; for a new company they already have an impressive range of well-known customers.
I come from a family of IT professionals so technology has always been an interest of mine. With cloud technology constantly evolving, there’s so much to learn and room for progression.
3. Why were you looking for a career in Operations?
I want to progress within cloud technology and without previous hands-on experience in IT, the fast-paced environment in operations is the best way to learn a lot quickly. I also love to problem-solve, so my role as L1 Cloud Engineer at Secura allows me to do this.
4. Can you tell us about the recruitment process at Pareto? How was this different to other jobs you had applied for?
Initially, Pareto found my CV on a recruitment site and invited me in for an assessment day to see if I was a suitable candidate. Approximately 20% of applicants are shortlisted – it’s a tough, intense process with around 40 other applicants, interviewers and potential employers all observing.
The assessment day itself consisted of group activities designed to demonstrate our problem solving and team working skills, informal questions, formal one-on-one interviews and finally an individual presentation in front of four employers and one Pareto recruiter.
5. Can you tell us a bit about the training programme at Secura and the process you went through when you first started?
The training programme at Secura lasted around a week and a half, during which we were shown the technology we would later be using on the job. A large portion of the training were on-the-job practical exercises supervised by other L1 and L2 Cloud Engineers. We’re always learning and developing, so this training is still ongoing.
6. Can you tell us about the external Pareto training?
It was really good and definitely aimed at a commercial level. Our Pareto training taught us in detail about different personality profiles and how you should approach different situations in workplace scenarios – understanding what kind of customer you’re dealing with and how best to work with them. This aspect of the training was especially helpful because all the training I’d had before then was technical, so not only was it useful, but it was also really interesting!
7. How did it help you perform your role and learn more about Operations?
I’m constantly dealing with customers, but because things are so fast paced and the role is so technology focussed, it’s sometimes easy to forget to ensure you have a personal approach.
We’re dealing with critical applications, so if things were to go down everyone involved would be desperate to resolve the situation and fix the problem – it’s easy to forget the personal side of things and turn into a bit of a robot. Our Pareto training teaches us techniques to deal with difficult situations like these.
8. What’s a typical day like in the Operations team?
Really busy, very fast paced, but a lot of fun too – we have a really friendly, knowledgeable team and everyone really loves what they do.
9. What’s your favourite part of your role?
I’ve already learnt a multitude of different services and systems within Cloud Technology in my first four months.
Also, customer satisfaction when you do something right. Getting good feedback and knowing customers really appreciate the work you’ve done for them.
10. Do you have a clear path for progression and if so, what does that look like?
As an L1 Cloud Engineer, I will become VCA (VMWare Certified Associate) qualified and gain training in Juniper (our network system). Following this, I’ll aim to move onto the VCP (VMware Certified Professional) qualification. As we become more experienced, we progress to L2 and L3 Cloud Engineers.
In general, I definitely want to progress in the cloud industry, there are so many opportunities, and in Secura itself, as a small company which is progressing quickly.
11. Is this sort of progression helpful and supportive for you starting your new career?
It gives you something to aim for – it gives you milestones and creates that foundation, especially that technology based foundation, so hopefully, as you gain more industry experience you can work your way up.
12. Secura always try to take on groups when hiring for the Operations team, do you think there are benefits to this approach?
Yes, joining alongside other new starters creates a team feeling and establishes a fun environment to work in.
13. How have you found working for a smaller hosting provider / business like Secura as opposed to a large corporate employer?
Working at Secura, I don’t feel like a number. I think my opinions are heard, and my efforts are recognised. There’s a nice family feel to the company because everyone knows everyone and we all try to help each other out, especially within the Operations team – something you don’t always get at large multinational corporations.
14. What’s been your highlight of working at Secura so far?
The people. Everyone’s been really kind and friendly, the whole team at Secura are so easy to get on with!
15. Can you describe working at Secura in 3 words…
Dedicated, high-quality, growing.
Take a look at our Careers page to check our current opportunities.
Helen is the SEO Executive at Secura and keeps our website and all things digital in check.
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