HR called and introduced and provided information about the role and organization. First round was scheduled, informed all about the tools exposed. HR informed close to 20 of them are SDET's and incumbent should manage them and guide them
Two resources had discussed with me, Of which, I notice, they were unclear with what they want. In my opinion, they were not good enough to interview a Manager. Most of questions were team doesn't get opportunity to work on automation, get stuck quiet often, doesn't have ability to overcome, doesn't have good framework...In my opinion, what ever I was talking also was not understood (Designing frameworks, automation tools, strategies to provide ROI on automation, Phases of testing, QA Team structures, roles and responsibilities, emphasis to quality consciousness across organizations, process and metrics ). All along, they were pulling back to SDET-I questions, If some one doesn't know automation, how do you train them? Some one gets stuck, how do you handle situation...
I could understand they are in deep trouble with no one to guide them, no direction, wrong hires all around, less real time exposure/opportunity...Hope management could realize at the earliest and take necessary steps...otherwise it would just burn the time and money with no results.