TSR Wiki > Careers > Graduate Employers Guides > Metaswitch Networks
Employer Information
- Application deadline: None - rolling recruitment.
- Starting salaries: £30,000 per annum for full-time graduate/postgraduate positions. £1,300 per month for summer interns.
- Regions: London (Enfield), Edinburgh.
- Industries: Telecommunications software.
- Website: http://www.metaswitch.com/careers
- Email: recruit@metaswitch.com
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 8366 1177
- Address: Metaswitch Networks, 100 Church Street, Enfield, EN2 6BQ, UK.
What is Metaswitch?
You may have known them previously as Data Connection. Metaswitch is a software company with a well-carved niche in the telecommunications software market. It is a 500-strong internationally-renowned technology provider, specialising in the fast-moving world of voice, data and video communications.
What roles are available at Metaswitch?
Graduates and postgraduates will start out in a technical role, for example as a software developer or system tester.
Application process for Metaswitch.
Online application form. First interview for selected applicants. Decisions for summer intern positions are made after this interview, whilst selected applicants for full-time positions return for a second interview.
Entry requirements and type of person suited for Metaswitch.
No formal 'requirements'. Three 'A' grades at A-level and a good degree are used as the main filter, but extenuating circumstances will be taken into account. An interest in technology and problem solving is essential!
Future prospects and training at Metaswitch.
Extensive on-the-job training in software development using a host of languages e.g. Java, C, Ruby, Python, HTML/Javascript. New recruits are assigned a mentor to guide them during their first year. Future opportunities include technical specialization, project management, sales and product management.
Other comments about Metaswitch.
Applications from people of all disciplines will be considered, and interview/start dates are totally flexible. The interview process is tough, but friendly, and selects for high aptitude. You need not know a great deal about computers, but a basic awareness of how they work is useful.
Experiences
If you have applied to Metaswitch, we would like you to hear from you. Please use the following form to detail your experiences of application, to aid those interested in following a similar career path.
Position applied for: Software developer
Year of Application: 2009
Region: London
Educational Background: First class science degree from top university
What were your experiences of the application process?
I found it fun! No one is judging you, they're just looking to get the best out of you and keep on asking questions to keep you on your toes. I was treated really well by everyone, from the receptionists greeting me to the managers conducting the interviews, and got a really good feeling about the place - this made a huge part of my decision to accept the job.
What is it like working for Metaswitch?
Challenging but fun. If you want to face technical challenges on a daily basis, then Metaswitch is the place to work. It's full of bright people who want to help you out, so despite working on some really tough problems, you never feel out of your depth. Then aside from the work, there's a huge emphasis on having a life outside the office. We don't work silly hours, there's the opportunity to play sport almost every lunchtime (footballl, badminton, volleyball, squash, Ultimate Frisbee, and more...), and plenty of people are keen to go to the pub after a hard day!
How has it compared to your expectations?
Always a hard question to answer, but compared to other places I've worked, it's incredibly well-organized and everyone is really motivated.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Managing a small team of developers, delivering all aspects of projects.
Finally, any advice you would give to potential applicants?
Take your time and be honest with the application form, then relax and be yourself at interviews! They're designed to be tough and you will have to think hard - they reminded me much more of university interviews than of other job interviews I've been for.
Position applied for: Software developer
Year of Application: 2003 & 2004 (internship), 2005 (graduate)
Region: London
Educational Background: 2:1 Economics & Management from Oxford
What were your experiences of the application process?
When I applied for an internship, it was the first real job application I'd ever made, so I wasn't really sure what to expect! But it wasn't intimidating - the assessment process was actually quite interesting. For the graduate role, with the extended second interview, I'd say that parts of it even border on fun.
What is it like working for Metaswitch?
The previous answer - "challenging but fun" - is an excellent summary! Except that, for me, it's fun primarily because it's challenging rather than in spite of it. The company is a permanent fixture in lists of the top UK companies to work for, which to my mind says a lot - as does the exceedingly low employee turnover rate. We all love it here!
How has it compared to your expectations?
That presupposes that I had expectations :-)
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
As I've been here for five years, I guess it would be more sensible to answer "where am I now?" I moved fairly quickly from pure software development to add some project management responsibilities, and I'm now almost a full-time project manager, with a team of developers, working on complete development lifecycles for a wide variety of projects. Good fun!
Finally, any advice you would give to potential applicants?
My key one would be: if you're in uni and you like problem solving, try an internship here, even if you don't think you're interested in software development. Internships are a fantastic way of trying out different sectors with almost no risk, and working here is such fun you might find yourself unexpectedly leaving with a new career plan. And unlike a lot of firms in the industry, we don't care about prior knowledge/experience, even if you've barely used a computer before.
Position applied for:
Year of Application:
Region:
Educational Background:
What were your experiences of the application process?
What is it like working for Metaswitch?
How has it compared to your expectations?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Finally, any advice you would give to potential applicants?
