Chapter 7 of 12 · When you get a call back
The first interview
- What will they ask me?
- What if I do not know the answer to a technical question?
- What should I ask them?
Your first security interview will probably feel harder than it is. For entry-level roles, interviewers are usually looking for three things: basic knowledge, how you think through a problem and whether you would be good to work with.
What to prepare
- Your story: why security, why this direction, why this company. Two minutes, out loud.
- Three or four examples from labs, study or past work that show how you solve problems.
- The basics for your direction. For SOC roles: common attacks, what logs show, what you would do with a suspicious alert.
- Something about the company: what it does and what security problems that might bring.
Answering technical questions
You will be asked things you do not know. That is often the point. Interviewers want to see what you do at the edge of your knowledge.
- Say what you do know that is related.
- Think out loud about how you would find the answer.
- Be honest that you have not done it before, if you have not.
- If you work it out later, it is fine to mention it in a thank-you note.
The question you might not ask out loud
Is it better to guess than to say I do not know?
Say what you know, then say you are not sure about the rest and how you would find out. A confident wrong answer worries security interviewers more than an honest gap, because in the job a confident wrong answer can cause real harm.
Questions to ask them
- What does a normal week look like for someone in this role?
- How do new people learn? Is there someone to ask?
- What would make someone successful here in the first six months?
Rule of thumb:Practise out loud, ideally with another person or a recording. Answers that sound clear in your head often come out tangled the first time you say them.
After each interview, write down the questions you were asked and how you answered. Patterns appear quickly, and your next interview will be easier for it.
Finally, plan the practical details the day before: the time zone, the link or address, your camera and microphone if it is online, and a glass of water. Small problems at the start can shake your confidence, and they are the easiest ones to prevent. Arrive a few minutes early and take a breath before you begin.