Interviewing for a job in information security can be daunting.
According to security experts, memorizing hundreds of terms isn't the ticket to a successful interview for a cybersecurity job.
The best candidates have a sense of what they want to accomplish in the security field and can demonstrate a sincere interest in cybersecurity and a recognition of how it has become a front-burner issue for businesses.
In short, come to the interview ready to talk about yourself and why security matters.
On the other hand, midcareer and senior-level security professionals going for more advanced positions must demonstrate knowledge gained through cybersecurity certifications - or at least be able to say they're working on them.
Such as the ability to communicate and creativity, are also important to security interviewers as part of the vetting process.
People with accounting backgrounds can gravitate to compliance or risk management jobs on security teams, especially in the financial sector.
Here's where you can show the interviewer that you understand the history of security in the enterprise.
Make the case that security professionals can't get bogged down talking about log analysis data, cybersecurity KPIs and software testing if they hope to convince senior management about the importance of security infrastructure and policies.
Let them know you're a hard worker who takes the initiative on security projects.
Maybe in your last job you were a network security analyst and worked on a team that redid the company's wireless infrastructure and set updated security policies.
It's even better if the CISO or another top cybersecurity manager doesn't want to deploy, say, passwordless technology and you can make the case that using a tool such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator or Authy increases security for the company's users.
Security managers involved in hiring decisions need to know that you follow cybersecurity best practices yourself - in other words, that you've changed the default password on your home router, segmented the network for home and business uses, and adopted two-factor authentication and a password manager for all your main applications.
Security teams had to triage worker requirements and determine who needed a VPN for secure access to corporate data and who could do the job via Remote Desktop Protocol connections.
You could discuss the role of the CISO and cite other positions that security teams commonly include, from network security analysts and engineers to chief cybersecurity architect.
If you're looking for a company that's far along on cybersecurity maturity, a job at one that's still organizing its security operations might not be a good fit.
If you do get offered and take a job at a company that's just forming a security team or one that's restructuring or expanding its team to meet new business needs, be realistic and flexible.
Maybe you worked retail at a Best Buy while putting yourself through college and learned how important security is to the success of the business.
In addition to being able to explain the difference, let the interviewer know you know how vulnerabilities are reported and tracked in the security industry.
Anyone coming in for a security interview should know that the little lock to the left of the browser address bar means a website supports HTTPS. Also, come prepared with a basic understanding of ransomware and the threat it poses to organizations.
This Cyber News was published on www.techtarget.com. Publication date: Mon, 01 Jul 2024 17:13:05 +0000