I’ve Interviewed Thousands of Cybersecurity Professionals — Here’s My Best Advice

I’ve Interviewed Thousands of Cybersecurity Professionals — Here’s My Best Advice

I’ve been in cybersecurity for over 20 years, and I’ve interviewed all kinds of people — from the brilliant to the downright bizarre.

I once had a candidate who insisted he could “hack anything in under five minutes” but struggled to explain how basic encryption worked.

Then there was the guy who, instead of answering questions, just kept repeating cybersecurity buzzwords like “zero trust,” “blockchain security,” and “AI-driven SOC,” as if hoping we’d be dazzled into hiring him.

Needless to say, these interviews didn’t end well for the candidates. This is I’ve Interviewed Thousands of Cybersecurity Professionals — Here’s My Best Advice.

While these examples might seem extreme, I’ve also seen many strong candidates stumble over avoidable mistakes also.

Cybersecurity interviews can be nerve-wracking.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a newcomer to the field, the interview process is your opportunity to showcase your skills, problem-solving abilities, and strategic thinking.

However, many candidates make critical mistakes that can cost them the job.

In this article, we’ll cover the most common missteps in cybersecurity interviews and how to avoid them.

Common Mistakes That Can Derail Your Cybersecurity Interview

1. Bluffing About Your Knowledge

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in a cybersecurity interview is pretending to know something you don’t.

Interviewers, especially in technical roles, are skilled at spotting bluffs.

Instead of trying to fake expertise, focus on demonstrating your ability to learn and adapt.

What to Do Instead:

• If asked about a technology you’re unfamiliar with, acknowledge the gap and pivot to related experiences.

• Example: “I haven’t worked with Kubernetes security directly, but I’ve managed containerized environments and understand the principles of securing them.”

2. Exaggerating Achievements

It’s tempting to inflate your accomplishments, but cybersecurity is a field where credibility matters.

Interviewers value authenticity over flashy claims, and they often verify your contributions through references or technical assessments.

What to Do Instead:

• Be honest about your contributions and back them up with real-world metrics or tangible outcomes.

• Example: Instead of saying, “I built the entire security infrastructure from scratch,” you could say, “I contributed to designing and implementing key security controls, which reduced vulnerabilities by 40%.”

• Demonstrate your impact with measurable results rather than broad, exaggerated claims.

3. Not Asking Questions About the Role or Culture

An interview is a two-way street.

Not asking questions can make you seem disinterested or unprepared.

Thoughtful questions demonstrate your curiosity and help you determine if the role is the right fit for you.

What to Do Instead:

• Ask about team dynamics, challenges, and expectations for the role.

• Example: “How does your organization prioritize threat modeling in its overall security strategy?”

• Inquire about the company’s security culture and how they handle incidents or compliance requirements.

• Avoid generic questions that can be answered by a quick search — focus on insights that matter to you as a professional.

4. Failing to Prepare for Behavioral Questions

Technical skills are essential, but employers also want to assess how you handle challenges in a professional setting.

Behavioral questions help interviewers evaluate your problem-solving skills, leadership abilities, and adaptability.

What to Do Instead:

• Use the STAR method to structure your responses (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Prepare answers for common cybersecurity scenarios, such as responding to an incident, advocating for security investments, or improving security awareness.

• Practice articulating your experiences in a structured, concise manner to make a strong impression.

Let us dive into this a bit more with examples !

What is the STAR Method?

• Situation: Describe the context or background of the scenario.

• Task: Explain the specific challenge or objective you had.

• Action: Detail the steps you took to address the situation.

• Result: Share the outcome and any measurable impact.

Let’s go through some cybersecurity-specific examples:

1. Dealing with a Security Breach

Interview Question: “Tell me about a time you had to respond to a security incident.”

• Situation: “We detected unusual traffic patterns in our SIEM, indicating a potential breach.”

• Task: “As the incident response lead, I needed to identify the source, contain the threat, and prevent further impact.”

• Action: “I coordinated with the team to analyze logs, isolate affected systems, and implement our incident response plan. I also worked with stakeholders to ensure transparent communication.”

• Result: “We contained the breach within 3 hours, preventing data loss and reducing recovery time by 40%.”

2. Convincing Leadership to Invest in Security Tools

Interview Question: “Can you describe a time when you had to advocate for a cybersecurity initiative?”

• Situation: “Our organization lacked a robust Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution, leaving endpoints vulnerable to advanced attacks.”

• Task: “I needed to secure leadership approval to implement an EDR tool.”

• Action: “I prepared a business case by presenting incident data, outlining potential cost savings, and highlighting the ROI of adopting EDR.”

• Result: “Leadership approved the project, which reduced endpoint incidents by 50% within the first six months.”

3. Improving Security Awareness Across Teams

Interview Question: “Tell me about a time you improved security awareness in your organization.”

• Situation: “Phishing emails were causing repeated incidents, impacting productivity and security.”

• Task: “My goal was to design a training program to reduce phishing-related risks.”

• Action: “I developed hands-on workshops, simulated phishing campaigns, and implemented a reward system for identifying threats.”

• Result: “Phishing-related incidents decreased by 60% within three months, improving overall security posture.”

That wraps it up

Avoiding these common mistakes — such as bluffing, exaggerating, or failing to prepare —improves your chances of success.

Additionally, structuring your responses using the STAR method will help you give your answers in a clear and concise manner.

Practice using the examples I gave and you will get better over time

Good luck with your next interview!

Taimur Ijlal is a multi-award-winning, information security leader with over two decades of international experience in cyber-security and IT risk management in the fin-tech industry. Taimur can be connected on LinkedIn or on his YouTube channel “Cloud Security Guy” on which he regularly posts about Cloud Security, Artificial Intelligence, and general cyber-security career advice.