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Prepare for interviews

Great news! You’ve submitted your application and received a follow-up email requesting an interview.  The work isn’t over yet, though—you still have a lot of preparation to do. That’s what you’re going to learn about in this reading!

Prepare for the introductory call

It’s important to showcase your best self in the introductory phone call. In this conversation, you’ll talk with the recruiter or hiring manager about yourself, the kind of work or training you have, and why you want the job. You might also be asked specifically about your salary requirements. For this question, it’s a good idea to prepare in advance and conduct an internet search for “average salary for entry-level security analysts.” 

Do your research

Make sure you’ve done your research on the company. When the interviewer asks why you’d be a good fit for the job, they want to learn why you’re interested in cybersecurity and why you want to work at that company specifically. 

Prepare for the second round

Your second-round interview will focus more on what you can offer as an entry-level security analyst. You’ll likely discuss yourself here, too, but you’ll also be going into detail about your knowledge of the profession. You’ll want to cover the same material you prepared for your introductory call, but you’ll also need to fully review your accomplishments in the security industry. Don’t worry if you have no prior professional cybersecurity experience. You can discuss the information you’ve learned in this certificate program. 

Depending on where you and your interviewer are located, the second-round interview might be over the phone, via video conference, or in person. In-person interviews often last an hour or so, but if you traveled for your interview or the company likes to bring candidates in for all of the remaining interview stages at once, you might complete your panel interview with a group that day as well.

Panel interview

During the panel interview, you’ll meet with two or more people and discuss yourself and your ability to contribute to the organization. If you’re nervous about this, remind yourself that the team brought you in for the interview for a reason. When you feel confident in your abilities, you’re better able to showcase your knowledge about the security industry and demonstrate your ability to work well with a team. 

Be sure to engage with each panelist by giving them your full attention during the interview. Maintaining eye contact can help you express confidence, but for those who cannot do so, actively engaging with each panelist in your own way is just as important. 

It’s likely that each panelist will ask you at least one question during the interview. It’s okay to address the whole panel when answering a question, rather than only directing your response to the person who asked the question. 

More resources to help you prepare

There’s an endless supply of job-preparation resources available to you. Here are some great ones to get you started:

  • . This resource from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) offers helpful advice on navigating the interview process for individuals with disabilities. 

Key takeaways

Preparation for your first interview is very important, so be sure to do your research and practice for the introductory call. Don’t worry if you don’t have prior security experience. Instead, you can rely on the information and skill sets you’ve gained from completing this certificate program. 

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