Whilst aspects of this advice can be applied to other professional interviews, I have written this with cyber security practitioners in mind. With years of experience helping security specialists find both contract and permanent positions, I am equipped with in-depth insight across several industry sectors.
The following advice centres on remote video conference interviews but most aspects can also be applied to telephone interviews:
Basically, the same core interview rules apply, but by being interviewed remotely, one can automatically be disadvantaged in the personality-based assessment criteria, such as team fit and rapport. It’s harder to get across our personality and build relationships when you are on the other side of a screen. Stats tell us that 65% of interviews fail during the soft skills assessment, so it is vital that you overcome this.
Decision factors like a firm handshake become redundant and strong eye contact can be a little strange if taken too far. However…
It is more challenging to build rapport during a remote interview, an effective way to address this is during the question stage of the interview:
… Find a Van Helsing
“In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Van Helsing was the oracle who educated the reader and the characters on how Dracula came to be, the signs of his victims, and ultimately how to defeat him.”
A Van Helsing can shed a unique light on the interviewer, the team or the organisation…. something you are not going to find on their website. Your Van Helsing may be an associate, a former colleague or an educated recruiter. He or she will be able to give insight into the challenges you are likely to face in the role, and perhaps provide input on off the grid projects. This exclusive knowledge will demonstrate your investigative skills – a trait necessary in any line of security work.
We have heard of the skills shortage in security for many years, but that does not make hiring managers any less selective as to whom they recruit. With COVID-19 motivating more remote interviews we must not be complacent. We need to use every technique at our disposal to convey our potential suitability to the role.
Part 2 coming soon…