Cybersecurity is a rapidly developing industry that is gaining more demand every year. Indeed, more and more organizations are realizing just how important it is to protect their systems from attacks.

However, it’s not just the way you protect your system that matters but also who enforces the principles of cybersecurity in the first place. You need to hire a good cybersecurity specialist for this, so without further ado, here are the top five questions to ask cybersecurity candidates. And if you are a cybersecurity specialist preparing for an interview, these questions will help you get ready and get the best position in the company of your dream.

1. “What Are Your Personal Certifications in the Cybersecurity Field?”

Perhaps the most necessary and critical question is asking about the candidate’s personal certifications specifically in the cybersecurity field. This is the question that will help you better understand what the candidate’s education, expertise, and experience are and whether they will be sufficient for the job.

Of course, you likely already know a fair number of details about the candidate already thanks to their resume or CV. However, asking for more details is still necessary because you could uncover critical information that could not be put on the resume (or the candidate simply didn’t think it was relevant to the job).

Dig deeper and try to learn more about the candidate. What exactly did they study? Have they studied anything on their own? What were their responsibilities at their previous job? Are they eager to continue building their knowledge and developing their skills? Do they keep up with the latest cybersecurity trends and know how to use new technologies?

2. “What Does Effective Cybersecurity Look Like to You? How Do You Measure It?”

The next question you should ask is about the effectiveness of cybersecurity as a whole in the way the candidate perceives it. If they are truly engaged and passionate about their work, they will have their own opinions about different matters related to cybersecurity. You need to ask the right questions to uncover these opinions.

In most cases, you will have different candidates saying different things, even if they studied the same things at the same university. This is both due to their personalities and because of their experiences. Moreover, some candidates will have more expertise in certain subtopics related to cybersecurity which could give them a better view of the field as a whole.

Try to ask more open-ended and probing questions. You can hire an experienced writer from the writing services reviews site Top Writing Reviews to help you create your interview questionnaire. This way, you won’t forget to ask about anything important and get the information you are most interested in.

3. “Describe a Time When You Used Teamwork to Accomplish a Task.”

This is not exactly a question but rather a request. You can ask the candidate to describe a time when they used teamwork to accomplish a specific task. If they don’t yet have relevant experience in the field or relevant experience of this kind, you can ask them to imagine a situation where they would have to work in a team to solve a problem.

The point of this task is to find out whether the candidate can work with other people effectively. Being a good solo specialist is great, but they will absolutely need to have skills for communicating and collaborating with their team members effectively. After all, they are joining your organization and will need to be integrated into your team.

Once again, if you need assistance designing your interview script to ask such questions, you can browse the writing agencies reviewing site Rated by Students to find a writer or editor who will help you. Make sure that you ask questions that will help you learn about the candidate’s collaboration skills as well as their ability to communicate clearly.

#4 “Imagine You Are a Cybercriminal. How Would You Gain Access to Secure Data?”

One more question you should ask is a bit unconventional, but it will definitely help you get to know the candidate as best as you possibly can in a time-limited interview. You need to ask the candidate to imagine that they are not a cybersecurity specialist who wants to protect a system but rather one that wants to break into it.

It is a practice that will help the specialist get into the head of a cybercriminal and take the necessary measures to properly protect your organization’s system from a possible attack. It is an unusual approach, but one that is incredibly effective for understanding how cybercriminals act and how they can be stopped.

#5 “How Do You Keep Yourself Organized and Energized?”

Last but not least, you can ask the candidate about their work routine and habits. By learning about the way they stay organized and energized, you can more or less evaluate their work ethic and practices. You want to hire someone who knows how to do their job well and can also keep themselves in check.

The candidate needs to be able to organize their day properly and manage time well by prioritizing important and urgent tasks. If they are working in a team, they need to be able to coordinate their activities with other employees to make sure that everyone is on the same page and can participate in group activities such as brainstorming sessions or meetings.

Final Thoughts

While there are definitely more questions that you can ask your cybersecurity candidates, starting from these five questions will help you ask the candidates about the most important aspects of their job. Prepare your own interview questions and make sure that you hire the right person to work on your cybersecurity strategy.

Author Bio: Kristen Bray is a professional writer and а blogger. She has been working as an editor at а Top Writing Reviews and Rated by Students, sites where you can read honest reviews about writing services. Kristen mainly covers topics such as blogging, digital marketing, and self-education. In her free time, she practices yoga and also travels.