Getting your first job in information security can be challenging. The field is competitive, and many candidates focus heavily on certifications, technical skills, and resumes. However, interviews are where most hiring decisions are made. Security hiring managers are evaluating more than your technical knowledge. They are assessing your preparation, professionalism, communication skills, and genuine interest in their organization. Proper interview preparation can significantly increase your chances of landing an information security job. This guide walks through how to prepare for an information security interview and stand out from other candidates. Research the Company Before Your Interview One of the most important interview preparation steps is researching the company. This goes far beyond reading the job description. Before your interview, you should understand: The company’s industry, mission, and business model Products or services the organization provides Recent news, ...

Breaking into information security is one of the hardest steps in a cybersecurity career. The field is competitive, job postings attract hundreds—sometimes thousands—of applicants, and many qualified candidates never hear back from a recruiter. If you are trying to land your first information security role , here is an uncomfortable truth: Submitting resumes alone is rarely enough. Recruiters are overwhelmed. Automated screening filters are imperfect. Strong candidates often get lost in the noise. To stand out, you need to do something many people are hesitant to do—but that hiring managers notice immediately. You need to reach out directly . Recruiters Are Not the Bottleneck—Volume Is Most recruiters are not ignoring you. They are buried. A single entry-level security posting can generate: • Hundreds of resumes within days • Many candidates with overlapping credentials • Limited time to deeply assess motivation or growth potential This means effort, initiative, and communication s...

Cybersecurity risk is no longer a technical issue confined to IT teams. It is an enterprise risk discipline that directly impacts operational continuity, regulatory exposure, brand trust, and strategic execution. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (CSF 2.0) reflects this reality. Unlike earlier versions, CSF 2.0 places stronger emphasis on governance, accountability, and integration with enterprise risk management. Its six functions— Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover —form a continuous lifecycle that enables organizations to manage cyber risk deliberately rather than reactively. For executives and boards, the value of CSF 2.0 lies not in individual controls, but in how these functions work together to support informed decision-making and organizational resilience. Govern: Setting the Conditions for Cybersecurity Success The Govern function establishes leadership ownership, risk tolerance, and accountability. It ensures cybersecurity decisions align with b...

In NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (CSF 2.0) , the Recover function is often misunderstood as a purely technical activity—restoring systems, rebuilding infrastructure, and returning to “business as usual.” For CISOs, this view is dangerously incomplete. Recovery is not just about system availability. It is about business resilience, stakeholder confidence, and organizational learning . How an organization recovers from a cybersecurity incident often determines whether it emerges stronger—or carries forward compounded risk. Official NIST CSF 2.0 guidance is available here: https://www.nist.gov/publications/nist-cybersecurity-framework-csf-20 What the Recover Function Is (and Why It Matters) Within CSF 2.0, the Recover (RC) function focuses on outcomes that support the timely restoration of services, assets, and operations , while also enabling improvement based on lessons learned. Key recovery outcomes include: Recovery planning and execution Restoration of systems and data Communica...

In NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (CSF 2.0) , the Respond function represents the moment where preparation is tested under pressure. Detection tells you something has gone wrong; response determines whether the situation is contained, escalated, or allowed to become a crisis . For many organizations, response capabilities exist on paper but falter in reality. Incident response plans, playbooks, and communication templates are often outdated, untested, or disconnected from executive decision-making. For CISOs, this creates a critical risk: response failure is rarely a technical problem—it is a leadership and coordination problem . Official NIST CSF 2.0 guidance is available here: https://www.nist.gov/publications/nist-cybersecurity-framework-csf-20 What the Respond Function Is (and Why It Matters) Within CSF 2.0, the Respond (RS) function focuses on outcomes that support containment, mitigation, communication, and decision-making during cybersecurity incidents . It includes elements...

In NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (CSF 2.0) , the Detect function represents the organization’s ability to identify the occurrence of a cybersecurity event in a timely and reliable manner . While Protect focuses on reducing the likelihood of compromise, Detect determines how quickly and how accurately an organization recognizes that something has gone wrong. For CISOs and security leaders, detection is where many programs quietly fail. Not due to a lack of tools, but due to poor signal quality, unclear objectives, and misalignment with business impact. Detection that is late, noisy, or misunderstood can be as damaging as no detection at all. Official NIST CSF 2.0 guidance is available here: https://www.nist.gov/publications/nist-cybersecurity-framework-csf-20 What the Detect Function Is (and What It Enables) Under CSF 2.0, the Detect (DE) function focuses on outcomes related to: Continuous monitoring Anomalies and event detection Security logging and analysis Threat intelligence ...