How To

10 Dos and Don'ts for Security Job Interviews

The tight job market makes the interview more high stakes than ever when applying for security positions. We asked some seasoned security recruiters for tips on how to stand out from the pack

By Joan Goodchild, Senior Editor

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Kushner says another thing to understand before heading into an interview is what the company culture is like. Will you be a good match? How do they dress? Are they a casual workplace or a button-up, tie-wearing place?

Do practice answering tough questions in advance
There are inevitable questions in every interview that people dread, said Lenzner. In a recent workshop, she asked attendees which one they hated most. Their answer: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

"It usually gets asked in the beginning of a meeting," she said. "You want to sound effective right off the bat. The interviewer already knows a little about you, but they want to get a better idea of who you are."

Those first few lines are crucial. It is like the opening of a book, said Lenzner. You will decide right then: 'Do I want to read this?'

Instead of fishing in your brain during the interview, take time to proactively write it out ahead of time so you have a few lines you can use to succinctly tell some one about yourself. You want them to know: Who are you? Think: What do I want someone to know about me?

Others tough questions to consider practicing in advance include: 'Tell me about your current role' and 'What are your weaknesses?' (See Also: 10 Tough Interview Questions and How to Answer Them)

At the interview:

Don't emphasize your 'cops and robbers' background
Talking too much about what he termed a 'cops and robbers' background can be off-putting to a potential employer, according to Metzger.

"Often times, people who have been in armed security work, such as with the FBI, or the Marine Corp., tend to overemphasize that," he said. "But that experience is assumed. The gaining employer will assume you have those kinds of credentials. They don't care how many shooting badges you've got, that's not of importance."

Don't talk about all the armed things you've done. You want to present yourself as an executive, not a knuckle-dragger who is trying to be an executive, said Metzger.

Do show them you are an executive who understands security
As a continuation of the previous point, Metzger advises applicants to present not only as an executive, but one who understands that security is cost center. It is not a revenue generator.

"You are constantly selling your service," said Metzger. "You are going from business unit to business unit and trying to sell them why certain things need to be done. Being able to articulate that you can do that is very important."