10 Resume and Interview Tips from Security Pros

Whether you're new to the cybersecurity industry or a seasoned practitioner, chances are good you've heard of the so-called talent shortage plaguing organizations. The problem isn't always that talent isn't there. It's that aspiring candidates have trouble connecting to future employers.

This was a focal point of a DEF CON talk by hacker and security researcher Alyssa Miller, who spoke about job hunting and career development in security. Earlier this year, she surveyed industry newcomers and experienced professionals to learn how long they'd been looking for a job. Her poll got more than 1,500 responses, many of which indicated job seekers have trouble.

Of the experienced practitioners, more than 46% had been searching for zero to two months, which is the expected time frame. However, 30.2% had been searching for three to six months and more than 16% had been looking for over a year. Of the newcomers, 34.5% had been searching for three to six months, 15.9% for seven to 12 months, and 16.7% for more than 12 months.

"We see the same issues here, whether you're entry level or whether you're experienced," she said.

The job search is difficult across industries, and cybersecurity is no exception. Experienced job seekers are challenged with bad job descriptions (35.7%), company culture (18.3%), salary ranges (14.8%), and finding senior-level roles (11.4%), according to Miller's research. It can be tough when applications don't yield a response or when job descriptions demand far more than any individual can do. 

In the DEF CON Career Hacking Village, new to the conference this year, industry professionals shared their advice for people struggling with the job-seeking process. Here, we share their tips about building a resume, contacting recruiters, and prepping for an interview. Have any tips you don't see here? Feel free to share them in the Comments section, below.