Phone Interviews

I just got finished with a phone interview for a security administration position... The guy was no frills, he quickly rattled off dozens of concepts, systems, technologies, and techniques and accessed my experience and knowledge with each.

The salary would be nice. (120K) More importantly, I would have room for growth and many new things to learn. (the vulnerability scanning and testing part really interested me, can you say C|EH?) Might be fun.

I consider myself a good public speaker and presenter, but it is so much more difficult to control a phone conversation. I didn't get a great vibe at the end of the call, but it was hard to get a good read. I have a job and nothing to lose, so no reason to stress, but phone interviews are no fun for me.

Anyone have any good phone interviewing tips? horror stories? success stories?

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Comments

dynamik

CEH has nothing on the OSCP: http://www.offensive-security.com/

I'm not even remotely interested in the CEH after learning about that.

the_Grinch

OSCP has to gain a little more traction, but a very awesome cert!

darkerosxx

dynamik wrote:

CEH has nothing on the OSCP: http://www.offensive-security.com/

I'm not even remotely interested in the CEH after learning about that.

Meh, the CEH uses Backtrack as well and it's a 5-day class, not self-paced. It looks to be the same thing, just in 5 days rather than self-paced. You do lab stuff and have to use defensive and offensive tactics in the CEH, too.

Having said that, their idea looks cool and will probably gain some ground on the CEH.

TechJunky

Number 1 advice I can recommend is being yourself. Let them feel like they know you without actually having to meet you. I always am honest and never BS my way through anything. If I dont know the answer or if I misunderstand I am the first to accept it. As long as you do those things I am sure you will land a meet and greet.

Remember, its just another person on the other end when it comes down to it.

dynamik

Darkerosxx, you need to look at the OSCP cert program again. It's lab-based; you have 24 hours to own their network. That isn't even comparable to a multiple-choice exam that skims the surface of dozens of tools. I'm on board for the CEH, and I'll pick it up along the way, but I'm not nearly as excited about it as I am for the OSCP.

Wait.. did someone mention something about a phone interview or something?

darkerosxx

dynamik wrote:

Darkerosxx, you need to look at the OSCP cert program again. It's lab-based; you have 24 hours to own their network. That isn't even comparable to a multiple-choice exam that skims the surface of dozens of tools. I'm on board for the CEH, and I'll pick it up along the way, but I'm not nearly as excited about it as I am for the OSCP.

Wait.. did someone mention something about a phone interview or something?

I agree with you. I'm just talking about the fact that you're required to take the class before the exam unless you have experience and in the class, you do defensive and offensive labs.

Kasor

Let get back to the first post questions.

Phone interviews tips:

Please make sure you understand the question and the terminology that your interviewer using. If you don' t know the answer, then you don't know the answer. OK. Do not B.S your way out. Also, make sure you get the person name (correct spelling on both first name and last name), phone number to call back in case disconnect (Sxxx happened OK).

Get a hand free phone, so you can free your hand to type the 'google search' for the question that you not sure or missed. It is not considering as cheating OK.

Get a glass of water nearby you, relax and you will do fine.