Jr Pentest interview next week

I received a call back today for a Jr Pentesting gig, there's a quick 20 minute phone interview sometime early next week. I know a senior pentester at the company, so that definitely helped me getting in an interview..now it's up to me to close the deal..

This weekend I plan to ( I have the next 5 days off, so I can get a good amount of studying done)

* download metasplotable and find vulnerabilities...then write small reports about my findings
* Possibly buy the eCPPT course because it takes over a week to get signed up for OSCP
* go over BASH and possibly python

I'm not getting my hopes up but it's still cool to be given the chance for an interview.

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Comments

YuckTheFankees

I will finally have my phone interview tomorrow around noon mountain time. It should be interesting!

I'm still working on the web application security section in the eCPPT course. I decided to purchase a monthly membership with Safari Books, so I could start reading the "The Web Application Hackers Handbook" right away. I'm about 120 pages into the book, there is so much information to learn if you are new to web application security. But it's all very interesting.

@the_grinch,

Thanks for the info about the interview process. Is there any reason why you didn't take the junior pentesting job?

YuckTheFankees

I passed the 1st phone interview today. Tomorrow I'm speaking with the Director of the security department, and it will be a technical interview.

jamesleecoleman

Good luck!!! How far have you gotten through the course?

onesaint

Congrats and good luck tomorrow.

YuckTheFankees

I'm still going through the web app section. It's all new to me so it's a lot to take in. It's not quite overwhelming at this point but it's definitely a lot of information to take in.

the_Grinch

It was a pay related thing. I was going to have to move and was aiming for a certain amount because I didn't want to have to depend on the bonus to make ends meet. They pushed that they have always made their goals and always got their bonuses, but I can't tell the bank that

veritas_libertas

Any update?

YuckTheFankees

Sorry it took so long to reply back. I personally feel the interview did not go so well. I completely over thought what was going to be asked and didn't focus on the simple questions: how does your current job help you with your security path, what tools have you used, etc... Super easy questions but I kind of just rambled on naming a bunch of tools but didn't go into details about when/why I used the tools. It definitely wasn't a hard interview, I just completely sucked it up

. I wasn't nervous at all, but right when the phone rang, I instantly became nervous and it messed with my train of thought.

Then again, I never know, they could call me back for the 3rd interview. I personally would like to have another 3-5 months studying and gaining more experience in my lab before I took a job like this...don't get me wrong, if they offer me the job..I would definitely take it. But the additional 3-6 months would add a lot of confidence for me.

jamesleecoleman

I hope that they do call you back for another interview. I guess one positive thing that came out the interview is that you gained experience with interviewing for this type of position.

I tried to send you a PM but I couldn't. I found something that might be an interest to you for web application along with the Hera labs.

http://www.dvwa.co.uk/

the_Grinch

I wouldn't sweat it too much, any good interviewer will know that you know what you were talking about and just a little nervous. I think you'll get a third interview!

tacm

Wonder how many interviews it will take before the job offer.

YuckTheFankees

From what I understand, the third interview would be the last one. Also, the third interview is usually a presentation to upper management on a security topic.

YuckTheFankees

Update: I have my in-person interview some time next week, I'll be receiving details on it within the next couple of hours

nicklauscombs

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

Update: I have my in-person interview some time next week, I'll be receiving details on it within the next couple of hours .

excellent work! congrats.

the_Grinch

Congrats!

veritas_libertas

Excellent!

jamesleecoleman

YuckTheFankees:

Great!!!!

Can I ask what the details were?

I forgot to ask you if you have checked out DVWA - Damn Vulnerable Web Application for practicing website application.

YuckTheFankees

Update:

The HR manager called and informed me that I will have "homework" for my interview. I will have to download metasploitable, find vulnerabilities, document them, and create a 5 slide presentation for upper management. The presentation should take 15 minutes, then I will have a 1-2 hour interview with upper management

This definitely seems daunting but very doable..... but I'm beginning to have second thoughts about the position.

I'm currently on a track to become a network engineer in roughly 6-12 months with my current company, mucho vacation days, I work 10 minutes from home, they will pay for my degree (I realize a lot of companies do this) and lastly...the networking/Linux experience I'm gaining now will definitely help me in the future, if I wanted to get a security job. I have a lot of good things going for me at this company, and I don't know if I want to give it up for a little less pay + 1 hr commute each way. But then again, a chance to obtain an actual pentesting job does not come around often. I have the next 4 days off to do some soul searching.

**I forgot to mention; I was contacted from another company last week regarding a web scripting position that pays a little more and roughly 15 minutes away from my house. I find this position interesting because I would gain PHP, Perl, Javascript, and HTML experience.. which would benefit a web application security career.

jamesleecoleman

I think you'll do fine for the report. I remember a class that I had where we had to take an unpatched version of server 03 and make it similar to metasploitable. Then we had to write a report about how it got broken into by other students and what we did to try to secure the server without antivirus and patching. I know its not the same as an interview but having to write a report to a teacher that is the senior security engineer at a hospital can bring a little doubt when reporting the stuff.

If you did go with the pentesting job, wouldn't the information from the web scripting job overlap? Maybe there will be an opportunity in the future to work from home a few days of the week.

YuckTheFankees

I spoke with the HR manager today, to let them know I was withdrawing my application for the junior position. They asked me to reconsidered and said to update them in the future if anything changes because they are interested in hungry smart individuals for their junior positions.

Good experience, maybe one day.

afcyung

Anything in particular that caused you to reconsider and drop your application?

YuckTheFankees

There are a couple reasons.

1. I would like to stay at my current job a while longer

2. My drive would go from 15 mins to 60 and I don't know if I would want to change my drive by 45 minutes

3. I could probably get the job with my current knowledge but I feel like the first 3 months would be crazy learning and I rather just learn at my own pace at home and then apply in another 4-6 months.

4. Even though they said I do not need any additional certifications, I would like to gain another 2-4 certifications (for the knowledge).

the_hutch

If you don't mind me asking...what was the company?

**I tried to PM you, but recieving an error that you are not recieving private messages**

YuckTheFankees

I changed my settings, try to message me again.

nicklauscombs

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

2. My drive would go from 15 mins to 60 and I don't know if I would want to change my drive by 45 minutes

This alone would be the deal breaker for me.

docrice

Adding 1.5 hours of my day to commuting (assuming it's 45 more minutes per direction) would create some serious doubts for me as well. A hard decision especially when it's the type of gig you really want, but those hours add up really quick.

YuckTheFankees

I definitely agree with both of you. The drive was just too much. I was driving an hour both ways about 4 months ago and it took a lot out of me, I would usually take a 30-60 minute nap everyday because of it.

the_hutch

Say man...you keeping a safe distance from that fire?

YuckTheFankees

I'm about 40 minutes from the fire but it's still a little scary.