Key Questions and Actions to Take When Assessing a Potential Employer

I have always viewed the job search/ interview process as an unfolding 2 way process of discovery. And it always amazes me how one sided it feels- even in an industry that is as competitive to find talent as our own. How much work the employer puts into understanding the candidate is usually multiple times greater than how much work the candidate puts into understanding the company. It shouldn’t be that way. And it would be better for companies if their prospective employees did more diligence.

Think of it this way. Companies hire lots of people. They come and go. Of course, most companies don’t want to have high employee turnover, but as much as we each wouldn't like to think so, with a bit of effort, we can be replaced. For companies the hiring decisions are important, but a miss here or there can be recoverable (executives can be an exception to this).

But you, as a candidate, are making a bigger decision. Your time can’t be traded back. The best thing you get out a decision to join a company that you shouldn’t have is a learning experience. I’ll try to give you some tools to help accelerate that learning and reduce the odds that you go somewhere that isn’t a good fit for you.

Remember, you have every right to do as much diligence on the company as they do you on you.  

‍Don’t be bashful. Shine a light early.

Questions you should consider asking:

What type of turnover does the team see?

• You are looking for a real understanding of turnover rates and reasons.  Dig into the reasons.

How is security's relationship with the rest of the business?

• You are a looking for an environment that is collaborative, not one where security is siloed or capitated

What are the top areas of focus for the year?‍

• You are looking to understand program maturity and get a view on the type of change the program is undertaking

How have others in this role influenced direction of the program and outcomes in the past?

• You are looking to get a sense of whether you will be able to have influence and what degree of independence you should expect

What career path would you foresee?  

• Moreso than the exact answer to this question, you are looking to see if the hiring manager has thought about this and whether there are pre-existing paths in place

If you could change one thing about the culture, what would it be?

• No place is perfect.  You are asking this question to gauge for honesty and transparency.

Actions you should consider taking:

Beyond these questions, it would be wise to do your diligence on your hiring manager and the team you are interviewing. Your potential employer is probably going to ask for references on you. You should think about doing the same. My advice:

• It's a no brainer, but read up on glassdoor. Try to find posts relevant to the security team.  Make sure you look for patterns and not one offs. Beware scorching reviews clustered around layoffs (but you need to understand why those layoffs happened and what the future company growth looks like).
• Get on Linkedin and find people that have recently left and would have worked for your manager or department. Get the inside scoop on what it’s like. Most people are more than willing to have a conversation. This can be an invaluable step.
• Do your diligence on the product or service. See if you can find a customer and gauge their experience. Look at growth of employees on Linkedin to gauge market traction. Going into a company that is struggling on the product front can lead to lack of opportunity and challenging culture.

Overall, remember: Time is our most precious asset. Putting a little bit extra in up front to make sure you are making a great decision is always a wise investment.

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