Skip to content

Instantly share code, notes, and snippets.

@7MinSec
Last active November 13, 2018 16:32
Show Gist options
  • Save 7MinSec/9e53aab291c050887f4da01640fd8d44 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Save 7MinSec/9e53aab291c050887f4da01640fd8d44 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
7 minute interviews - by 7 Minute Security

7 minute interviews? What's that?

It's a new (and hopefully fun) interview format I want to engage in with members of the information security community on the 7 Minute Security podcast.

Wait wait wait. Who are you? What's this all about?

I'm Brian from 7 Minute Security, LLC and I've been having a blast doing some longer-form interviews with security folks, but I thought it would be fun to do a shorter-form outline where I ask 7 questions (ok, maybe a few more than 7...but I like lucky numbers). Some questions will be serious. Others will not.

Ok I'll bite. What kind of questions would you ask in this 7-minute interview?

Check these out:

"Serious" questions

  • Please share your name, location and your role in the wonderful world of infosec? (company/affiliation name optional)

  • If you could wave a magic wand and solve one single problem plaguing a company's security efforts, what would it be and why?

  • What basic security effort are organizations failing at that could be addressed without a crazy amount of effort or dollars?

  • How do you stay on top of all the cool new blogs/tools/scripts/tricks etc. that seem to come out every 2 seconds?

  • How to you unplug from the constant 24/7 infosec FUD cycle?

  • What advice do you give to people either fresh out of cybersecurity schooling, or doing something totally different than infosec but they want to break into it?

  • If you weren't doing security for a career and money was no object, what would you be doing?

  • True or false: if I could do my whole career over again, I'd still want to end up in security.

  • If you could go back to your teenage self and give yourself ONE piece of advice to help you succeed in your career and/or life, what would it be?

  • Do you have any tips for helping people maintain a better work/life balance?

  • What do you do in your spare time outside of cybersecurity?

Silly/optional/fun questions

  • What movie or movie character most closely resembles your life?

  • If you had to wear one t-shirt for the rest of your life and it could have any text, pattern, color, design, etc. what would it be and why?

  • Would you rather have a belly button that could dispense ketchup or fingers that could dispense hot dogs? Note: the hotdogs would be lukewarm.

  • Nicolas Cage, President Trump and Katy Perry. You need to hug one, do a 17 hour road trip with one, and be a personal information security consultant for the other. Who do you pick for each one, and why?

The following came from Mantelligence:

  • Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or 1 horse-sized duck?

  • Would you rather begin every sentence With “Hey idiot” or end every sentence with "Ha ha, oh my gosh I was just kidding!”

  • Would you rather be a giant hamster or a tiny rhinoceros?

  • Would you rather be a tree or have to live in a tree for the rest of your life?

  • Would you rather have no elbows, or no knees?

  • Would you rather have to use eyedrops made of vinegar, or TP made of sandpaper?

  • Would you rather have a freakishly large smile or freakishly small nose?

Who is on your interview "wish list?"

Well, I started the list below as a comprehensive collection based on ideas from me, friends and coworkers as well as the 7MS Slack community.

I've already interviewed...

I'd like to interview...

How/where are you conducting these interviews?

Skype. I might also be able to record a cell phone call but I think the quality would be less than ideal.

Shut up and take my interest. How can I get in touch?

Know somebody below that you think would be a great interview? Leave a comment below, ping me on Slack or contact me another way and lets talk!

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment