Interview Process: The interview process was clearly defined and consisted of three stages. It began with an initial phone call with Shana to review my background and how it aligned with the role. The second stage was an in-person interview with members of the technical team. Although I did not progress to the third and final stage with management, I appreciated the opportunity to engage with the team during the earlier phases. Experience: From the moment I arrived, the company made a strong, positive impression. Shana was very welcoming—she gave me a quick tour and we chatted before the interview, which helped create a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. The in-person interview was with Kevin (Systems Administrator) and Shaun (IT Director), both of whom were professional, thoughtful, and easy to talk to. Their questions centered more around incident response than broader cybersecurity strategy. One particular question about granting local admin permissions stood out. I found myself caught up in interpreting it as a question about providing elevated rights to general users, which conflicted with my usual practices. As a result, I missed the opportunity to pivot and explain my actual approach—granting admin rights temporarily in specific edge cases, such as when a system has fallen off the domain and exceeded its credential cache. I was also left wondering whether the question was meant to test for that kind of specific scenario, or if local admin rights are commonly granted in practice, which would raise some concerns. Either way, it was a good reminder of how critical it is to clarify assumptions during technical discussions. In retrospect, some of the questions were more straightforward than I anticipated, and I may have been overthinking them. Insights on Company Direction: From our conversations, it's clear the company is preparing to transition to a higher compliance profile. This move will require significant cybersecurity support, whether through an internal team or an external service provider. Meeting those standards will likely impact this role’s responsibilities and could influence work-life balance, especially if the current cybersecurity resources are limited. That said, it's also an exciting opportunity for someone looking to build or mature a security program. Outcome: Although I wasn’t selected to move forward, I believe the decision was fair. My prior roles had separation-of-duties constraints that limited hands-on exposure in some areas, and I understand that ramp-up time might not have been ideal for their needs. Final Thoughts: Overall, this was a positive and respectful experience. The process was well-structured, the team was professional and welcoming, and the conversations were meaningful. I’m grateful for the opportunity and wish the company continued success as it strengthens its cybersecurity posture.