Security Awareness in the workplace refers to an employee's understanding, vigilance, and proactive behavior regarding information security threats and best practices. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), it encompasses "the knowledge and attitudes members of an organization possess regarding the protection of the physical and information assets of that organization." This competency has become increasingly critical as organizations face growing cybersecurity threats across all industries.

Evaluating Security Awareness during interviews helps identify candidates who will protect your organization's sensitive information and contribute to a strong security culture. This competency manifests in various ways: recognizing phishing attempts and social engineering tactics, following proper data handling protocols, maintaining password hygiene, reporting suspicious activities, and advocating for security best practices among colleagues. Effective Security Awareness isn't just about technical knowledge—it's about consistent vigilant behavior and a security-minded approach to daily tasks.

When interviewing candidates for Security Awareness competency, listen for specific examples of how they've identified threats, responded to incidents, and influenced others' security practices. Behavioral interview questions allow you to assess past actions rather than hypothetical responses, giving you more reliable insights into how candidates actually approach security situations. Use follow-up questions to understand their decision-making process, ensuring they maintain security without unnecessarily hindering productivity—a balance that's crucial for organizational success in today's Security Awareness landscape.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you identified a potential security threat or vulnerability in your workplace. How did you handle it?

Areas to Cover:

• Details about how they identified the threat
• Their initial reaction and assessment of severity
• The steps they took to report or address the issue
• Who they communicated with about the threat
• What specific security protocols they followed
• The outcome of the situation
• Lessons learned from the experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific signs or red flags alerted you to the potential threat?
• How did you determine the urgency or severity of the situation?
• If you faced this situation again, would you handle it differently? Why?
• How did this experience change your approach to security vigilance?

Describe a situation where you had to convince colleagues or team members to follow security protocols that they were reluctant to adopt.

Areas to Cover:

• The security protocols in question
• Why others were resistant to these practices
• The approach they used to influence others
• Specific communication techniques they employed
• How they balanced security needs with user convenience
• The results of their efforts
• How they followed up to ensure continued compliance

Follow-Up Questions:

• What were the main objections people had to the security protocols?
• How did you demonstrate the importance of these measures?
• Were there any compromises you made to increase adoption?
• How did you monitor whether people continued following the protocols after your intervention?

Share an example of when you had to make a decision between convenience and security. How did you approach this trade-off?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific situation requiring the decision
• Their thought process in weighing options
• How they assessed the security risks involved
• Factors they considered in making the decision
• Actions taken to mitigate any remaining risks
• The outcome of their decision
• How they communicated their decision to others

Follow-Up Questions:

• What security principles guided your decision-making?
• How did you explain your decision to others who might have preferred convenience?
• Looking back, are you satisfied with how you handled the situation? Why or why not?
• How has this experience influenced similar decisions you've made since?

Tell me about a time when you received security awareness training. How did you apply what you learned to your daily work?

Areas to Cover:

• The type of training they received
• Key security concepts they found most valuable
• Specific changes they made to their daily habits
• How they maintained these new practices over time
• Whether they shared this knowledge with others
• Challenges they faced in implementing new practices
• How they measured the effectiveness of these changes

Follow-Up Questions:

• What was the most surprising or valuable thing you learned?
• Can you give a specific example of how this training changed your behavior?
• How did you remind yourself to maintain these new security habits?
• Did you notice any improvements in security as a result of these changes?

Describe a situation where you noticed someone not following proper security procedures. What did you do?

Areas to Cover:

• The security procedure that wasn't being followed
• How they identified the situation
• Their assessment of the potential risks
• How they approached the individual
• The specific conversation or actions they took
• The response they received
• The resolution of the situation

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you decide whether to address this directly or involve management?
• What specific approach did you take to avoid making the person defensive?
• How did you balance addressing the security concern with maintaining a good relationship?
• What would you do differently if faced with a similar situation in the future?

Tell me about a time when you had to handle sensitive information. How did you ensure it remained secure?

Areas to Cover:

• The type of sensitive information involved
• The specific security measures they implemented
• How they determined appropriate security levels
• Any challenges they faced in maintaining security
• How they balanced access needs with protection
• Compliance with relevant policies or regulations
• The outcome of their security measures

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine who should have access to this information?
• What specific tools or methods did you use to protect the data?
• Were there any close calls or lessons learned during this process?
• How did you verify that your security measures were effective?

Share an example of when you had to respond to a security incident or breach. What actions did you take?

Areas to Cover:

• The nature of the security incident
• Their immediate response and actions
• How they communicated about the incident
• The protocols or procedures they followed
• How they contained or limited the damage
• Their role in the recovery process
• Lessons learned from the incident

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you first become aware of the incident?
• What was your first priority when responding?
• How did you determine who needed to be informed about the incident?
• What preventive measures were implemented afterward to prevent similar incidents?

Describe a time when you identified a way to improve security practices in your workplace. How did you approach implementing this improvement?

Areas to Cover:

• The security practice they identified for improvement
• How they identified this opportunity
• Their process for developing an improvement
• How they pitched or advocated for the change
• Challenges faced during implementation
• How they measured the effectiveness of the improvement
• The ultimate impact of the security enhancement

Follow-Up Questions:

• What prompted you to identify this particular security practice for improvement?
• How did you build support for your proposed changes?
• What resistance did you encounter, and how did you address it?
• How did you ensure the improved practices were sustainable long-term?

Tell me about a time when you had to quickly learn and adapt to new security requirements or technologies. How did you approach this?

Areas to Cover:

• The new security requirements or technologies
• Their approach to learning the new information
• Resources they utilized to build knowledge
• How they implemented the new practices
• Challenges they faced during adaptation
• How they measured their progress
• The outcome of their adaptation efforts

Follow-Up Questions:

• What was most challenging about adapting to these new requirements?
• How did you prioritize what to learn first?
• What strategies did you use to ensure you were implementing everything correctly?
• How did this experience prepare you for future security changes?

Share an example of how you've stayed informed about evolving security threats that could affect your organization.

Areas to Cover:

• Their sources for security information
• How regularly they engage with security updates
• How they filter relevant information
• Actions taken based on new security knowledge
• How they've shared this information with others
• Specific threats they've learned about
• How this knowledge has influenced their behavior

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific resources do you find most valuable for staying informed?
• How do you determine which security threats are most relevant to your role or organization?
• Can you give an example of a time when this ongoing education helped you prevent a security issue?
• How do you balance staying informed with information overload?

Describe a situation where you had to work with sensitive data on a personal or public device. What precautions did you take?

Areas to Cover:

• The context and necessity of the situation
• Initial risk assessment they conducted
• Specific security measures implemented
• How they protected access to the device
• Steps taken to secure the data itself
• Compliance with relevant policies
• The outcome and any lessons learned

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine what security measures were necessary?
• Were there any company policies that guided your actions?
• What additional steps would you take now with the benefit of hindsight?
• How did you ensure the data was completely removed when no longer needed?

Tell me about a time when you received a suspicious email, message, or phone call. How did you handle it?

Areas to Cover:

• The red flags that made them suspicious
• Their immediate reaction
• Steps taken to verify authenticity
• How they reported or handled the situation
• Whether they informed others who might be targeted
• The final resolution
• Lessons learned from the experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific elements made you suspicious?
• How did you verify whether this was legitimate without exposing yourself to risk?
• Who did you report this to, and what was their response?
• How has this experience changed how you evaluate communications?

Share an example of when you had to create or update passwords for multiple accounts. What approach did you take to maintain security?

Areas to Cover:

• Their password creation strategy
• Methods used to store or remember passwords
• Consideration of password strength requirements
• Implementation of multi-factor authentication if applicable
• How they managed different passwords across accounts
• Security tools or resources they utilized
• How they've adapted their approach over time

Follow-Up Questions:

• How do you create strong passwords while still being able to remember them?
• What tools or methods do you use to manage multiple passwords securely?
• How often do you update your passwords, and what prompts these changes?
• How has your approach to password management evolved over time?

Describe a time when you had to access company systems remotely. What security measures did you implement?

Areas to Cover:

• The context requiring remote access
• Security protocols they followed
• Network security considerations
• Physical security of their remote workspace
• How they protected sensitive information
• Compliance with company policies
• Any challenges faced and how they were addressed

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific security tools or technologies did you use?
• How did you ensure your remote connection was secure?
• Were there any company policies that guided your actions?
• What would you do differently next time to enhance security?

Tell me about a time when you had to dispose of sensitive information or equipment. What steps did you take to ensure security?

Areas to Cover:

• The type of sensitive information or equipment
• Their assessment of security requirements
• The specific disposal methods used
• Any verification steps to confirm secure destruction
• Compliance with relevant policies or regulations
• Documentation of the disposal process
• Lessons learned from the experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine the appropriate method for disposal?
• What steps did you take to verify that the information was completely destroyed?
• Were there any company policies that guided your actions?
• How would you improve the process if doing it again?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why focus on behavioral questions for assessing security awareness instead of knowledge-based questions?

Behavioral questions reveal how candidates have actually handled security situations in the past, which is a much stronger predictor of future behavior than hypothetical scenarios or knowledge tests. While technical knowledge is important, security awareness is ultimately about consistent behavior and decision-making. Behavioral interviewing lets you assess if candidates have demonstrated security-conscious behaviors in real situations.

How many security awareness questions should I include in an interview?

For most roles, selecting 3-4 well-chosen security awareness questions with thorough follow-up is more effective than rushing through many questions superficially. This allows you to gain depth in your assessment while leaving time for other important competencies. For roles with significant security responsibilities, you might dedicate more of the interview to this competency.

Should I expect different levels of security awareness from technical versus non-technical candidates?

While technical candidates may have more specialized knowledge about security systems and vulnerabilities, all employees need strong security awareness behaviors. The difference lies in the context and complexity—technical roles might be evaluated on more sophisticated security concepts, while non-technical roles should demonstrate solid fundamental awareness and consistent secure behaviors.

How can I tell if a candidate is just giving textbook answers versus describing authentic experiences?

Look for specific details, emotions, and lessons learned in their responses. Ask follow-up questions about the challenges they faced, specific actions they took, and how the experience changed their approach going forward. Authentic experiences typically include complications, imperfect solutions, and personal growth that textbook answers often lack.

Can security awareness be developed, or should we only hire candidates who already demonstrate strong security behaviors?

Security awareness can definitely be developed with proper training and organizational culture. However, candidates should demonstrate at least a baseline awareness and a willingness to learn. Look for evidence of learning agility, conscientious behavior in other contexts, and receptiveness to feedback—these traits suggest a candidate will develop strong security awareness when properly supported.

Interested in a full interview guide with Security Awareness as a key trait? Sign up for Yardstick and build it for free.