How Heads of InfoSec Can Evaluate Soft Skills in Technical Security Interviews

Finding the right cybersecurity talent goes far beyond evaluating technical skills. You might have a candidate who can reverse-engineer malware or design complex network architectures, but if they can’t communicate effectively with non-technical stakeholders or collaborate during high-pressure incident responses, they’ll struggle to deliver real value to your organization.

The best security professionals combine deep technical knowledge with strong interpersonal abilities. They translate complex threats into business language, work seamlessly across departments, and maintain composure when systems are under attack. Yet many hiring managers still focus primarily on technical competencies, missing the soft skills that separate good candidates from exceptional ones.

This guide shows you how to evaluate these often-overlooked abilities during your technical interviews, helping you identify candidates who can excel in today’s collaborative cybersecurity environment.

Why soft skills matter more than you think in cybersecurity roles

Modern cybersecurity operates as a team sport. When a security incident occurs, your response team needs to coordinate across multiple departments, communicate with executives, and often explain technical concepts to people without security backgrounds. A technically brilliant analyst who can’t articulate the business impact of a breach becomes a liability rather than an asset.

Several key factors demonstrate why soft skills have become critical for cybersecurity success:

• Communication skills directly impact incident response effectiveness – During a security event, clear and concise communication can mean the difference between containing a threat quickly and watching it spread across your network
• Cross-functional collaboration drives security integration – Security professionals now work closely with product teams, compliance departments, and business units to implement security by design
• Problem-solving abilities adapt to evolving threats – Your team needs people who can think creatively, adapt to new challenges, and develop innovative solutions as the threat landscape constantly changes
• Teamwork capabilities affect daily operations – Security teams often include specialists from different backgrounds working together on complex challenges, requiring effective knowledge sharing and collaboration

These interpersonal skills have become just as important as technical expertise because cybersecurity now touches every aspect of business operations. Security professionals must serve as translators between the technical and business worlds, helping organizations understand risks while implementing practical solutions that support business objectives rather than hinder them.

What to look for beyond technical expertise in security candidates

High-performing cybersecurity professionals share several key soft skills that distinguish them from their peers. Understanding these characteristics helps you identify candidates who will thrive in your environment.

The most valuable soft skills to assess include:

• Adaptability and continuous learning mindset – The threat landscape changes rapidly, so look for candidates who demonstrate flexibility in their approach and show enthusiasm for learning rather than rigid adherence to familiar methods
• Critical thinking and analytical reasoning – Exceptional security professionals can analyze situations from multiple angles, question assumptions, and develop creative solutions while thinking like an attacker when designing defenses
• Business acumen and strategic thinking – The best candidates understand how security decisions impact operations, can articulate cost-benefit relationships, and align recommendations with organizational goals
• Stakeholder management and influence – Whether explaining risks to executives or training end users, security professionals need to build relationships and influence others without formal authority
• Emotional intelligence under pressure – They must remain calm during incidents, manage stress effectively, and work productively with colleagues who may have different priorities
• Detail orientation with big-picture perspective – While requiring meticulous attention to technical details, they must also understand how their work fits broader organizational objectives

These qualities create security professionals who can navigate both technical challenges and organizational dynamics effectively. They become trusted advisors who can bridge the gap between complex security requirements and practical business needs, ultimately delivering solutions that protect the organization while enabling growth and innovation.

Practical techniques for assessing soft skills during technical interviews

Evaluating soft skills requires intentional interview techniques that go beyond traditional technical questioning. You can assess these abilities while still maintaining focus on technical competency by using structured approaches that reveal how candidates think and communicate.

Effective assessment techniques include:

• Scenario-based incident response questions – Present realistic security incidents that require both technical analysis and stakeholder communication, asking candidates to walk through their complete response process
• Real-time communication evaluation – Pay attention to how candidates explain complex concepts during technical discussions, noting their ability to break down details and adjust explanations based on feedback
• Collaborative problem-solving exercises – Present complex security challenges requiring multiple perspectives, observing how candidates incorporate input from others and handle disagreement
• Past experience deep-dives – Ask about specific times when they explained technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, dealt with conflicting priorities, or adapted when initial solutions failed
• Pressure testing with time constraints – Introduce complications to technical scenarios and watch for clear thinking, effective prioritization, and maintained communication quality under stress
• Role-reversal teaching exercises – Have candidates explain technical concepts as if teaching someone else, revealing their ability to think from others’ perspectives

These techniques work best when integrated naturally into your technical interview process rather than treated as separate assessments. By combining technical evaluation with soft skills observation, you gain a complete picture of how candidates will perform in real-world situations where both technical expertise and interpersonal effectiveness determine success.

Common soft skills evaluation mistakes that lead to bad hires

Many hiring managers fall into predictable traps when evaluating candidates, leading to poor hiring decisions despite good intentions. Understanding these common mistakes helps you avoid them in your own process.

The most frequent evaluation errors include:

• Overemphasis on technical skills alone – Focusing exclusively on technical abilities often leads to hiring brilliant individuals who struggle to work effectively with others or communicate their value
• Misreading cultural fit signals – Mistaking quiet candidates for poor communicators or interpreting confidence as arrogance, rather than assessing actual collaborative abilities
• Skipping real-world collaboration assessment – Many candidates interview well individually but struggle in team environments, making it essential to specifically evaluate collaborative scenarios
• Overlooking stress response patterns – Candidates who become flustered or uncommunicative under mild interview stress may struggle significantly during actual security incidents
• Insufficient soft skills reference checking – Missing opportunities to verify how candidates actually work with others and handle challenging interpersonal situations
• Inconsistent evaluation criteria – Without clear frameworks, different interviewers focus on different aspects, making objective hiring decisions difficult
• Rushing the assessment process – Unlike technical skills, soft skills require observation over time and in different contexts to evaluate accurately

These mistakes often stem from treating soft skills as secondary considerations rather than core competencies. Successful cybersecurity hiring requires recognizing that interpersonal abilities directly impact technical performance and organizational success, making them equally important to assess thoroughly and consistently throughout your hiring process.

Building a strong cybersecurity team requires balancing technical expertise with the interpersonal skills that enable effective collaboration and communication. By incorporating soft skills assessment into your technical interviews, you’ll identify candidates who can contribute immediately and grow with your organization. Remember that the best security professionals combine deep technical knowledge with the ability to work effectively with others and communicate their value clearly.

At Iceberg, we understand the importance of finding cybersecurity professionals who excel in both technical and interpersonal areas. Our rigorous vetting process evaluates candidates holistically, ensuring they meet your requirements for both skill set and cultural alignment. With our global network of over 120,000 qualified cybersecurity professionals, we help you find candidates who can contribute immediately to your team’s success. If you are interested in learning more, reach out to our team of experts today.