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Where can I find someone to interview for Software Engineer/Cybersecurity career questions??
Where can I find someone to interview for Software Engineer/Cybersecurity career questions??
Hello, I'm 16, live in the WA area and is interested in a career in Software Engineering/Cybersecurity, I have a school assignment that asks to find someone to interview for the career I want to peruse, I have no connections on these fields so I was hoping to be able to find someone to interview here. Any help on organizations or people to help me get in contact for interviewing would be very appreciated! thank you for reading!
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4 answers
Paul Rogers
Solutions Engineer | Technical Consultant | Leadership Mentor
18
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Updated
Paul’s Answer
Hi Dani,
Awesome initiative — reaching out like this already shows leadership and drive!
Here’s how you can find someone to interview and build your network even before college:
LinkedIn: Create a free profile (if you don’t have one yet), search for professionals in "Software Engineering" or "Cybersecurity" near Seattle. Most people are surprisingly open to helping students if you send a short, respectful message.
Tech meetups and clubs: Search sites like Meetup.com for tech groups, coding clubs, or cybersecurity events. Many groups welcome students and love helping newcomers.
High School and Community Resources: Ask your teachers, counselors, or career advisors — many schools have hidden connections through alumni networks!
Local colleges: Even if you’re not attending yet, schools like UW, Bellevue College, and local community colleges often have events open to the public.
Pro Tip:
When you reach out, keep it short and polite — introduce yourself, explain your school project, and ask if they’d be willing to answer a few career questions (email, Zoom, or even a 10-minute call works!).
Also: Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and shoot me a DM.
I’d be happy to connect you with a Software Engineer/Cybersecurity professional at the company I work for in Bellevue if you'd like!
You're already doing exactly what great professionals do: reaching out, learning, and building real connections early.
Keep going — you’re on the right track!
Awesome initiative — reaching out like this already shows leadership and drive!
Here’s how you can find someone to interview and build your network even before college:
LinkedIn: Create a free profile (if you don’t have one yet), search for professionals in "Software Engineering" or "Cybersecurity" near Seattle. Most people are surprisingly open to helping students if you send a short, respectful message.
Tech meetups and clubs: Search sites like Meetup.com for tech groups, coding clubs, or cybersecurity events. Many groups welcome students and love helping newcomers.
High School and Community Resources: Ask your teachers, counselors, or career advisors — many schools have hidden connections through alumni networks!
Local colleges: Even if you’re not attending yet, schools like UW, Bellevue College, and local community colleges often have events open to the public.
Pro Tip:
When you reach out, keep it short and polite — introduce yourself, explain your school project, and ask if they’d be willing to answer a few career questions (email, Zoom, or even a 10-minute call works!).
Also: Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and shoot me a DM.
I’d be happy to connect you with a Software Engineer/Cybersecurity professional at the company I work for in Bellevue if you'd like!
You're already doing exactly what great professionals do: reaching out, learning, and building real connections early.
Keep going — you’re on the right track!
Very helpful, thank you a lot for your comment Paul!
Dani
Updated
Tony’s Answer
Hi Dani,
You could always check with your parents, immediate and extended family members and your friends parents to see if they might know in that profession. Similarly, you could ask other adults such as business/computer teachers, as they may know of some seniors that went to college for that field that would speak with you about it. You could also put another post out on CareerVillage or other mentoring type group.
Hope that provides some ideas.
Tony
You could always check with your parents, immediate and extended family members and your friends parents to see if they might know in that profession. Similarly, you could ask other adults such as business/computer teachers, as they may know of some seniors that went to college for that field that would speak with you about it. You could also put another post out on CareerVillage or other mentoring type group.
Hope that provides some ideas.
Tony
Okay, thank you!
Dani
Updated
Dinesh’s Answer
Hi Dani,
Thank you for your question, I would suggest to finding someone to interview for your assignment in software engineering or cybersecurity can be a great way to gain insights into these fields. I would recommend on where to find potential interviewees:
1. School Resources:
- Teachers or Counselors: They might have industry contacts or know of alumni working in these fields.
- Career Fairs: Check if your school hosts career fairs where professionals from the tech industry participate.
2. Local Meetups and Networking Events:
- Websites like [Meetup.com](https://www.meetup.com/) often list tech-related events where you can meet professionals in software engineering and cybersecurity.
- Attend local tech events or conferences if possible.
3. LinkedIn:
- Create a LinkedIn profile if you don't have one and use it to connect with professionals in your area.
- Search for software engineers or cybersecurity experts in your area and reach out with a polite message explaining your assignment and requesting a short interview.
4. Professional Organizations: Check with some professional organization websites such as International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)² or the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
5. Hackathons and Coding Clubs: Participate in local hackathons or join coding clubs where you can meet professionals and enthusiasts in the field.
6. Family and Friends Network: Ask family members or friends if they know anyone working in software engineering or cybersecurity who might be willing to help.
8. Online Forums and Communities: Engage in communities like Reddit’s r/cybersecurity or Stack Overflow, where you might find professionals open to interviews.
Thank you for your question, I would suggest to finding someone to interview for your assignment in software engineering or cybersecurity can be a great way to gain insights into these fields. I would recommend on where to find potential interviewees:
1. School Resources:
- Teachers or Counselors: They might have industry contacts or know of alumni working in these fields.
- Career Fairs: Check if your school hosts career fairs where professionals from the tech industry participate.
2. Local Meetups and Networking Events:
- Websites like [Meetup.com](https://www.meetup.com/) often list tech-related events where you can meet professionals in software engineering and cybersecurity.
- Attend local tech events or conferences if possible.
3. LinkedIn:
- Create a LinkedIn profile if you don't have one and use it to connect with professionals in your area.
- Search for software engineers or cybersecurity experts in your area and reach out with a polite message explaining your assignment and requesting a short interview.
4. Professional Organizations: Check with some professional organization websites such as International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)² or the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
5. Hackathons and Coding Clubs: Participate in local hackathons or join coding clubs where you can meet professionals and enthusiasts in the field.
6. Family and Friends Network: Ask family members or friends if they know anyone working in software engineering or cybersecurity who might be willing to help.
8. Online Forums and Communities: Engage in communities like Reddit’s r/cybersecurity or Stack Overflow, where you might find professionals open to interviews.
Thank you Dinesh!
Dani
Updated
Wendy’s Answer
Hello Dani, Good day for you. Maybe you can get contact with some of the globally company which nearby you and try to ask the reception if you can get one chance for interview from IT guys off line or on line, pls remember the key point is : sincerely manner from your bottom of heart, so maybe you can search such kind of global company as such company will have various department and social value/mission, they would like to share their platform & resource to help those who have the same value & mission with the company. Maybe it is not one time visiting, so take a deeply breathe and be bravely to start move the first step, if you persistent to visit the target company for one request from your bottom heart, the god will be moved and finally open the doors for you. Even if finally can't meet with the initial target, but at least we can know why can't be achieve it be calm down and think about the process and analyze the result then the brightly idea will come to our mind naturally, 16years old is young, which has various of opportunities. So just relax and be brave and move on steady no matter what kind of consequence, pls be smile to face it, then we will feel powerful and wisdom. Come on, if you think you can then just DO it.
Search on line to find the target company.
Fully psychology preparation to meet the challenge we will face.
Please always be positive to face any situation/anyone.
Please always be confidence even if all others don't believe us.
Wendy recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for your comment Wendy!
Dani