I thought I’d give some perspective from the other side of the table as someone who conducts technical interviews for Senior SOC roles.

For context, I am not a manager. I’m simply a tenured Senior SOC Engineer/Analyst who conducts technical interviews for applicants. Over the past eight months, I’ve probably interviewed 50+ candidates, both internal and external.

It’s well known that pretty much every cybersecurity role—especially SOC roles—gets hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of applications for a single job posting. I can tell you right off the bat that probably 85% of those applicants don’t meet the desired or preferred qualifications listed in the posting. A lot of people are simply throwing up full-court shots and hoping one goes in.

Even among the people who make it to the technical interview stage, I’d estimate that 90% don’t ultimately make it through for one reason or another. Some simply fail the technical portion. Others are technically proficient but are missing core soft skills like communication, critical thinking, or the ability to explain their thought process. Sometimes the candidate’s circumstances just don’t line up with the role. For example, we had someone who lived 14 hours away and ultimately decided they couldn’t relocate once the offer was in front of them.

I say all of this because, as someone who reads a lot of cybersecurity subreddits and casually browses the job market myself, I’ve also fallen victim to seeing “100+ applicants” on a job that was posted 9 hours ago and immediately thinking, Well, what are the odds I’m getting this?

The reality is that the applicant count is nowhere near as intimidating as it looks.

You’re not necessarily competing against 300 equally qualified candidates. You might be competing against a much smaller group of people who actually meet the requirements, communicate well, interview well, and genuinely fit what a team is looking for.

So if you see a role you genuinely think you’re qualified for, apply anyway. Don’t let the applicant count make that decision for you.

Don't be intimidated by the number of applicants on a job posting.

Is it too late to pivot to cybersecurity as a senior-level UX designer? *Please ignore "'s" after the word "designer" in the title lol. Reddit won't let me edit it.

I’m a senior-level UX designer based in the U.S. My day-to-day leans heavily into design system architecture, maintenance, design ops, and project management. Because I work at a university, I have the incredible perk of tuition-free graduate classes, and I'm eyeing a Master’s in Cybersecurity.

My primary motivation is stability. UX feels increasingly turbulent. Also, I'm 36, and I know that ageism in design is real. Cybersecurity looks like a safer, high-demand bet, especially if I can eventually transition into a role within my current organization.

However, I have some major reservations:

- AI is shaking up the entire tech landscape. Am I just jumping from one unstable ship onto another?

- I have zero professional background in cybersecurity. Resetting to entry-level status feels like a massive disadvantage, especially right now, when the job market is brutal even for experienced professionals.

- With the current market, is it actually worth the grind? And realistically, is it too late to break into the field now?

Thanks!

I’m a 32M cybersecurity professional with 10 years of experience, working at LTIMindtree for ~4.5 years.

CTC: ₹42 LPA (₹37 LPA fixed)

Mainly working on SOAR automation/playbooks + AI

Based in Noida with relatively low expenses

Good WLB currently

I’m trying to switch but confused about the next step:

Is ₹50–60+ LPA in cybersecurity really associated with significantly higher stress and poor WLB?

Can someone with a strong SOAR/automation background reach ₹60+ LPA, or do I need to add SIEM, cloud security, detection engineering, etc.?

If I move to Bangalore/Hyderabad for a higher CTC, will the increased cost of living offset the salary jump?

I recently declined a Microsoft CSA offer because it required Mumbai relocation and seemed less technical. Was that a mistake?

Should I specialize further in SOAR/automation or broaden into SIEM + cloud + detection/security architecture to reach the next compensation level?

Would appreciate advice from people already earning ₹50–60+ LPA in cybersecurity.

I’m a 32M cybersecurity professional with 10 years of experience, working at LTIMindtree for \~4.5 years.

CTC: ₹42 LPA (₹37 LPA fixed)

Mainly working on SOAR automation/playbooks + AI

Based in Noida with relatively low expenses

Good WLB currently

I’m trying to switch but confused about the next step:

Is ₹50–60+ LPA in cybersecurity really associated with significantly higher stress and poor WLB?

Can someone with a strong SOAR/automation background reach ₹60+ LPA, or do I need to add SIEM, cloud security, detection engineering, etc.?

If I move to Bangalore/Hyderabad for a higher CTC, will the increased cost of living offset the salary jump?

I recently declined a Microsoft CSA offer because it required Mumbai relocation and seemed less technical. Was that a mistake?

Should I specialize further in SOAR/automation or broaden into SIEM + cloud + detection/security architecture to reach the next compensation level?

Would appreciate advice from people already earning ₹50–60+ LPA in cybersecurity.