This stage is all about having a structured conversation with you to assess how well you meet each competence in the Standard for Professional Competence and Commitment for the title you’re applying for.

During the interview, your written evidence will help guide the questions and discussions, making this an opportunity to expand on your experience and achievements.

If you are invited for a professional discussion, this is a fantastic opportunity for you to discuss and demonstrate your competence and expertise that you’ve outlined in your application.

Here’s what to expect:

If you’re applying for the Chartered Cyber Security Professional (ChCSP) or Principal Cyber Security Professional (PriCSP) titles, there will be two interviewers. At least one of them will be professionally registered in the same title and specialism you’re applying for.

If you’re applying for the Associate Cyber Security Professional (ACSP) or Practitioner Cyber Security Professional (PraCSP) category, there will be one interviewer, who will be registered as Practitioner, Principal or Chartered.

The interview is carefully structured to explore your competencies, and the interviewers will use a scoring methodology to evaluate how you align with the requirements for your title and specialism. After the interview, they’ll provide a recommendation to the final assessment panel.

The possible recommendations are:

Award the professional registration title you’ve applied for.

Potential to award an alternative professional registration title, if appropriate.

Decline the professional registration title for now, with further competence development needed.

All decisions are documented and fully explained, so you’ll understand how your assessment was made. This conversation is a chance to really showcase your experience and competence.