Re:I want this job. (Score 1)

this is my job, and I love it. I'm a partner with a US security firm and from time to time, a penetration test pops up where the customer requests the use of social engineering. it's a lot of fun, but it is incredibly intense. the butterflies mentioned in the story are the hardest part.. the other people are a piece of cake.

the concept of implicit trust in pre-interpersonal interactions (even in the face of contradictory non-verbal cues.. eg. stuttering and shaking hands) amazes me so much that I am writing a thesis on the subject. unfortunately, there are very few people who do this sort of thing legitimately, so finding information on the topic is quite difficult. anyway, don't fool yourself into thinking that this type of work is easy.. talking people out of passwords or login methods on the phone, or sending a trojan "service pack" via email is child's play... looking someone in the eyes and overcoming your body's instinctive reaction to let them know that you don't even believe what you are saying is quite stressful. luckily, no one will ever imagine that you are just trying to get the same level of access that they have, so it doesn't matter how bad you screw up... seems easy, but it is incredibly stressful.. however, the "high" you get once you're in is incredible :)

/d