Eshan is a class of 2024 MSc Cyber Security graduate. Eshan graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in 2022 and completed an information security internship before undertaking the Masters Programme with NCI. After graduating Eshan secured a role as an Information Security Analyst with Utmost Group.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background:
My name is Eshan Parihar, and I’m originally from a small city called Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India - easiest way to picture it is the desert part of India.
My journey into tech started early. I’ve been interested in computers since I was around 5 years old, and cyber security specifically since I was about 13. Growing up, I spent a lot of time watching sci fi movies, which really sparked my curiosity about how technology works behind the scenes.
I completed my Bachelor’s in Computer Science in August 2022, and shortly after, moved to Ireland in January 2023 to pursue my Master’s in Cyber Security. During my bachelor’s, I also had the chance to give back a bit - I ran sessions to help junior students understand how they could get into cyber security, while interning at a local IT firm where I supported their cyber security training.
What made you choose Ireland as a place to study and work?
When I decided to go abroad for my master’s, I actually spent close to six months researching different countries and universities to find the best fit. Ireland stood out pretty clearly in the end. It has a strong and growing IT industry with great opportunities, and the fact that English is the main language made the move far less daunting. It felt like the right mix of career opportunity and a smooth transition.
What was your most memorable experience from your time at NCI?
Without a doubt, my experience as a Peer Mentor with the International Department. It was a really rewarding experience — I got to support new students who were going through the same transition I had just experienced. At the same time, it helped me build some very strong friendships that have stayed with me beyond my time at NCI.
How did you hear about your role?
Interestingly, I didn’t find my role through a job site - it came through networking. I met my current manager at a cyber security conference called BSides Dublin. I first met him when I was volunteering there in 2023 and then reconnected with him at the following year’s conference. At that time, he was looking to bring someone onto his team and asked me to send my CV right away. Everything moved quite quickly after that, within two weeks, I had completed two rounds of interviews and joined the team shortly after.
What did the recruitment and selection process involve and how did you prepare for it?
Since I connected directly with the hiring manager, I didn’t go through a traditional application process. I received a call from HR within a week, where they covered the basics — my qualifications, master’s progress, and visa status. Soon after, I had an interview with my Team Leader, where we went through my CV in detail and discussed my experience.
Although that was initially expected to be the final round, I was then invited to speak with the CISO. That conversation focused less on technical details and more on how I approach teamwork, handle challenges, and fit into the day-to-day environment. One interesting point was that both interviewers were quite interested in my background in event management, something I had been involved in since my bachelor’s days. About a week later, I received the offer.
In terms of preparation, I kept things simple — I focused primarily on understanding the job description. Since I was targeting graduate roles, I made sure I had a solid grasp of the fundamentals so I could speak confidently about them.
Can you describe the visa process you underwent?
I initially worked on a Stamp 1G Graduate Visa while on a contract.At the start of 2026, the company offered to sponsor my Critical Skills visa. The process itself was quite straightforward — I completed my part of the application with personal details and documents, and the rest was handled with support from HR.
What is a typical day like in your current role?
One of the things that makes cyber security so interesting is that no two days are the same. Some days are more focused on research, documentation, or improving processes, while others can involve responding to active incidents.Generally, my day starts with reviewing threat intelligence from the previous night (or weekend), catching up on new attack patterns, and understanding emerging threats. From there, it varies — it could be reviewing incidents, analysing vulnerabilities, or working on improving internal security processes.
What do you like most about working in your current role or profession?
For me, it’s the dynamic nature of the field. Cyber security is constantly evolving, and there’s always something new to learn. While that can be challenging, it also means the work never gets repetitive and you are continuously building new skills.
What has been the most challenging part of your graduate journey?
The biggest challenge was landing the first role. Once that hurdle was crossed, everything else, both academically and professionally, felt much more manageable.
Top 3 tips for students and graduates entering the Irish job market:
- Don’t rely only on online applications - attend events, network, and put yourself out there.There are tons of small and big events in Ireland throughout the year, attend as many of them as possible - volunteer, participate, etc.
- Focus on practical skills and problem solving rather than just theory, especially in cyber security. Build your own home lab, set up a SIEM, analyse traffic while conducting different attacks, participate in CTFs, etc.
- Don’t overlook small opportunities - they often turn out to be the ones that make the biggest difference. My events management experience turned out to be a great USP for me because that showed that I knew how to handle situations under pressure.