Here's how you can ace discussing your disaster recovery planning experience in an interview.

Understand the Basics: Be clear on what disaster recovery (DR) planning entails, including key concepts such as RPO (Recovery Point Objective) and RTO (Recovery Time Objective). Describe the Scope: Explain the scope of your involvement. Were you responsible for creating the DR plan, testing it, or both? Detail the size and complexity of the systems you were protecting.

Highlight Key Components: Discuss the critical components of your DR plan, such as backup strategies, data replication, failover procedures, and communication plans. Emphasize Methodology: Describe the methodology you used to develop the DR plan. Mention any frameworks or standards you followed, such as ISO/IEC 27031, NIST SP 800-34, or ITIL.

Discuss Risk Assessment: Highlight how you conducted risk assessments and business impact analyses to identify potential threats and their impact on business operations. Detail Implementation: Explain how you implemented the DR plan. Include specifics on the technologies and tools used, as well as any challenges you faced and how you overcame them.

Testing and Maintenance: Emphasize the importance of regular testing and maintenance of the DR plan. Discuss how often tests were conducted, what types of tests (e.g., tabletop exercises, simulation tests) were performed, and any improvements made based on test results. Provide Examples: Share specific examples or case studies where your DR planning was put to the test. Highlight the outcomes, such as minimized downtime, data recovery success, and overall impact on business continuity.

Numbers and details are key. You need to have a process of some sort to analytically review impacting events. A Root Cause Analysis (RCA) that details what happened, when it happened, how it happened, who (internal/external) was impacted, and how it was resolved. Through a detailed RCA, you can express the details in real numbers and the scope of impact. This will allow you to quantify the lessons learned. Compare your RCA results with stated business objectives and ensure compliance with industry regulations. Key to this is documenting your RCAs with lessons learned and corrective actions taken. Short-term corrective actions resolve the impact. Long-term corrective actions prevent future incidents from occurring.

Show Results: Quantify the results of your DR efforts wherever possible. For example, mention the reduction in downtime, recovery time achieved, or cost savings. Address Collaboration: Discuss how you collaborated with different teams (IT, operations, management) and external partners (vendors, service providers) to develop and implement the DR plan.

Continuous Improvement: Highlight your commitment to continuous improvement. Discuss how you stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in disaster recovery and how you incorporate new knowledge into your DR planning. Tailor to the Company: Tailor your discussion to the specific company and role you are applying for. Research the company’s industry, size, and potential DR needs to align your experience with their requirements.