Splunk's Boss of the SOC (BOTS) capture-the-flag (CTF) competition didn't start out as a recruitment event, but for some cybersecurity professionals, taking part in the event has helped them progress in their careers. For the past 10 years, the security company has hosted BOTS, a blue team CTF competition, as one of many events during its .conf user conference. The event is not limited to just the .conf user conference, as Splunk runs the competition for other companies, too. She wasn't recruited during BOTS or even looking for a job when she took part in the competition. "Even though it's a blue-team CTF competition, it's such a sense of camaraderie," Brown says.