There are two broad approaches to pretexting and engagement.
One is to have a fully fledged persona and backstory, the other is
to improvise as you move through the engagement.
In the first case,
you may have a persona of someone who is applying for a job
or has an interview with the company.
I would suggest avoiding putting on accents or spending too
much time on the character's backstory.
Instead, if you're building a persona,
spend time doing recon to determine the most plausible pretext.
The other approach which I favor is to avoid people as
much as possible, and when confronted,
this allows you to craft a more plausible
explanation of your location and actions.
For example, in a recent engagement,
I initially impersonated a customer, which gave me limited access,
but allowed me to infiltrate past reception.
I was then able to impersonate a third‑party
engineer to access the IT department.
This eventually led me to a point where I could acquire a
staff patch and I was able to impersonate a member of staff
for the rest of the engagement.
If the first approach works,
it is less pressure on you because you have a persona
that you have already built; however,
it is less flexible and can be challenged more easily.
For example, if you have the persona of someone attending a job interview,
but the receptionist knows there is a hiring freeze,
then you could be put on the spot and called out, ending the
engagement. In the second approach, which I favor,
you need to be able to think on your feet and improvise
the correct responses to the situation.
This is a skill you can learn and develop over time,
but may not be the approach you try on your first engagement.