Cybersecurity Job Tips: What would you advise your younger self?

Most people perceive cybersecurity as this daunting field that is difficult to get a foot in the door.  And while it certainly isn’t any cakewalk, it can be accessible to nearly anyone with the right amount of drive and diligence. For those aspiring to enter the industry, our CEO Kris Rides recently posed a question to his vast network of security professionals that may be of interest. The question that was asked was, “If you could go back in time to when you were starting your cybersecurity career what advice would you have given your younger self?” While this was mostly self-reflection for many experienced people in the field, it may be beneficial for the next generation of security personnel. Over a hundred professionals chimed in with some great advice but we’ve decided to narrow it down to a few that stood out to us the most. Here are some of the most helpful comments that we’ve received.

CEO at Security Consulting Firm:

“Learn to listen to what is actually being said or asked for and not what you think. Always look at the breadth of the issue, not just the deep technical part. You can have the best network defence in the world technically but it doesn’t count for anything if you leave a door open”

Cyber and Privacy Professional:

“Learn to write better.  Coding and tech config is great but to advance you have to be able to write.  To translate geek to normal speak”

Cyber Security Consultant:

“Do something extra-curricular e.g. Volunteer, start a blog, do some bug-hunting, create how-to videos etc. This will help you: a. learn fast b. stand out”

Security Professional:

“Study more coding languages and practice coding weekly. It’s a core job requirement for so many roles, regardless of how frequently you’ll actually use those skills in your day-to-day responsibilities.”

Co-Founder of a Cyber Security Non-Profit:

“Join as many cybersecurity organizations and groups as you can so you can network and learn from your peers.  Also, find and follow amazing Cybersecurity professionals on Twitter and Linkedin. There are so many good people and so much to learn!”

Cyber Security professional:

“Be prepared to never stop learning. A degree is great. Certifications get you past HR, but self study, even when you don’t feel it, makes a huge difference and is a must. Also, you are not an imposter, just on a journey. Make it happen.”

Every one of these comments had a unique take on advice that they would tell a younger version of themselves. For many aspiring security professionals, taking this kind of guidance from people who have been through it all before may be a boon to their career. And who knows with the right amount of dedication and hard work you might be where they are one day.

Tiro Security are a specialist Cyber Security staffing and professional services company. Formed in 2012, headquartered on the West Coast and helping clients all over the USA, Cyber Security is ALL we do. Tiro Security is extremely active in the cyber security industry and regularly speaks as experts on staffing, careers and retaining talent at major conferences including DEFCON, ISC2 Congress, ShellCon, BSides and RSA.

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