I’ve been in security for about 14 years. I started my career in help desk, moved up to desktop support, then server support, built a help desk team and security team, and here I am now.
As far as life choices go, I had an opportunity to start a security team for a company. I was involved in that, and that team grew, but I started to become complacent and comfortable. I didn’t push myself as hard as I should have, and it ended up throwing me back in my career progression. So now, I’ve accelerated that process to catch up and make up for lost time. I’m not regretting that, in a way, but it was one of those moments where you think: I wish I had done this or that. And especially with security, as it’s an accelerated field, and I could have done so many things in that span of time. But I chose not to do it, because I had a family and I was comfortable. But that’s the choice I made.
In security, you always have to upskill yourself. You can’t rely on your company to do that for you. If you did, you’d be doing yourself a disservice, because you’re going to be way behind. You’re going at the pace of the company, which may not be the pace of the security field. For me, upskilling is very important — like going to conferences, training programs. Fortunately for me, being the program chair for the New Jersey Chapter of ISACA, I get to access all the training I organize for the members, so I get to upskill myself every time.
Certifications are important today. It makes me feel good to have them. Companies look for it. I look for it when I interview people. But personally, I think it’s more about the satisfaction that the work you put into it is validated. It validates your skill level, your knowledge. You also have to prepare; you can’t just walk into a testing center and take the test. Some people can do that. I can’t. So, there’s preparation towards that, and it makes you feel good at the end of the day when you see on the screen that you’ve passed. It’s a very gratifying feeling to be certified, to be acknowledged that you have the background and have the skillset in the space.
There are plenty of opportunities in security. About two million jobs that will remain unfilled in the coming years. The problem I think is that there aren’t a lot of people interested in the field. It’s not a glamorous field. Most of us work behind the scenes, defending users and the company’s network. But there’s plenty of opportunity for those who want to learn, get involved, get your hands dirty and make a difference. This profession has given so much to me both personally and in the advancement of my career. I like the fact that I need to be current as the field changes so rapidly. What I learn is not only applicable to what I do but also applies to my personal life. New technology, new threats, new attackers and new regulations. So many changes, in so little time, affecting so many people. The pace may be too much for most but isn’t to me and shouldn’t be for you. It is both an exciting and scary time, but at the end of the day, if you are prepared, you can make a big difference and the results can be very rewarding.
Conferences and training are not the only way to learn. Read a book, attend a webinar, talk to your peers. Learn something different. Expand your horizons and see what’s out there. Because you never know when you might be forced to change careers and have to go into a different field, a field you don’t know anything about. Upskilling to learn different things not only makes you better in security, it also prepares you for the challenges that lie ahead.
Lastly, finding the right career is stressful, whether it is in security or another field. I recommend to anyone to have a plan, know where you want to be in your career and how you are going to get there. Also, don’t be afraid to take chances. Go for it! You never know unless you try.
