Be Special
Whenever someone asks me what administration they should focus their information technology career, specially inwards regard to cybersecurity, my reply is e'er the same: "It depends." It's commonly non a rattling satisfying answer, but it's an honest one.
Early inwards my ain career I learned the pitfalls of non specializing inwards something. While there's e'er a house on a back upward squad for someone who seems to know a lilliputian fleck well-nigh everything, this makes for a rattling pitiable career move. On the surface it seems similar a dandy idea, but inwards reality…
It's but non possible to move an practiced inwards everything. Everyone hits their limits amongst time, memory, together with conclusion eventually, then nosotros must direct wisely what nosotros desire to specialize in. Having no specialty is a recipe for a mediocre career, especially inwards cybersecurity.
So, if you're exactly kicking off your safety career, or re-tooling together with looking for inspiration, the best house to starting fourth dimension is finding a specialty. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few questions you lot may desire to inquire yourself:
- Do you lot bask interacting amongst others inwards a squad atmosphere?
- Do you lot consider yourself to move a goodness communicator?
- Are you lot to a greater extent than interested inwards applied scientific discipline or the administration side of things?
Further, you lot should also consider what you're goodness at, or what comes naturally to you. Some folks prefer ascendence trouble programming together with lonely work, piece others may capitalize on interpersonal skills together with interactions amongst others. Think well-nigh your personality – are you lot to a greater extent than of an introvert or an extrovert? Are you lot to a greater extent than methodical or would you lot consider yourself spontaneous together with creative? What well-nigh your interests – what do you lot do that excites you, or what is an interesting theme of learning? All of these factors tin aid decide where you lot should focus your safety career path. The possibilities are vast, together with include:
- Security Auditors
- Forensic Investigators
- Penetration Testers
- Security Analysts
- Incident Response Teams
- Security Researchers
- Managers
- Trainers
All of these positions (and many more) are needed across all industries. Whether you lot desire to move business office of a squad or an independent contractor, working on civilian or nation of war machine projects, the possibilities are almost endless.
So, I encourage you lot to accept an honest survey of your career. Is it heading inwards the administration you lot want? Do you lot currently get got a signal of focus? Be special! Find that passion together with nil inwards amongst laser-like focus. When you lot detect the correct path, a lifelong commitment to constant learning together with grooming becomes then much less of a burden. No 1 knows you lot improve than you, then move honest amongst yourself together with starting fourth dimension doing what you lot love.
All the best,
Charles Judd - Instructor
CCNA R/S, BS Network Security
