How to align my career?????

Cyberscum

Well, to make a long story short I am looking at ways to align my career (INFOSEC) to primarily work from home. I do not have the opportunity for this at my current position because we deal with classifieds, but I do know that opportunities exist.

I have years of experience in C&A, project management, local policy, auditing, SAP security, sys admin, D&P and COOP. Mostly paperwork stuff with a sprinkle of sys/net admin thrown in.

So my question is this…

What certs, skills or jobs do you know of, or have had, that could put me on track for my ultimate goal; Work in my PJ’s!

C/S

successrealm

(Watching this thread, as my ultimate goal would be checking security of systems/consulting/policies , et cetera from an RV with my laptop, while traveling the US...)

Cyberscum

successrealm wrote: »

(Watching this thread, as my ultimate goal would be checking security of systems/consulting/policies , et cetera from an RV with my laptop, while traveling the US...)

Yes! That would be wonderful!

E Double U

When I was in config and SOC I worked remotely. No hair cuts/shaving, no ties, working in robe, no wear & tear on my car, forgetting the cost of gas, no traffic...those were the days.

N2IT

Wish I had an answer for you.

I think we all eventually want to explore this route. The only positions I have noticed that I am even remotely capable of of applying for is virtual business functions. Mainly supply chain management / analyst. Managing the accruals of PPD, AF, FTS, Incentives and SSA. The pay is about the same, but this would be the kiss of death to IT. This would be a 100% business role. These folks call up the help desk to clear their cache and cookies.

Verities

HP hires PMs for remote positions. They live all over the U.S. and usually have a PMP certification. Unfortunately, they know jack squat about technical stuff so they just make a bunch of money and attend conference calls all day.

N2IT

@ Verities good point

If you go the agile route they will expect you to be onsite non stop, I know this first hand.

The manufacturing style PM's seem to have some latitude to work from home and like you mentioned some can work 100% remote.

Cyberscum

Verities wrote: »

HP hires PMs for remote positions. They live all over the U.S. and usually have a PMP certification. Unfortunately, they know jack squat about technical stuff so they just make a bunch of money and attend conference calls all day.

I have been considering the PMP for awhile now, this might be a decent route to explore. IT/Security PM.... Hmmmmm

beads

Been close to nailing a pre-sales opportunity now and then that would be work from anywhere. Downsides is, like any remote position, your probably looking at doing some significant travel as well. I don't think your going to find much in the way of ideal without creating a career limiting move for the next few years. Its going to change rapidly in the next five years or so but for right now, remote is the career kiss of death.

- b/eads

UnixGuy

That would be awesome. Even better if I can a position where I can be at home and get paid doing minimum work. Like checking systems health twice a day or something.

how about contracting? 3 months contract then 2 months off?

UnixGuy

Another option that I'm *thinking* about is teaching. Like teaching remotely or online tutoring for online degrees/courses. I have no idea if it pays well, or if it needs advanced degrees. Perhaps someone with an experience with this can help.

LeBroke

successrealm wrote: »

(Watching this thread, as my ultimate goal would be checking security of systems/consulting/policies , et cetera from an RV with my laptop, while traveling the US...)

We should start a club consulting company!

successrealm

LeBroke wrote: »

We should start a club consulting company!

Indeed! Remote Vulnerabilities, LLC.

Cyberscum

successrealm wrote: »

Indeed! Remote Vulnerabilities, LLC.

Actually, not a bad idea.

I meet with the owner of Ultimate Knowledge (Scott) last year and he dev’d the Social Media Security class and sold it to COMPTIA. He has an “instructor lead” business, but struggles to find instructors that are qualified and have time to teach. Needless to say he has done very well for himself (pulled up in a Maserati) for our class.

This would actually be a great place to recruit instructors and such for remote opportunities.

We all understand the gaps and challenges that businesses and the government face first hand. It would be like taking candy from a baby…

successrealm

Cyberscum wrote: »

Actually, not a bad idea.

I meet with the owner of Ultimate Knowledge (Scott) last year and he dev’d the Social Media Security class and sold it to COMPTIA. He has an “instructor lead” business, but struggles to find instructors that are qualified and have time to teach. Needless to say he has done very well for himself (pulled up in a Maserati) for our class.

This would actually be a great place to recruit instructors and such for remote opportunities.

We all understand the gaps and challenges that businesses and the government face first hand. It would be like taking candy from a baby…

Yep, and all it takes to do something is ACTION. Successful people are the one's who take chances. Trust me...I know from experience how not taking action, can cause regret. I'll share a story with you, if you have a moment?

Back in 1997, I was still in the Navy as an IT Tech, and thought of this idea for a watch. I wanted it to be different, because the watch "face" has truly not changed very much at all, ever since its inception. Remember that the inventor of "Swatch" did nothing more than change the BANDS and became successful. I wanted to changed the FACE.

I wanted something that would catch the attention of people noticing it, and cause them to want it. The original idea was nothing more than a vision I had of a swirling "galaxy" display behind the numbers. I thought of how I could do it with liquid, and other ideas, and eventually hit upon the idea of CUSTOMIZATION via desktop transfer. I had remembered those HP PDA thingy's, and how one could plug those into your desktop to change backgrounds, et cetera. (Around 2000?). So, I thought why not incorporate this into a watch, where the "user" could change the background to any color and even match it to the clothes they wore that day. You've got a silver buckled belt and silver rings on that day? Make the dials/hands on the watch "silver". Move the date window wherever you want it. People love to customize. Anyway, years went by, I kept thinking about it, and I started noticing around 2006 or so, that Fossil was doing a bit of this with their watches, but nothing close to my idea in my head of how it "could" be...

Imagine my surprise, when just a few years ago, and now more recently, this whole idea of a DIGITAL watchface is upon us! Apple is set to make their Apple Watches a tremendous hit, and I sit here going WTF! I put it off, and put it off for yeeeeeears. I had excuses like, "how am I going to make power for this last, people will not want to keep plugging in a watch", or "I can't find a programmer, and I don't want to learn programming like Java or whatever Android language it would take".

Excuses.....fear of failure.....INaction

THEORY watches---Somewhere around 1997

NetworkNewb

I think the Apple Watch is kind of ridiculous, and I'm person that loves new gadgets.

successrealm

NetworkNewb wrote: »

I think the Apple Watch is kind of ridiculous, and I'm person that loves new gadgets.

Oh, so do I.

My intent was personal customization, but Apple has made it a mini-ipad pretty much. I had even thought of another revenue stream after the buy, where communities could charge for "premade" templates for users to download. Christmas coming up, boing Christmas theme download. Like the NY Yankees, boing Yankees backdrop/theme.
Even went so far in my "mind" as to possible deals with Honda or Budweiser, to sell rights to as "advertising". Give people money to download a companies theme. Cheap advertising like those companies that pay people money to decal a car for adverts....

(Goes back over to the corner, to kick myself repeatedly in the nuts.....)

@CyberScum---If you're interested, PM me about some ideas. I am actually going to meet with a friend of my future brother-in-law in WVA. The guy is a CMDR in US Navy, and retiring next year, and he works as the big honcho for Naval Hospitals and wants to start up a security company with all of his contacts/govt. Many of whom started something similar a few years ago, and sold off for millions. Consulting/Security may be in my future. Hence, CISSP...CISM...HCISSP for my next certs, along with military prior service with Hospitals, what I do now, et cetera.
I meet with him the weekend of May 8th.

Cyberscum

@Success

You are dead on, I work with a lot of people that are so very talented and experienced. They all speak of starting businesses, so on so fourth. Not one has pulled the trigger; I guess gov work really is a safety zone for many. Ill PM you.

W Stewart

I've seen some remote sys admin and devops roles here and there. I only ever attempted to get one and the recruiter let me know off the back that they would probably end up hiring somebody related to the hiring manager.

UnixGuy

So do you want to align your career to work from home or to own your own business?

Owning a business is not always a good idea, to me working crazy hours is not a win, so that's always a factor.