Cyber Security field is getting wild

CCNTrainee

TheFORCE wrote: »

I'm not judging, just trying to understand how can someone spend 4 years in college for biochem or any other degree and expect to get a job in IT when we all know how tough it can be. These kids maybe are watching too many movies and think everyone in IT is a hacker.

Had a middle age guy that got his first retirement being a flight attendant. Went into IT/SysAd with no college degree for it as his second career. He was a really weird dude but was able to negotiate a salary making just short of six figures. He was one of those people that talked too much, so maybe that played a factor in his negotiation. Anyways, he joined a different company and was laid off due to the contract not being renewed. Now the dude works at a dealership as a car salesman. Point I am making is that some people are able to adapt into brand new unrelated career fields. I met people that jumped into something that they have never done before (like start their own business) and became successful after tuning their craft for some time.

As for the original post, I would be livid if my mother pulled something like. Maybe the mother is just overbearing and overreaching her duties as a parent. Or maybe her star child is that much of a non-functioning adult that needs their hand held all the time.

ITSec14

Blucodex wrote: »

Not entirely accurate IMO.

What I really mean by that is anyone can sit down, read a book, memorize the information and then take an exam and pass. It's taking that knowledge and skill set and executing them effectively in a work space that makes someone good at IT.

PC509

ITSec14 wrote: »

What I really mean by that is anyone can sit down, read a book, memorize the information and then take an exam and pass. It's taking that knowledge and skill set and executing them effectively in a work space that makes someone good at IT.

I like to think that most of us on this forum are very intelligent people. Some with lots of experience. Some with lots of education. We don't know everything, we all come to brick walls where we're beating our head trying to find the solution. But, we troubleshoot and work our way through the problem. That's what the books can't teach. They teach things how they should work and some common solutions. But, when you have multiple systems working together and there's a problem somewhere, you work your way down the line to find where the issue is. From there, you know exactly what you need to do, or what to Google, or what to tell the other support engineer or whatever. You isolate the problem. What sucks is when you find a dozen other problems in the process that need fixed... (like a Malcom in the Middle episode).

I'm glad that this Mom cares, but I wouldn't hire the kid. His Mom could be a way for networking with other people, introducing people she knows. But, not to do his job search for him. He should be making those posts. If he can't put in the effort during the job search, I don't trust he'd put in the effort on the job without pushing it to someone else. If he didn't know about the post, then it's not on him. But, I wouldn't contact him through his mother unless I knew her personally....

Blucodex

If he graduated with a Biochem degree he'll probably be just fine in IT after getting up to speed.

I see nothing wrong with what the mother did. If anything, I commend her for looking out. That kid will land a job in IT without question.

NetworkingStudent

TheFORCE wrote: »

This is just an observation that I have noticed recently and wanted to see how other people feel. Personally I dont mind when i see people actually working on their own trying to change fields.

Then I see posts like the below that invokes feelings of disrespect towards the profession and mixed feelings. I mean come on, first of all, your mother pleads for you to get a job, you just finished a degree in Biochemistry with no experience in Cyber or IT with only 1 internship last summer in "Cyber forensics" I dont even know what that internship entails, just a fancy word to attracts people. This posts screams "fancy" words to get a job. Various IT tools? Really, what did he use? Agile environment? Really, what was his role in that environment? He could have been ordering coffee for all i know. Competed nationally as part of a team? Really what was his role in the team? Booting up the laptops for the other kids that actually knew what they were doing?

Then we see posts here of people actually finishing IT degrees and looking for entry IT jobs, while others that use "fancy" vague wording aiming for the BA and QA roles. What do you guys take from this? How do you feel when you see these stuff?

Besides, I thought biochemistry pays more in the long run.

Thoughts?

Degree Non-IT
I never understand how someone can have a non IT degree, but can still get an entry level job.

I'm sure I will get bashed for this, but you don't see a Nurse, Auto Tech, or personal trainer ect...ect complete a college degree, and then change directions, without having to take courses over, or get a whole new degree altogether. However, this happens alot in IT....

He did a couple of Cyber challenges and wants to do Cyber Security? I think he doesn't know what he wants to do..


Job Search
As far as this kid goes, I see his mom is trying to help him out.
If he really wants a job in IT Security, then he should be looking NOT his mom.
Employers will ask him what he's doing right now in Cyber Security/Info Sec, while he's looking ..labs,organizations, ect
I can see the blank stare on his face during the interview.

Why is it called Cyber Security? Why can't we call it Information Security?

Blucodex

I've been in IT for a long time. And I just graduated with my BA in MIS. There are kids with ZERO experience outside of school landing 60+ right out out of school. Not every case is the same but school is huge. Often these kids have jobs lined up by sponsors of the program before they even graduate.

It's often who you know and not what you know. I don't make the rules but I'm not going to pretend they don't exist. I put in a lot of time to make it to 60+ and yes it seems crazy these kids are doing it without paying their dues but I'm not going to hate.

Fulcrum45

Kids like him will eventually find something else when they get bored. There is no career on Earth you can't get into when you have the right connections.

Fulcrum45

NetworkingStudent wrote: »

Degree Non-IT
I never understand how someone can have a non IT degree, but can still get an entry level job.

I'm sure I will get bashed for this, but you don't see a Nurse, Auto Tech, or personal trainer ect...ect complete a college degree, and then change directions, without having to take courses over, or get a whole new degree altogether. However, this happens alot in IT....

It's because there is no law that says you must be certified in anything to touch a computer for a living. I have a history degree but that didn't discourage me from learning what I needed to learn when I found myself suddenly taking on a help-desk role when I was originally in sales.

mbarrett

NetworkingStudent wrote: »

Why is it called Cyber Security? Why can't we call it Information Security?

Because "cyber" sounds sexier. The whole "cyber" thing started a few years ago, when it started there was a difference between cyber & information security, but "cyber" caught on and now it's just a buzzword that means different things to different people.

cisco4life

"Cyber" is what the cool kids call it now!

TechGromit

TheFORCE wrote: »

Thoughts?

Just one, Just because a position says Cyber in it doesn't necessarily mean it has anything to do with cyber security. Here's an example. Years ago I applied for a position in the FAA for a "Next Gen" position having to do with Lab support. Next Gen is the FAA's initiative to modernize the Air Traffic control system, GPS navigation, stacked airspace, more direct and narrower flight paths, etc. I was lucky enough to get an interview. I brushed up on everything having to do with networking, voice over IP, setting up switches, etc. In the interview they were looking for someone with plain old POT line and serial data knowledge and experience, despite the job title, it had absolutely nothing to do with Next Gen. Although I do have some experience in this area, it was caught completely off guard, this wasn't something I was prepared to interview for. Unfortunately I didn't get the job, they were using the funding money they were getting for Next Gen to fill jobs that had absolutely nothing to do with it. The same can and does happen in Computer Security, the job title may have nothing to do with what you really will be doing, it could be just the catch phase of the day management used to get upper management loosen their purse strings.