A Whole New Career

Phalanx

So for the past few years, I've always had a lack of certifications to back up my experience. A few months ago (in fact, perhaps just over a year ago now), I started working to get all the certifications I knew I had the skill for, and having done them, was immediately offered a post working in information protection.

Today is the first day of my new role as a Data Protection Officer, and it seems I've taken to it like a fish to water! I can't describe what it is, but I just feel like I'm totally in sync with what I'm doing, and am able to give consultancy and advice to every question thrown at me. It's a nice feeling sitting in meetings and have people waiting for me to speak because I'm the resident expert.

Just wanted to share my enthusiasm, but also to say "keep going!". Those certifications might be bits of paper, but backed with the right company and experience, they can mean a life-changing situation. Here's to being a CIO by the time I'm 40.

scaredoftests

Excellent!!

nisti2

That's really nice!

Spiegel

That is awesome! Thank you for sharing your success story. Wish you all the luck in your future endeavors.

Neil86

Great news! Congrats!

mzx380

Congratulations

backtracker

Congrats on the new gig. Your final pull was impressive and inspiring.

the_Grinch

Congrats! Always nice when your experience starts lining up with a position. Trained a group on mobile forensics and had an answer to every question they came up with. Just be careful...word will spread and then you'll get getting random emails and phone calls from people you've never worked with haha

UnixGuy

That's a really great story hear! I know the feeling


Well done!

DatabaseHead

Nicely done, glad you found something you like.

averageguy72

Congrats!

NetworkingStudent

Phalanx wrote: »

So for the past few years, I've always had a lack of certifications to back up my experience. A few months ago (in fact, perhaps just over a year ago now), I started working to get all the certifications I knew I had the skill for, and having done them, was immediately offered a post working in information protection.

Today is the first day of my new role as a Data Protection Officer, and it seems I've taken to it like a fish to water! I can't describe what it is, but I just feel like I'm totally in sync with what I'm doing, and am able to give consultancy and advice to every question thrown at me. It's a nice feeling sitting in meetings and have people waiting for me to speak because I'm the resident expert.

Just wanted to share my enthusiasm, but also to say "keep going!". Those certifications might be bits of paper, but backed with the right company and experience, they can mean a life-changing situation. Here's to being a CIO by the time I'm 40.

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So you have all these certs?
Client & Security: MCSE: Mobility | MCSA: Windows 10 | MCITP: Windows 7
Server & Networking: MCSA: Windows Server 2016 | MTA: Networking Fundamentals
Data Privacy & Project/Service Management: PECB GDPR DPO/Practitioner | ITIL Foundation


What did you do before you landed the data protection officer role?

Phalanx

Thank you everyone for the kind comments.

NetworkingStudent, that is correct, I have those certifications currently. Before I landed the DPO role, let me take you back to a year ago.

June 5th last year was my start date at this company I'm currently with. I had moved here from MSP where I was stuck in a 1st line role with very little going for me. I had only my Windows 7 MCITP and nothing else when I applied. I went to interview for a Technical Consultant, and according to my boss, what drew his attention was the sheer amount of experience I had in IT and securing networks without actually having the relevant qualifications.

I was told I interviewed well, scored almost the top marks in the technical exam, and was invited back for 2nd interview before I even got home. I then went to the second interview a few days later where I was grilled with upper management on some theory situations and how I would deal with them. I thought I'd fluffed it at that point, as very often I had to stop and think for what felt like inordinate amounts of time. However, it turns out it was good enough, and I was offered a job as Technical Consultant!

My probationary period was 6 months, and as part of my probation, my manager said I could spend time gaining some certifications. I purchased some books, was given a subscription to CBTNuggets and I went at it. In the first six months I nailed out MCSA: Windows 10, ITIL Foundation and MTA: Networking. My manager gave me a promotion at the end of the 6 months to Senior Technical Consultant, as I was managing this while still providing what he felt was exemplary service to our customers throughout.

This spurred me on, and now 6 months further down the line, I have all of the certifications you see above, as well as now working full time as a Data Protection Officer for the company. My technical skills are showing their worth in the new role, and I have been studying the new GDPR law for the last year (I had an interest in it before I even started at the company).

My annual review is at the beginning of June, and my boss is already talking of moving my payscale up to a value that sits as a beginner DPO, which is almost twice my wage now (I said I would do the DPO role until my review and discuss then). To say I am happy is an understatement!

Doesn't stop me training though, I'm currently working through some project management skills, and I'm eyeing up ISO27001 as well!