Looking for opinions from Security Professionals (Career Path)

HumorIT

Hey all,

I'm currently in the military, and I would like to get out after this tour ( 2018 ). I have 4 years to secure an educational and certification background that sets me up to start work when I get out. I've lightly touched networking, security / IA, help desk and NOC work, and some military communications. Security has caught my attention the most. I'd like to continue working on my degree in cyber security, but more importantly I'm looking at what certification path I should use to optimize my time. Additionally, I guess I'm looking for a little advice too and help with determining what I could be doing so I'm not just randomly chasing certs / college courses without a clear goal.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Currently, I'm studying for CISSP. I only hold Sec+ as far as security goes, so I'm still a baby to the field. I'd like to get into management though, eventually. At 24 years old I'm just trying to buckle down and get on a solid track because I keep going in random IT directions.

YFZblu

What do you want to do in security? Red team, blue team, management? Engineering or analysis?

HumorIT

I've been looking more into management. If I stayed or went more technical, I like the blue team operations. But definitely looking towards management.

wikiget

- CISSP + ISSMP (CISSP alone is a good start though)
- Add C|EH if you want a CND role
- Relevant Degrees help
- Make sure your clearance is up to date
- Put your resume in USA Jobs if you are looking for a government job (DO NOT expect this in less than a year)
- Interview with common military contractors (General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, etc)

"Management" path can include lots of Certification and Accreditation (read: paperwork), so be prepared. It's also a good idea to have multiple vocations.

I do policy underwriting and I'm the lead security analyst. I'm also the technical lead for the network's continuous monitoring program and I do consulting for host based security configuration compliance.

So, I'm a manager, analyst and technician.

HumorIT

Wow, thanks a lot for the insight. My clearance should be freshly renewed by the time I get out. Like I said, I'm just now starting another tour, 4 years long. I would hope that in 4 years here, I can get my CISSP, ISSMP, C|EH, and finish my degree, all while maintaining my militar career, of course (deployments, tons of comms school, etc.).

I suppose I have some serious planning to do here shortly.

paul78

Good luck. But try not to over think it too much. IMO - good security managers tend to have a broad range of IT experience - especially in the private sector. If you plan to be a security manager in private sector, understanding how to align security practices with the business's risk appetite and commercial goals are probably the most important skill to acquire.

HumorIT

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind, I started getting tunnel vision on "security" but I'm still learning what it really means. I definitely want to go into management though. I just want to get as much done while I'm on active duty as I can for a smooth transition to the civilian world, you know? But I would love to get into the private sector, absolutely.

paul78

BTW - I should have asked - what appeals to you about management? Management is private sector companies varies greatly depending on the size of the company and the industry that the company services.

I think it's great that you are already thinking about career goals - having that goal will help you immensely over the years. Another thing that you may want to consider is the industry that you may be interested in. IT can vary by industry. And if you are interested in IT security or information security, it can mean different things depending on the industry - I.e. financial services, retail, manufacturing, and healthcare view Information Security differently and with different levels of importance to their business.

HumorIT

Honestly I guess I haven't looked into that yet (different industries). Management appeals to me because I enjoy the organization, planning and implementation; delegating control and responsibility, and overseeing projects. I'd like to interface with all the department and work with people from all areas. The good thing is that I have 4 years to get this all figured out, and this is an excellent place to scratch the surface with all the experience and resources that are available here. I need to educate myself as much as I can and get certified because the military work that I do is all military communications, mobile communications at that soon, so virtually nothing directly relevant to what I'd like to be doing (with the exception of leadership).