How to stay relevant going into 2020

mikey88mikey88 Member Posts: 495 ■■■■■■□□□□
edited September 2019 in IT Jobs / Degrees
How to stay relevant and keep up to date with technology before those damn robots take over?
Certs: CISSP, CySA+, Security+, Network+ and others | 2019 Goals: Cloud Sec/Scripting/Linux

How to stay relevant going into 2020 47 votes

Automation and DevOps (Ansible, Puppet, etc)
12%
ErtazSwift6leboratoricalSpiegel_netmonciscoladder 6 votes
Cloud and Cloud Security
42%
cyberguyprUnixGuykriscamaro68Armor149november24chrisoneadvanex1RINTI1012coreyb80stryder144NyblizzardNetworkNewbdinger68averageguy72LonerVampNeil86AODITAzt7Infosec_Samdeltzy 20 votes
Virtualization (VMware and others)
2%
Jon_Cisco 1 vote
Python / Programming
6%
xagreusPmorgan2byron66 3 votes
Cybersecurity
27%
JDMurraydraughtFulcrum45nathandrakescaredofteststedjamesTechGromitJD20EANxmalachi1612DZA_mrtonMoos1e 13 votes
Stay old school with Systems/Networking
0%
My job ain’t going anywhere
4%
JoJoCal19Johnhe0414 2 votes
Other
4%
NetworkingStudentthomas_ 2 votes

Comments

  • advanex1advanex1 Member Posts: 365 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Cloud and Cloud Security
    I think all we can really do is take a look at the landscape and evolve with it. For me, that looks like the cloud and everything associated with it. That's learning some kubernetes, learning some python maybe, etc, etc. Could be all of those things in one but I think the largest focus for anyone in the near future will be the cloud if not already there. I work in the DoD and just look at these HUGE cloud contracts that are being awarded.
    Currently Reading: CISM: All-in-One
    New Blog: https://jpinit.com/blog
  • Johnhe0414Johnhe0414 Registered Users Posts: 191 ■■■■■□□□□□
    My job ain’t going anywhere
    Honestly ... it would be Cybersecurity for me
    Current: Network+ | Project+ 
    Working on: PMP
  • balancebalance Member Posts: 244 ■■■■■□□□□□
  • cyberguyprcyberguypr Mod Posts: 6,928 Mod
    Cloud and Cloud Security
    Obligatory questions for those who selected "My job ain’t going anywhere". What is the plan?
  • JoJoCal19JoJoCal19 Mod Posts: 2,835 Mod
    edited September 2019
    My job ain’t going anywhere
    I wasn’t sure if this poll was personal or what our general guidance would be. I selected “My job ain’t going anywhere” (sales engineer) but my general guidance is Cloud and Cloud Security. So that is why I’ve also been investing heavily in Cloud/CloudSec (CCSK, CCSP, CSAA). 
    Have: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, eJPT, GCIA, GSEC, CCSP, CCSK, AWS CSAA, AWS CCP, OCI Foundations Associate, ITIL-F, MS Cyber Security - USF, BSBA - UF, MSISA - WGU
    Currently Working On: Python, OSCP Prep
    Next Up:​ OSCP
    Studying:​ Code Academy (Python), Bash Scripting, Virtual Hacking Lab Coursework
  • Jon_CiscoJon_Cisco Member Posts: 1,772 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Virtualization (VMware and others)
    I think it is all of the above. For 2020 I am working on vmware.

    I think what is important in IT is that you are always learning. We can't predict the next job loss but we can be ready for it.
  • Danielm7Danielm7 Member Posts: 2,310 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Obligatory questions for those who selected "My job ain’t going anywhere". What is the plan?
    Not myself but I've talked to two coworkers who were in their younger 50s about this recently. Both of them are deep into networking, but zero interest in learning anything SDN / scripting / code / cloud / etc. They both said something along the lines of, "There are enough companies that will keep doing what I do for long enough that it won't matter, so I'm not going to bother to learn anything new" 
  • Jon_CiscoJon_Cisco Member Posts: 1,772 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Virtualization (VMware and others)
    Danielm7 said:
    Obligatory questions for those who selected "My job ain’t going anywhere". What is the plan?
    ... "There are enough companies that will keep doing what I do for long enough that it won't matter, so I'm not going to bother to learn anything new" 
    I have a family member that falls into this category as well. Basic system admin work and he only needs 10-15 years of employment so he is willing to gamble.
  • Danielm7Danielm7 Member Posts: 2,310 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Right, definitely have some people in our systems team like that. No interest in powershell or any type of automation. The business is OK with them doing things slower as long as they are done. That would scare the hell out of me to just keep gambling on someone letting me slip by until i have enough to retire just so I don't have to learn any new tech. 
  • JoJoCal19JoJoCal19 Mod Posts: 2,835 Mod
    My job ain’t going anywhere
    Those guys are playing with fire, even if as little as 10 years always from retirement. All it takes is one economical situation like 2009 and they could easily be laid off. And then what? They’ll be competing with other people who have been investing in themselves. 
    Have: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, eJPT, GCIA, GSEC, CCSP, CCSK, AWS CSAA, AWS CCP, OCI Foundations Associate, ITIL-F, MS Cyber Security - USF, BSBA - UF, MSISA - WGU
    Currently Working On: Python, OSCP Prep
    Next Up:​ OSCP
    Studying:​ Code Academy (Python), Bash Scripting, Virtual Hacking Lab Coursework
  • PC509PC509 Member Posts: 804 ■■■■■■□□□□
    Obligatory questions for those who selected "My job ain’t going anywhere". What is the plan?
    My job isn't going anywhere due to the robots or mass automation. However, I will continue to focus on cloud technologies and information security. It always pays to invest in yourself. My job may not be going anywhere due to robots, but I could easily be replaced by someone else with more knowledge in the current and future technologies if I don't keep learning and evolving. 
  • JDMurrayJDMurray Admin Posts: 13,023 Admin
    edited September 2019
    Cybersecurity
    JoJoCal19 said:
    Those guys are playing with fire, even if as little as 10 years always from retirement. All it takes is one economical situation like 2009 and they could easily be laid off. And then what? They’ll be competing with other people who have been investing in themselves. 

    This is a great point, but it doesn't happen very often. However, I can see how the financial markets will take a massive and prolonged tumble if a Socialist-democrat is elected as US president. Considering that's possible, the need to extend the working years for millions of people in their 50s and 60s, and for millions in their 60s and 70s to go back into the workforce, might be only two years away.

    Geriatric cyber-force, UNITE!  :s
  • leboratoricalleboratorical Member Posts: 46 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Automation and DevOps (Ansible, Puppet, etc)
    I think the biggest challenge with this poll is that we're all assuming we are starting from the same place. I'm worried that I don't have at least half the things on this list. If someone has automation then they may worry about security. If someone is new to the 'tech field' then they may be concerned they don't have any networking... etc.
  • mikey88mikey88 Member Posts: 495 ■■■■■■□□□□
    I think the biggest challenge with this poll is that we're all assuming we are starting from the same place. I'm worried that I don't have at least half the things on this list. If someone has automation then they may worry about security. If someone is new to the 'tech field' then they may be concerned they don't have any networking... etc.
    I see your point, but I think the goal of this poll is to get input from other IT professionals on where the industry is headed and hopefully motivate others to learn new skills. I'll be the first to admit I'm not an expert in half of these either. 
    Certs: CISSP, CySA+, Security+, Network+ and others | 2019 Goals: Cloud Sec/Scripting/Linux

  • leboratoricalleboratorical Member Posts: 46 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Automation and DevOps (Ansible, Puppet, etc)
    mikey88 said:
    I think the biggest challenge with this poll is that we're all assuming we are starting from the same place. I'm worried that I don't have at least half the things on this list. If someone has automation then they may worry about security. If someone is new to the 'tech field' then they may be concerned they don't have any networking... etc.
    I see your point, but I think the goal of this poll is to get input from other IT professionals on where the industry is headed and hopefully motivate others to learn new skills. I'll be the first to admit I'm not an expert in half of these either. 
    It's funny you say that because I think I'm pretty much along the same lines as you in terms of career trajectory (MANY assumptions on that, and only based on the certs you hold) and your thinking on this.
  • LonerVampLonerVamp Member Posts: 518 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Cloud and Cloud Security
    I've been a sysadmin/security admin for 17 years, and 100% security for the past 3 years.

    If I were a sysadmin today, I'd be pursuing cloud and heavier devops skills. Even if I could get by with traditional sysadmin skills, I'd just keep getting further and further behind if I didn't look ahead. Be a friend to the development teams and their pipelines.

    Since I'm in security (which has been my interest since day 1 in the industry), I feel like I have a fewer number of jobs open to me, but more ability to do whatever in them since the orgs still can't do the basics, and automation still has high costs to start playing. It also means that it's more important for me to decide what I *want* to do, rather than keep up (offense, defense, data, audit, web sec, etc). That said, cloud security is a big deal and getting bigger. And not just big players like AWS, Azure, Google, but also evaluating the SaaS providers that orgs consume. Automation is a big deal as tools get more powerful, which means being able to stitch together APIs, smaller tools. In other words: being code/script comfortable. Being able to do some minor scripting/coding keeps you as a go-to tool in the shed.

    Also, overall, it helps to understand that the whole underlying point of IT from day 1 to day x is automation. If you're doing busywork or doing repetitive things that can be automated, figure out how to automate it and move on to the tasks that matter (I hesitate to say they matter, but this is a matter of perspective between those who want to just do the same thing over and over and those who want to move up; to move up, you have to be picky with your timespends and focus on visible things that provide new value, rather than things you can delegate to newer folks).

    Lastly, mentor, guide, and work as a team. One person can't keep up with everything, but if your team allows for trusting, respectful experience/information exchange, then you can trade old dog tricks with the newer folks and learn some new tricks from them.






    Security Engineer/Analyst/Geek, Red & Blue Teams
    OSCP, GCFA, GWAPT, CISSP, OSWP, AWS SA-A, AWS Security, Sec+, Linux+, CCNA Cyber Ops, CCSK
    2021 goals: maybe AWAE or SLAE, bunch o' courses and red team labs?
  • averageguy72averageguy72 Member Posts: 323 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Cloud and Cloud Security
    I see the first two options as highly interconnected.
    CISSP / CCSP / CCSK / CRISC / CISM / CISA / CASP / Security+ / Network+ / A+ / CEH / eNDP / AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty / AWS Certified Security - Specialty / AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional / AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional / AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate / AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate / AWS Certified Developer - Associate / AWS Cloud Practitioner
  • NetworkingStudentNetworkingStudent Member Posts: 1,407 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Other
    Jon_Cisco said:
    I think it is all of the above. For 2020 I am working on vmware.

    I think what is important in IT is that you are always learning. We can't predict the next job loss but we can be ready for it.
    I'm currently on the job market.  I totally agree that you never know if your job is on the line.   Yes, you need to pick a specialization, but you also need to keep learning.  Trump is starting a trade war with China, and a recession could be around the corner.
    When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened."

    --Alexander Graham Bell,
    American inventor
  • CyberscumCyberscum Member Posts: 795 ■■■■■□□□□□
    edited October 2019
    I work alongside a Dev artificial intelligence group.....scary stuff for all human IT people.

    They just developed and implimented an AI security scanner.  I need to destroy it before it replaces me.
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