MS in Security w/ CISSP DOD job questions

My current plan is:

- Finish BS in IT Security at WGU in about a year.
- Obtain CISSP
- Immediately enroll in MS Security program.
- Once complete, start looking for DOD Secret level positions in greater DC area.

My questions are:

- By that point I should have 10 years IT experience, 5 years leadership with some security. What are the chances of getting a good job and what pay could I hope for?

- I've read negative things about obtaining the CEH certs if you aren't actively doing that job. So I'm leaning towards John Hopkins Cybersecurity online program instead of sticking with WGU, any thoughts on that?

- I'm keeping DOD 8570 in mind, any advice for this path?

Thanks

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Comments

JaneDoe

Where are you working now? Also you can't get the CISSP without at least 5 years experience. Are you planning to go to grad school full time? Hopkins is a great school and will get your resume noticed. If you're on campus, you'll probably be introduced to many potential employers. I don't know when applications are due, but I think it's soon. My brother just went though the grad school application process, and many of his applications were due in January or early February.

If you plan to apply to Hopkins, don't assume you'll get in. Try applying to a few reach schools that you'd love to get into, but may or may not accept you, a few schools that are a good match for your qualifications, and a few safety schools you know you'll get into.

wikiget

Actually, you can sit the CISSP with no experience. If you pass, you get a caveat in your title ("CISSP Associate") until you earn the required experience. As far as the DoD is concerned, the "CISSP" and "CISSP Associate" title is interchangeable.

Well, the hard part of entering the DoD is getting someone to front the money for the clearance investigation. The CEH cert (regarding the 8570) is a good idea if you plan on going into network security specifically (a bit of a check mark cert for the CND jobs). Other things to look at depends on your goal (either ISSMP for Management or ISSAP/ISSEP for Engineering).

DC usually has quite a few positions in the field, including USCYBERCOM over in Ft Meade. With 10+ years of general IT experience you should be able to do alright, as long as you can keep up in the interview. Don't just look at USAJobs though or you can be waiting for a long time, look to the contract and on job listing sites for the usual suspects (Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrup Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, etc.) Worst case, you end up on a first responder watchfloor.

matai

JaneDoe wrote: »

Where are you working now? Also you can't get the CISSP without at least 5 years experience. Are you planning to go to grad school full time? Hopkins is a great school and will get your resume noticed. If you're on campus, you'll probably be introduced to many potential employers. I don't know when applications are due, but I think it's soon. My brother just went though the grad school application process, and many of his applications were due in January or early February.

If you plan to apply to Hopkins, don't assume you'll get in. Try applying to a few reach schools that you'd love to get into, but may or may not accept you, a few schools that are a good match for your qualifications, and a few safety schools you know you'll get into.

Currently working at a state agency. I'm the Lead Infrastructure Engineer. My boss is very supportive of education and I spend about half my time working on school/certs. I was thinking about Johns Hopkins online Cyber-security program. The online program doesn't look too difficult to get into. I would be interested in other schools, I just haven't found a lot of online MS Security programs.

matai

wikiget wrote: »

Actually, you can sit the CISSP with no experience. If you pass, you get a caveat in your title ("CISSP Associate") until you earn the required experience. As far as the DoD is concerned, the "CISSP" and "CISSP Associate" title is interchangeable.

Well, the hard part of entering the DoD is getting someone to front the money for the clearance investigation. The CEH cert (regarding the 8570) is a good idea if you plan on going into network security specifically (a bit of a check mark cert for the CND jobs). Other things to look at depends on your goal (either ISSMP for Management or ISSAP/ISSEP for Engineering).

DC usually has quite a few positions in the field, including USCYBERCOM over in Ft Meade. With 10+ years of general IT experience you should be able to do alright, as long as you can keep up in the interview. Don't just look at USAJobs though or you can be waiting for a long time, look to the contract and on job listing sites for the usual suspects (Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrup Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, etc.) Worst case, you end up on a first responder watchfloor.

I am taking the Security+ tomorrow and am thinking I'll take the SSCP fairly soon. My boss is will to pay for the SSCP and already bought me the book. Then I'm thinking CASP then CISSP, hopefully this year. Lockheed, Dynamics, Northrup, Booz would be my first picks probably.

I'm just hoping to stay on the right track and course-correct now if I need to. One of my main concerns if it will make sense financially. I'm hoping that I would be able to get an offer well over $100k, otherwise it probably won't be worth moving there for me.

JaneDoe

I know admissions to John Hopkins are extremely competitive. I looked around at their online masters program, and it looks like Hopkins program isn't fully online, they just offer some of their classes online, and they have same high administration standards for all candidates. Online degrees often aren't taken as seriously as in person degrees, which may be why you're having trouble finding a good online masters program. If you want to stay in your current job, I would focus on your CISSP studies and you will do well without needing degrees beyond your Bachelors. If you are willing to put a lot of work in over the next few years, getting a masters degree from John Hopkins is golden ticket; if you are accepted, and you can attend the program, you'll have your pick of jobs in your field.

broli720

You make it sound so easy. Well best of luck!

emerald_octane

Just FYI wikiget, the official title for CISSP without experience is "Associate of ISC^2" only. An ISC^2 staff member chimed in on the CISSP subforum when we were debating "Associate of ISC^2" vs "Associate of ISC^2 toward CISSP".

For the DOD just passing the test is fine; i just don't want to see someone called out because their resume has the wrong title.

broli720

emerald_octane wrote: »

Just FYI wikiget, the official title for CISSP without experience is "Associate of ISC^2" only. An ISC^2 staff member chimed in on the CISSP subforum when we were debating "Associate of ISC^2" vs "Associate of ISC^2 toward CISSP".

For the DOD just passing the test is fine; i just don't want to see someone called out because their resume has the wrong title.

When I was an associate I asked this very question to ISC2 and they were fine with "Associate of ISC2 towards CISSP". I believe this is on their website as well.

GoodBishop

matai wrote: »

Currently working at a state agency. I'm the Lead Infrastructure Engineer. My boss is very supportive of education and I spend about half my time working on school/certs. I was thinking about Johns Hopkins online Cyber-security program. The online program doesn't look too difficult to get into. I would be interested in other schools, I just haven't found a lot of online MS Security programs.

Take a look at the DePaul Masters in Computer, Network, and Information Security - you can do that online.

I'm considering that myself.