[Courses] [Careers] Computer Security career path

[Elwing]

> Do you spend more of your time in the office or out at client sites?
> Do you have a specialty or preference for certain kinds of security
> work? I ask because security seems to be such a wide-open field with
> lots of different flavors, so if someone says "I work in security",
> that could mean almost anything.

Currently, I spend the majority of my time in the office.  I do however 
spend a lot of time on the phone and in "web collaboration" sessions ala 
netmeeting, but without netmeeting.

My favorite type of security work is penetration testing.  It's a thrill 
to "get in" and find out all kinds of information.  What's even more of 
a thrill is presenting the findings to the client.  In most cases, they 
can't believe how insecure there network is - in others, the admins knew 
it, they just needed a 3rd party to prove it to management.

I enjoy gathering all of the data and interpreting it to see where there 
might be a crack I can get in.


> 
> 
>>Lessons learned:
>>1) Who you know is more important than how you answer job ads.  All but
>>one of my positions was obtained via people I knew. Network, Network,
>>Network!
> 
> 
> What's your strategy for networking?

I'm fairly social naturally, and I talk to a wide range of groups and 
individuals.  I try to make extra effort to keep in touch with old 
friends and know what they're working on.  Trying to casually mention 
that I'm looking, or I'd be interested in talking about job openings at 
their company with them.

Conferences, professional organizations and user groups are also useful. 
   They typically have a jobs forum/mailing-list/message board which is 
useful for getting in contact with other people.  And you already have 
that "group" association to help you get your foot in the door.

Drinking and passing out business cards at conferences is useful as 
well.  I've helped several people get jobs that way.  I was offered a 
job that way, but declined.  (not drinking and passing out :) )

Elwing