Don't Give Up – You Get A Cybersecurity Job With Persistence
Welcome to the fifth and final video of Ask Nato’s Where To Begin video series! Ready for the final piece to the puzzle of how to find a cybersecurity job?
Wait for it… Wait for it…
Actually, that’s essentially it! The final piece of advice is to BE PATIENT!!
What You Missed
If you’re watching this video, hopefully you’ve already watched Parts 1-4 of this series, which walks you through the steps of how to land a job in the cybersecurity industry – even if you have experience and no education. But if not, take a break and catch up on the previous four videos in the series.
- Part 1. Set a goals based on your priorities.
- Part 2. Have the self awareness to know what you like to do and what you don’t, and research cybersecurity positions based on your interests.
- Part 3. Study, learn and build knowledge. Figure out what you like to do by getting hands-on experience.
- Part 4. Conduct a job search based on skills, not job titles. Select positions that will help move you into the position you’d like to be in within five years.
If these points seem vague – they are! If you want more details, go back and watch each video.
And now, back to the point at hand…
Just Stick to It!
Applying for jobs will essentially become your full-time job. And how long it takes to find the right position will depend on many factors, including where you live, if you’re looking for remote work or not, what sort of position you’re applying for. Help desk and QA positions will be easier and faster to land than consulting or remote positions.
But at the end of the day, you’ve just got to start applying. You’ll never get anywhere if you don’t get started.
Be Wary of Job Boards
Websites like Indeed or Glassdoor can be awesome for researching companies and salaries and seeing what’s out there, but applying for jobs on these sites can be soul-crushing. It’s easy to get lost in a sea of applicants, never to receive an interview – or even a response – from the employer you’re seeking.
This can get discouraging really fast and will be hard on your morale.
Bottom line – don’t waste too much time or energy on finding jobs through job board websites.
Network, Network, Network!
Instead of wading through the sea of job postings online, talk to people about what you want out of your career. Start with your family and friends, pick their brains for contacts, and begin to grow your professional network.
Attend meet-ups, both in-person and online. Send LinkedIn messages to ask for advice from other professionals in your area of interest or hiring managers at companies you’re interested in working for.
Network with other professionals. These connections will benefit your life and your career.
If you want to be a forensic analyst, find one in your area on LinkedIn and offer to buy them lunch to get to know them. Ask them questions about their lives and their careers and how they got into cybersecurity. Listen to what they have to say. Chances are, you’ll likely come to find that they really aren’t that different from you, and they likely pivoted from a different expertise into this relatively new industry.
Recognize Your Shortcomings
Once you’ve started to make real connections and have some prospects lined up, you can start getting your resume in front of people who matter.
But what if you’ve made the quality connections but still haven’t been able to seal the deal? A this point, it’s time to sit down and examine what might be getting in your way. Chances are, it’s something you’re doing, meaning it’s something you can improve.
Take a good, hard look at your resume, and find someone to edit it for you. Practice your interview skills. Learn how to dress and present yourself as a professional.
Effort in these areas will go really far for interviewers and hiring managers who you will ultimately need to impress.
Apply, Then Apply More
If you don't get the job you want the first time, try, try again. Don’t be afraid to apply for the same job multiple times. And be ready to apply for up to 200 positions. Seriously.
This might sound scary or intimidating, which comes back to the moral of this story – be persistent while staying true to yourself and what you want. Keep studying, keep researching and keep applying. Eventually, the right position will come to you.
Need A Boost?
If you need a bit more help planning out your future career or want to learn more about cybersecurity and your career potential, check out notiaPoint’s free seven-day email training course, Cybersecurity Essentials.
Get a week’s worth of helpful and informative content about the cybersecurity industry, plus a free eBook and “The Ultimate Cybersecurity Jobs Qualification Guide.”