5 Things I Wish I Had Known As A Cyber Security Student
As a recent graduate of Weber State University with a degree in Information Management on the hunt for full-time employment, I find myself lacking necessary skills in order to get my first job. In the tech field, there are endless skills one could learn. Just with a simple Google search of tech skills, you can find yourself overwhelmed. Which programming language should I learn? Python, Ruby, Java, JavaScript or C? Do I even need to learn a programming language? The field of technology is enormous and will continue to grow.
The 5 tips below are for individuals that are currently studying Information Technology and are looking for ways to get exposed to the field prior to graduation. Get ahead. You’ll thank yourself later!
- Get an internship or two.
- Obtain a certification.
- Stay in the loop with tech news.
- Think like a hacker.
- Take control of your learning.
#1: The best way to be exposed to the Information Technology field is getting hands on experience through an internship. An internship exposes you to real-world problems as well as current technologies. An internship is a chance to learn and ask as many questions as you can. #1 tip: be a SPONGE! Absorb information and learn new skills to increase your marketability. Networking is vital in achieving success no matter what job you want. What you know is important, but also it is vital who you know. Network and reach out to your co-workers and supervisors. #2 tip: find a mentor!
#2: In the world of technology, certifications are encouraged but not 100% necessary. In my experience, most entry level jobs require an entry level certification such as Security Plus or Network Plus. The reason being is that the foundational knowledge is key. All things on the internet require the knowledge of computer networking and basic security threats and implications.
A great resource to check out is: Professor Messer.
There are free videos and affordable study guides to make your studying much easier. Schedule a date here to evaluate your current understanding, and create your study schedule to be ready to pass the test. Get the foundational knowledge necessary to pass an interview.
#3: The world of tech changes much faster than other industries. It is important to stay up-to-date on current issues, policies, and innovations. Hot topics are privacy, personal/user data, artificial intelligence and electric/self driving cars. Listening to podcasts is a great way to stay up-to-date. You’ll enjoy doing some research of your own, but here are a list of my favorite news sites:
#4: The ability to think like a hacker is vital. To become a better security professional, it is important to think like the bad guys. Data breaches are on the rise and will only continue to grow unless changes are made. Take a look at SolarWinds hack. It is the latest hack that has impacted US government and companies such as Microsoft and Cisco. It is vital to know how data breaches occur! Thinking like a hacker will allow you to better protect ourselves against them. A great tool to start thinking like a hacker is tryhackme or hackthebox. These are platforms that allow you to practice hacking by finding vulnerabilities and exploiting them to gain access to the system. These are both great tools to get you started!
#5: Taking control of your own learning is absolutely necessary within the security field. New threats, technologies, and policies occur frequently, and security professionals need to be able to adapt. Throughout your career, you will continue to learn. This is one of the most valuable things I learned within school: to learn to love to learn. (Say that 5 times fast….)
Thanks for reading! I hope that these 5 simple tips help you in your journey of becoming a security professional.
Thanks for this Tanner. It’s a shame that professors don’t tell you these things when you go through a degree program. It leaves a ton of new graduates expecting a job right after graduation but the fact is that school doesn’t teach you nearly enough to land that first job. You really have to level up on your own through internships and perhaps certifications to even have a chance after graduation.