Know Your Why
Pursuing a Career Change
When I was at Year Up, the staff would emphasize the point of knowing the reason you were sacrificing so much, for the end goal.
Not just motivation, something more.
“Knowing your why” is what they called it. At the time, I was green to this concept but unknowingly had been putting this in practice.
Getting into Cybersecurity
Before pursuing Cybersecurity, individuals must ask themselves two fundamental questions:
“Why do I want to work in Cybersecurity?”
“What do I see myself working on?”
These questions can help determine what path you take.
In this post, we’re going to talk about the first question. Here’s a post that helps on the second.
For example:
Think to yourself, “Can I see myself doing this for 10+ years?”
Weigh your options before diving in a cost intensive commitment (program, bootcamp, etc.)
Seek advice from the people already there. This is something that I believe separates Cybersecurity, and tech in general.
If you are proactive and reach out, you get to talk to the people actually doing the thing.
Ask what their day to day looks like, and about the grind it took to get there (the TikTokers aren't covering this) and compare it to that of the second person you talk to, and the third, and so on.
Make a list, and see which one aligns the most with what you would want to do.
Asking questions about how you’d see yourself in this space can help gauge where you want to go and what you actually want to do.
This can help you understand and craft your path. Having a goal and a “why” will help when it comes to fighting through the noise and the mess to get that first job.
If it is money, then it may become more difficult the longer you have to wait to get there.
Money alone won’t keep you in the game.
This field requires constant research and deep focus for long periods of time.
How would someone be able to keep this up if they don’t have a genuine interest and passion for it?
I get a lot of people asking about how to get into tech and how to get into Cybersecurity, and usually if their first, third, and fourth questions are about the money I can tell they’re probably not gonna last.
The Fundamentals
Another common question I get from people looking to switch into Cybersecurity, is “What’s the fastest way I can get a job in cybersecurity?”
Sometimes, this is well intentioned. Other times, people are simply used to things happening fast and expect the same with a life changing career path. This is akin to someone selling an item online and a potential buyer lowballing with an offer before they even ask anything else about the item.
We have to build our fundamentals, before we can get into more complex areas.
In this case, it is imperative to build some base knowledge in Operating Systems, and Networking. From here, you can learn how to secure these systems because you have the fundamentals about how they work.
Think about it, would you want a mechanic to fix your car if they didn't know what they were fixing?
I come from a background in electrical utility where I worked manual labor, and a lot of hot days. So I love this stuff, and am amazed how one is essentially paid to learn new technology.
I know what it takes to make a career change and the desire to learn is imperative.
There is an element of genuine interest and innate curiosity that is necessary. The more this interests you, the more you’re going to want to learn and you’ll be able to build your skills.
Conclusion
Having this interest and curiosity means the long nights or early mornings (whatever you prefer) to learn and get in the reps.
To wrap up you should do the following when deciding to pursue Cybersecurity as a field.
Ask yourself why you want to do this
Make a list of people you will talk to about their work
Make a list of what their days look like
Reflect if that aligns with your goals
Know your why
In the end, it is crucial to know your why, as it will get you through the tough days and get you closer to your goal.