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@benjaminxscott
Last active August 18, 2017 02:36
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Lessons learned from starting computer security career

Jobs

Hired - referral link

Ninjajobs

/r/netsec hiring thread

weworkremotely.com

Send me a note

Education

  • A CompSci related degree is great for getting in the door, not necessary if you have self-study experience since demand is so high
  • Scholarship for Service is a free ride plus 25K/year plus easy access to gov't and research lab jobs
  • two-year "cyber" programs are not worth it - instead practice in CTFs and engage with community

Tracks

  • Operations - "FireFighter" = high demand, high burnout - good way to get in the door and build experience
  • Engineering - "Builder" = great as a mid-career when you have learned valuable use cases and real-world needs
  • Research - "Thinker" = good for late-career, less stressful but may be lower paid and less impact on daily basis
  • gov't and classified work can be interesting and well paid but the culture may be a bit stifling

US Regions

  • DC has all tracks, primarily for internet infrastructure / gov't / military contractors, with a welcoming B-list startup scene

  • NYC has Ops and Eng, primarily for banks and mid-size tech companies, with a business-focused A-list startup scene

  • Bay Area has all tracks, primarily for large tech companies, with a tech-focused A-list startup scene

  • Also consider Boston for research labs / biotech, Austin for startups

East coast tends to be more conservative with more traditional "resume numbers" requirements compared to West coast

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