Losing your Job

chaos said:

Dude, hardly any of the people I know in infosec have degrees. You could get a job at a SOC just based on enthusiasm. They're looking for people who have basic IT skills, enthusiasm, and are self-motivated. And SOC work is good work, you can learn a ton. I know it sounds like I'm downplaying it, but I'm really not. These places are hurting for people so badly that many are more than willing to train people who show the right drive.

And if not, certs get shit on in IT a lot, but certs get you in the door. Save up, study your ass off, pass Security+, get a SOC job.

There's a lot of remote work now, too, if you don't want to relocate.

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What's SOC? And what kind of places hire for netsec? It's not in any local job listings really but I might just be looking in the wrong places.

edit: Looked it up, it's a security operations center. Seems like they do netsec for various companies / agencies.

I can't even imagine leaving a family business, packing up my family, and moving to Hawaii. I feel like that's going to another country or something

My wife moved to the US from Japan like 4 years before we met. So she was definitely some of the catalyst for moving. I NEVER thought I was going to leave Pennsylvania outside from taking vacations elsewhere, but then I actually thought about it. She left her parents to go to college and start a career in America, so it must not be THAT hard. It really wasn't. This move has allowed me to evolve as a person. I didn't realize it previously, but I was still under my father's protective shell, and moving out here really allowed me to create my own identity. Now I'm just starting the job market from the ground floor again.

Super late to this thread, and had a slow day at work so I just binged the entire thing. Multi-quote 4tw!

grumblethorn said:

Mine was pretty tedious. Started out in early 2000s doing the small business IT shit, building desktops, servers etc and wiring and setting up networks for small businesses and lawfirms, and worked a few help desk jobs at small ISPs. Went to college got my 4 year degree in useless, got out got some entry level network engineer shit, and in 2008 saw a friend take 1 course in InfoSec and get a job for 92k with no experience. Followed that got a masters and been in InfoSec since.

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The market I think is a little different now, but I'm less than 18 months into a CCNA/networking career, and it's insane how quickly you can move up with a little experience. Got my CCNA, and got a job as a network tech. Was contract work, so terrible pay, no benefits, etc but put my time in and a year later I switched over to Healthcare IT as a field service engineer, where 80% of my job is interacting with customers, and not really technical at all, but that's where things seem to be going. Interview was all about people skills, and seeing how I reacted to certain questions than really technical. But to have no Bachelors, and just a CCNA cert, and to land a job at 80k base, with near guarantee to clear 6 figures because of over-time, is just insane to me.

chaos said:

How did you decide what to specialize in within infosec? Or did you? That is an interesting problem I see a lot of people within the industry grappling with.

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Ao- said:

For the most part, people tend to move toward where their passion/skill set is within InfoSec.
You really like auditing/compliance, you get a CISA and do that (but dear god WHY).
You really like tearing shit apart and figuring out how it works, pentesting/malware forensics are for you!
You really like pressure? Incident response /CERT is your gig.
You understand that people/technology are what make a business? BCDR it is!
Wide variety of skills and a good understanding of core technology concepts? Welcome to Security Architecture!
Sort of skill less but understand infosec concepts to a minor degree? Project/Program management is your gig!
You want a huge paycheck, unimaginable career-threatening risk, and a healthy dose of hubris in your every day to go with a ton of security experience? Be a CISO!

All of those are wrong but close enough.

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Good question chaos, and it's a question I'm struggling with as well. Given that I just got a job in Healthcare, that pretty much pigeon holes me to working with Bio Meds, for the rest of my career I think, but now Ao has me interested in this BCDR stuff because I'm good with people and like the interaction. The merging of people skills + IT skills is where I shine. Love being technical, but still being socialable.

Crone said:

Super late to this thread, and had a slow day at work so I just binged the entire thing. Multi-quote 4tw!


The market I think is a little different now, but I'm less than 18 months into a CCNA/networking career, and it's insane how quickly you can move up with a little experience. Got my CCNA, and got a job as a network tech. Was contract work, so terrible pay, no benefits, etc but put my time in and a year later I switched over to Healthcare IT as a field service engineer, where 80% of my job is interacting with customers, and not really technical at all, but that's where things seem to be going. Interview was all about people skills, and seeing how I reacted to certain questions than really technical. But to have no Bachelors, and just a CCNA cert, and to land a job at 80k base, with near guarantee to clear 6 figures because of over-time, is just insane to me.



Good question chaos, and it's a question I'm struggling with as well. Given that I just got a job in Healthcare, that pretty much pigeon holes me to working with Bio Meds, for the rest of my career I think, but now Ao has me interested in this BCDR stuff because I'm good with people and like the interaction. The merging of people skills + IT skills is where I shine. Love being technical, but still being socialable.

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Yeah man, huge demand for BCDR right now from what I hear. Get up on some NIST.

Hmm... I really like dealing with people, and I've always enjoyed computers. Not even for gaming. Just using them. Is CCNA a good starting point for a new career? I have no formal education in computers, but I've always worked on my own systems. But I am an big "people person". And would starting off with CCNA allow me a path to continuous upward progress? I always like looking for the "next" thing. This really makes me curious.

My sister and her boyfriend sold their house, bought a diesel truck with welding station, and an RV and are rolling out this week to work on pipelines. Apparently there is good money in it (they said), but when I inquired about if he had a job lined up "it's complicated ". So either theyre shooting pornos along the way to supplement the American dream, or I have no idea.

They're driving to TN first I guess.

To me it's a cockamamie plan. As much as I'd love to tour the US, he left a job at general Dynamics with a security clearance and everything.

It's gonna be 2 adults, baby, cat and dog living in an RV. ...

In the first episode of Alf they're in an RV (or second episode) and I imagine that's how this will be

BrutulTM said:

If he's a good enough welder to work on pipelines and is set up to travel on the cheap he's probably going to make bank, especially since it sounds like Keystone XL is going to happen. Guys that have their own welding truck get paid like $175 an hour in the oil industry.

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He is a self professed good welder. As far as I know you need an "in" to get these jobs

Xarpolis said:

Job Ideas...

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Did you get to build anything with your family business? If you've worked with metal that's not as common of a skill these days, and with a little creativity you can make a lot of useful goods. I have no idea what would be good in your part of Hawaii but, for example. Someone has to be the god tier craftsmen of things like wooden surf boards, or traditional structures (like log cabins) (not so Hawaii specific, but I lack for any kind of local examples.). People who restore old wooden motorboats for example can make a very good living if you're driven to be an expert craftsman of something like that. Make American Cowboy goods for Asian Tourists.

Dandain said:

Did you get to build anything with your family business? If you've worked with metal that's not as common of a skill these days, and with a little creativity you can make a lot of useful goods. I have no idea what would be good in your part of Hawaii but, for example. Someone has to be the god tier craftsmen of things like wooden surf boards, or traditional structures (like log cabins) (not so Hawaii specific, but I lack for any kind of local examples.). People who restore old wooden motorboats for example can make a very good living if you're driven to be an expert craftsman of something like that. Make American Cowboy goods for Asian Tourists.

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I do lampwork as a hobby. I've thought seriously about trying to sell some glass pieces since the pot industry is booming, but I don't have a kiln yet to make a useable piece.

I make too fucking much to replace my income with it realistically though.

Also want to start getting into old style blacksmithing shit for fun. Doubt there's much real market for making swords and shit though.


I just love working with my hands. Would much rather do that for a living than work IT, but I'm REALLY fucking good and successful with IT.

Anyone got any ideas of shit I could sell with either forging or lampwork? Maybe some supplemental income would be cool; Sharing my creativity would feel awesome.

Dragon dildos. All day.

chaos said:

Dragon dildos. All day.

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HOW THE FUCK DID I NOT THINK OF THIS??????

Rustic furniture like floor lamps and wall sconces for lights for metal working? I do leather working too but not sure I can make any money making dice bags.