Asking AI - How To Get Your FirstJob in Cybersecurity
I have a side gig where I serve as a learning facilitator, or SME, on a foundational cybersecurity course for adult students who are seeking to get into, or advance, a career in cybersecurity. It’s a lot of fun and I get to ramble on and tell students how this area of cyber is a favorite of mine, and then another area is as well, and I end up saying it about something like 75 percent of the course modules. And it’s true; I’m living out that cliched phrase on being passionate about my work.
The course covers a broad range of foundational cybersecurity domains and should serve as a valuable resume piece for the students who complete it. I’ve worked on four 8-month runs of the course and the fifth run has just a few weeks left. During that time I have seen that there are a few topics which are top of mind and consistently important themes for students.
The most common theme of all is how to get over the hurdles and land a first job in cybersecurity. I’m not a career coach - the course has other professionals who will that role - but I have shared my own thoughts on this when asked by students and even run a few mentoring sessions that cover certain aspects of the path towards landing a first job during the course runs.
Today I’m going to ask a few GenAI apps for their guidance in this area that can often be tricky and frustrating. Here is my prompt for the GenAI apps:
You are a career coach on a CISSP level foundational cybersecurity course for adult students who want to get into a career, or advance their career in cybersecurity. What are the three best pieces of guidance you have for students to help them land their first job. Please include in your thinking on things like unrealistic job descriptions, approach to interviews and interview prep, and how to present and promote themselves most effectively.
The three apps/chatbots I talked with this morning are Claude-3-Opus, Gemini 1.5 Pro, and GPT 4 (the latest, greatest version of ChatGPT). All three offered some solid advice. I’m going to highlight some of what I believe are the best responses below, broken down by the main areas of my prompt:
Unrealistic Job Descriptions
Claude-3 and Gemini Pro both emphasized not getting discouraged. GPT 4 went further and suggested a great approach to this:
Many job descriptions in cybersecurity list an ideal set of qualifications that can seem daunting. It's crucial to remember that these descriptions often represent a 'wishlist' from the employer and not necessarily a strict set of requirements. Focus on these strategies: Identify Core Requirements: Differentiate between must-have skills and nice-to-have skills. Apply if you meet around 60-70% of the required qualifications, especially the core skills. Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight relevant experience and skills that match the job description. Use the same keywords and phrases that are in the job description.
Gemini Pro had this useful advice:
Align Your Skills: Map your existing skills, knowledge from this course, and any personal projects to the job requirements. Highlight transferable skills like problem-solving, analytical thinking, and communication, which are highly valued in cybersecurity.
Claude-3 had a similar take:
Emphasize your transferable skills from previous roles, such as problem-solving, communication, and teamwork, which are valuable in any industry.
Interviews and Interview Prep
All three apps mentioned the importance of researching the hiring company. GPT 4 nailed it here with a breakdown on how to prepare in several ways:
Company-Specific Research: Understand the company’s culture, their security needs, and recent news about their cybersecurity initiatives. This shows genuine interest and preparation.
Technical Preparation: Be ready to discuss common cybersecurity threats, case studies, and perhaps even how you would handle hypothetical scenarios based on the role you're applying for.
Behavioral Preparation: STAR Method: Prepare for behavioral questions by framing your responses in the Situation, Task, Action, Result format to concisely and effectively communicate your experiences and the outcomes.
Mock Interviews: Practice: Engage in mock interviews with peers or mentors in the field. This can help you refine how you present your technical knowledge and soft skills.
I also like this from Claude-3:
Prepare examples of how you have applied your knowledge in real-world scenarios or projects, even if they were in a learning environment. Demonstrate your passion for continuous learning by discussing the latest cybersecurity trends, news, or research you follow.
And this from Gemini Pro. Thinking about good questions to ask, interviewing the interviewer, is excellent advice.
Practice explaining technical concepts clearly and concisely… Share relevant examples from your coursework, personal projects, or any previous work experience that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and cybersecurity understanding.
Ask Insightful Questions: Prepare thoughtful questions about the company culture, team structure, and daily responsibilities of the role.
Promoting Yourself Effectively
GPT 4 again gave an impressive breakdown on how to approach this:
Build a Professional Online Presence: LinkedIn: Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date with a professional photo, detailed descriptions of your experiences, and relevant skills. Engage with content and groups related to cybersecurity.
GitHub or Blogs: If applicable, maintain a GitHub repository with projects or write blogs about cybersecurity topics. This can showcase your ongoing engagement and expertise in the field. Networking:
Industry Events: Attend cybersecurity conferences, seminars, and workshops. These are great opportunities to meet professionals and learn about job openings.
Professional Groups: Join groups such as (ISC)² or local cybersecurity chapters. Participating actively can make you a known entity in the field. Elevator Pitch:
Prepare a Concise Pitch: Have a short, impactful pitch ready about who you are, your background in cybersecurity, and your career aspirations. This is especially useful for networking events and interviews.
A lot of the guidance above from the three chatbots is guidance I’ve also shared with students and friends looking to get a job in cybersecurity over the years. I will admit though that between them these apps have probably provided better overall coverage on this than I would have on my own this morning. Their responses will help me refine and improve my thoughts on this topic, and I hope they might prove useful for any of you who are in the entry level or early stages of a career in cybersecurity.