Growing up in a small town in New York state, USA, I had a relatively limited view of who to model my future aspirations after. Of course, I was exposed to those in professions such as medical doctors, police officers, nurses, firefighters, etc. But I did not have anyone within the information technology field, much less anyone that looked like me, to help me aspire to a career in IT/cybersecurity. Instead, my experience heavily revolved around sports, focusing on basketball, football and baseball.
For example, Ben Gordon, a native of my hometown (Mt. Vernon, New York), was drafted to the NBA by the Chicago Bulls in 2004. He was a first-round draft pick, and Mt. Vernon celebrated his remarkable feat by instituting Ben Gordon Day in 2005. Outside of sports, I was heavily exposed to music while playing in the band at Mt. Vernon High School, but what dominated the field were rap and hip-hop music. It essentially boiled down to having a great jumpshot or becoming the next Notorious B.I.G. As much as I love both areas, I knew neither were promising career choices for me.
I was first exposed to technology through my uncle, Baswick Burt-Miller. He did PC repair at the time, and my visits to his house were like going to a toy store. I was always sure to find the PC components he was working on around the house. I became very inquisitive and would ask him questions about the various pieces of hardware and software he worked on. I am grateful for his patience during this time, because he influenced my life as to what I wanted to do in my career.
My passion for IT manifested professionally after I was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force. I spent nearly five years working in HVAC/R before I finally broke through to my first IT position at the VA hospital in East Orange, New Jersey. Unfortunately, it was a position that did not come with great ease. I went through multiple rejections before finally receiving the “yes” I needed to start my IT career. Whatgave me the perseverance to keep going is I continually told myself that this is where I wanted to be. This is the field where I belonged, and I refused to quit until I got there. After spending over 1 ½ years at the VA, I took my talents to different agencies while continuing to grow my skills. My journey took me to Offutt AFB in Omaha, Nebraska, where I served as a system administrator in 2015. Then I became a DIBNet manager at the US Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center in Maryland in 2016, and a biometric program analyst at the Department of Homeland Security in 2018, before taking on my current position at DHS as an assistant project manager in 2021. I am grateful for this path, as it has also ensured that I kept the lights on and bills paid while working remotely.
During the shutdown phase of the pandemic in 2020, the deadly COVID-19 virus not only had a physical impact on the world, but it also affected our way of life. Cybersecurity was essentially pandemic-proof as people pivoted from jobs they were either released from, forced out of, or could not work due to local and federal restrictions. According to Secureworld.io, a snapshot of new and open US cybersecurity jobs in April 2020 stood at 103,001, with financial software (67,473) and computer software (66,341) also ranking high. These 2020 numbers still hold true now. According to ITBusinessEdge.com, the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs has grown by an astronomical 350 percent.
As I have preached to my younger siblings who are currently seeking entry-level cybersecurity positions, the time is now to start a career in this field. For those looking to make their mark in cybersecurity, I recommend that you follow what I call the Cyber Triangle: Experience, Certifications, Degrees. Getting valuable training and experience on websites such as Tryhackme, Hackthebox, VulnHub, Coursera, Udemy, Cybrary, and many others enables you to upskill, perform home labs and then add those skills to your resume.
If you are looking for government positions, you will need at least your Security+ certification and relevant professional experience. Once you land your first position, leverage your training department to cover further certifications and degrees, as you will continue to add value to your organization. Networking also plays an integral part in your success. Create a LinkedIn profile to connect with and learn from those that best align with your cybersecurity path. Join and get involved with cybersecurity organizations like ISACA, Black Cybersecurity Association and WiCys.
Breaking into cybersecurity will not be an easy endeavor. You will experience some level of adversity, some level of failure. The reason for that is that it is very competitive, and many of these entry-level positions will require some level of experience. With that said, you will need to stay focused and persistent in achieving your goal of getting into cybersecurity. Create and maintain your LinkedIn profile, join local groups, seek mentorship, stay diligent in your training, and you will make it. I promise you will. Do not hesitate to find me on LinkedIn by searching my name—I’d love to connect! Those studying for a degree on any level can request some time on my Calendly for a consultation.
Remember, “If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep on walking, eventually you’ll make progress.” – President Barack Obama
You will persevere.