Getting an Information Security Job For Dummies

Chapter 9

Working as an In-House Security Professional

In This Chapter

Understanding work in the private sector

Comparing smaller and larger organizations

Looking at security jobs in various industry sectors

Most information security professionals work as in-house experts, directly or indirectly contributing to the protection of their employer’s information assets and personnel.

Information security jobs in private sector and nonprofit companies vary widely by industry, company size, and other factors. Some people prefer to be a one-man-band in a small company, responsible for all aspects of information security. Others prefer larger companies and to work as part of an information security team or department. There’s no right or wrong here — only deciding what you’ll like best and where you can be successful.

Living Your Destiny

Probably the most impactful characteristic of being an in-house versus a consulting security professional is that you’re in the organization for the long haul. Consultants or contractors come in for a specific task or project and then leave, usually long before anyone realizes the consequences (good or bad) of their work. But as an in-house security professional, ...