Navigating the Cybersecurity Career Path

CHAPTER 15Where Do I Start?

Summary

• Know yourself: Understand what strengths you bring to this role at this time.
• Network: Build relationships to get information and to provide support when you need to make organizational changes.
• Stay curious: Understand how the company thinks about security and how it manages risk in general.
• Communicate well and often: Build trust by asking for help when you need it.

When you start a new security leadership role, it can be daunting to know where to begin. There are lots of people, lots of security threats, and lots of business processes. It's tempting to want to jump in with both feet, but try to resist this urge. Going in with preconceived ideas of running or fixing things will inevitably lead to misunderstandings, ruffled feathers, and a lack of trust. Instead, take the time to learn the company, listen more than speak, and build relationships to help create the scaffolding that will support you in the future.

In the beginning, you're trying to answer a simple question: what will it take for you to be successful?

What's on Fire?

Sometimes, before you even walk in the door, you might notice things that need immediate attention. Perhaps they've never had a security leader before, and you can see that they need basic blocking and tackling, such as multifactor authentication for critical systems, vulnerability management for internet-facing assets, or basic asset inventory. Perhaps they are missing some critical security thing ...