What do you do if your career in cybersecurity is facing setbacks?

Sometimes we have to look at your situation from a 30,000 foot view. Is the information you are learning every single day relevant to what you are pursuing? Are you networking with the right people? Are you networking at all? Always set a goal of where you want to be. Then lock that goal up and throw away the key so that no one can take it from you.

If your career in cybersecurity is facing setbacks, it's important to first identify the root causes. Reflect on whether these challenges are due to industry changes, skill gaps, or other external factors. Once identified, seek opportunities for professional development, such as certifications or training in emerging technologies. Networking with professionals in the field can provide insights and potential job leads. Consider also the value of mentorship and the role it can play in offering guidance. Stay informed about the latest trends and best practices in cybersecurity to ensure your skills remain relevant. Finally, be open to lateral moves within the industry that can broaden your experience and lead to new opportunities.

“If you want to take the island, burn the boats” Set your sights on the big personal objective in your cybersecurity career and make that the focus through the setback. Understand the setback (is it a speed bump or a dead-end), evaluate your own skills, experience and gaps, and identify the next logical step towards the objective, often there are things we simply need to work through on the way there, like certs, years of experience, lateral moves, life changes, +++

When things don't go as expected, it sometimes feels very real and very bad and you may doubt if you will ever recover from a setback. It is sometimes good to just take account of where you are in your progress, how far you have come and above all, ask yourself, will it matter in 6 months from now or even a year or 5 years from now? Sometimes the "here and now" can be overwhelming - take a step back and assess in context of what is important to you! Sometimes real setbacks are a good catalyst to make future progress.

If facing setbacks in cybersecurity, reassess goals and skill gaps to pivot strategically. Seek mentorship from seasoned professionals for guidance. Engage in continuous learning through online courses or workshops. Embrace failures as learning opportunities to emerge stronger. And remember, in the cybersecurity maze, even setbacks can be the plot twist that leads to the ultimate victory! Stay resilient and adapt to challenges with determination and perseverance.

I think along with assessing your situation with skills and gap a Mentor can really help you make way through it. It is not only applicable to Cybersecurity but to every other field. You can seek support from your organisation or even start right from your manager and reach out to colleagues and see what is that you are missing. Seek feedback, advice and plan your next steps. If it is not helping out reach out to your network, community members and you might find the spark again but you have to be consistent and be open to any and all feedback.

Navigating career challenges is a journey you don't have to trek solo. It's about tapping into your circle—colleagues, mentors, pals, and family—for their support, wisdom, and perspective. They've probably faced similar hurdles or have insights that could shed light on your path and fuel your growth. Diving into online forums or groups centered around cybersecurity can also be a goldmine. Sharing experiences, tips, and strategies with peers in the field can unveil new connections, tools, or pathways to propel your career forward. It's all about building a network that uplifts and supports you, opening doors to opportunities you might not have spotted on your own.

While assessing the situation, we may find the gaps and what went wrong. We have to seek for the support from right people. For an example, if we are facings gaps in skillset or new technology arrival to the market, we have to do the research and find the right people for the support and advice to plan for fixing it. Like trainings or certifications and workshops.

As a hiring manager, I would not recommend putting credentials on your resume you do not currently possess. If you let them expire, that should be clear and if you “pursuing” then leave it for the interview but not on the resume. I know not everyone may necessary agree. Another aspect is resume prep.. if you are going to use a service, research thoroughly, consider reviews, and understand what you want to showcase. Outcomes, metrics, results….these things speak volumes on a resume.

Bouncing back from a career hiccup? Shine a spotlight on your value and potential. Spruce up that resume and portfolio with your latest and greatest in skills, projects, certs, and wins. Flaunt those achievements and the impact you've made in the cybersecurity realm, backing them up with solid facts, figures, and the right jargon to paint a picture of your expertise. Keep everything crisp, clear, and tailored, making sure it speaks directly to the roles and organizations you're eyeing. This is your chance to turn heads and show what you're made of.

When you are applying for a role, make sure that your resume or CV is updated specifically to the role you are applying for. If you do not, you risk receiving a response stating that your submission has been carefully considered, but at this time you have not been selected to proceed. Sound familiar? This message is often produced by an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) which is used by the company to legitimately screen out irrelevant applications. However, if you do not adapt your resume to the role you are applying for, you increase the risk of being screened out, no matter how good a fit you really are! You are making the effort to apply, make it count! I wish everyone the best in their journey!

I agree with this. We may have several hidden talents and it’s our responsibility to showcase our talents. Before entering into Cybersecurity, i was working as a Infrastructure engineer and i usually prepare scripts to do the repeated works. When i enter to cybersecurity, i had a great knowledge of how a typical IT infrastructure is designed and working, with scripting knowledge. It’s my responsibility to showcase my talents in resume and portfolio. Because nowadays most of the interview questions raising from our resume and the interviewer might find your skills useful for the team.

Constant upskilling and being abreast with the current trends will help you maneuver any career setbacks in cybersecurity. Understand this: cybersecurity is an evolving field requiring agility, problem-solving skills, and technical knowledge. To succeed in the field, you need to have a constant learning mindset.

I believe keeping yourself abreast with the ever evolving landscape might give you the much needed boost. You can use different platforms (free and premium) to catch up. Start reading articles on apps like Feedly or any other feeds of your choice in the morning. Use the internal L&D platform see the new topics and get hands-on with it, build your skills up again.

Staying up to date with industry developments and enhancing your expertise. Pursue online courses, certifications, and other learning opportunities to remain competitive in the evolving cybersecurity landscape. A great tip would be to invest time in a niche market within cybersecurity, which is a critical component but not greatly looked at, like AI Security, Insider Threat Management, DLP etc.

Learning is a lifelong process and never-ending. Cybersecurity is no exception. This is a constantly evolving field. We see new threats emerging every day, and with that, we need more advanced defense mechanisms to thwart the attackers. To do that we have to learn so many new things. Sometimes it may not be interesting. Still having the zeal to learn every day and staying curious about everything can put you ahead of so many people because this field requires creative thinkers and learners. Participating in CTFs, having certs, reading books, articles, and networking are crucial if you want to succeed as a security expert.

Yes, when we find the gaps and what went wrong, we might encounter the issue that setbacks the career. If its really a skillset issue, we have to concentrate on developing the skills in need domain or technology arriving to the market which makes huge impact in cybersecurity. When i enter into cybersecurity, cloud computing was booming and Cybersecurity professionals were in the position to learn cloud computing infrastructure to provide cloud security as well. I found it and did few certifications to develop my cloud skills as well.

When faced with setbacks, I approach them with a positive mindset. Instead of dwelling on them, I see them as opportunities for learning and growth. I take time to reflect on what went wrong, identify improvement areas, and seek opportunities to acquire new skills or knowledge that will help me overcome future challenges. I also remind myself that setbacks are a natural part of any career journey, especially in a dynamic field like cybersecurity. I embrace resilience by bouncing back with renewed determination and perseverance to overcome them. Each setback is a chance to demonstrate my ability to adapt and stay strong in the face of adversity.

Yes, it’s very important. When we lose our confidence, nothing we can do. Believe yourself. I always have one positive thinking in my mind. “If others can do it, why can’t i?? The one who is at top is also a human and i am too.” This positive attitude will keep you running in the race!!! I would not say all the best, i would say face your challenges!!!

I truly believe that times like these can greatly impact one's mental health, but staying resilient and optimistic in the face of setbacks is the key.

One of the things about climbing the career ladder is not knowing exactly what the next step is or the most effective action to take is. Also, with the industry evolving so quickly, good advice on career progression goes stale pretty quick. I propose the steps would be to 1) Find several people further along the career path you are interested in to help carry out step 2) 2) Strategise; Define what actions to prioritise for your limited resources 3) Execute.

Embrace setbacks as learning opportunities, fueling your determination to succeed in cybersecurity. Remember that setbacks are temporary obstacles on your journey to success, not definitive roadblocks.

Since this is plural, the solution might feel complex. The best bet is going to be to breakdown the situation to tackle one setback issue at a time. Focus and determination, and certainly resiliency, will be key. Your approach will be a lot like cyber security as a profession. The positive aspects of life are going to be important to appreciate and do not be afraid to be vulnerable.