Breaking Into Cybersecurity - PSW #907

·1 hr 5 min·5 clips

A LinkedIn study reveals only 15,000 cybersecurity jobs exist, contradicting claims of millions of unfilled positions.

The episode begins with host Paul Asadorian and panelists Mandy Logan, Jeff Mann, Sam Bowne, Josh Morpeth, and Lee Neely discussing the recording date and holiday attire. Paul introduces the topic of breaking into cybersecurity, immediately challenging optimistic job growth projections with a contrarian statistic from a LinkedIn study by Ben Rothke, which found only 15,000 to 18,000 cybersecurity jobs available, contradicting claims of millions of unfilled positions. The panel agrees the job market has tightened, with layoffs and ghost jobs being issues. They explore what constitutes a cybersecurity job by having each panelist describe their roles, revealing a wide spectrum from auditor and compliance officer to teacher and security researcher, highlighting the field's breadth. The discussion shifts to entry strategies, with Josh Morpeth strongly advising against expensive boot camps, calling them a waste of money. Instead, the panel recommends starting as a generalist, networking, and gaining experience through help desk or system administration roles. Sam Bowne provides a stark reality check, noting a student who applied to 1,700 jobs before securing one, leading many students to pursue more education instead. The conversation covers the value of certifications, with Lee Neely noting they originated to validate experience but now often serve as HR gatekeepers, while Jeff Mann emphasizes that practical projects and contributions to open source are more impactful. They discuss the importance of soft skills, leadership versus management, and considering military service for structure and training. The episode concludes with advice on demonstrating passion through projects like CyberPatriot, attending conferences like DEF CON, and the host offering free tickets to B-Sides Delaware for listeners seeking entry.

As heard by us

A grounded panel on getting into cybersecurity without pretending every career has to follow the same route.

Paul's Security Weekly treats the move into cybersecurity as a set of workable routes, not a credentials contest. The episode starts from a useful premise: there is no single correct path.

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Why you'd press play

You can start mapping a cybersecurity career without a four-year degree or a perfectly linear origin story.

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