10 Reasons I Thrived My 1st Year in Cybersecurity!
What skills are required to work in cybersecurity? This is a question asked time and time again — and one with an infinite amount of answers. While most may be primarily focused on the technical aspects, which are indeed important, I’ve personally found during my 1st year working in cybersecurity that it was my non-technical skills that helped me maximize my impact.
Here’s how I thrived!
In no particular order
1.I GOT COMFORTABLE WITH NOT KNOWING: Yes, it’s scary feeling like you don’t have all the answers at work, but in this field you’ll need to embrace that feeling. Things are moving fast and constantly evolving, anyone who’d lead you to believe they know everything about cybersecurity is *🧢* delusional. What’s more important than having all the answers, is your willingness to go and find them.
2.I LEVERAGED MY EXISTING SKILLS: I love to build operational processes! So even though I was pivoting into a new field, I had plenty of transferable skills building programs and designing systems that I used to contribute to my teams success. Don’t disregard the skills, experiences and learned lessons you already have, there will be plenty of ways to apply them. You’d be surprised how many people in cybersecurity did not study cybersecurity but the skills they’ve acquired from wildly varying backgrounds have made them successful.
3. COMMUNICATED: I spoke up about what I knew & what I didn’t know. I shared my ideas and point of view. I asked questions and for help when needed. I spoke up about the types of work I wanted to do, the types of problems I wanted to solve and lessons I wanted to learn with my leadership and team. Communication is critical for ensuring you’re on the same page as your team, you understand expectations and what you’re doing is aligned with the goals of the organization. I can’t resist the urge to specifically remind you that communication is key.
4.I LISTENED: I listened to the conversations my team had (not in a creepy way 🙃) about the problems they were trying to solve and their proposed solutions. I paid attention when alternative and/or dissenting opinions were added to the conversations and why. You don’t need to contribute to every conversation for it to be valuable. Say less sometimes.
5.I READ, A LOT: I read organizational updates, even if they weren’t specifically related to my work. I paid attention to the words used to describe priority initiatives and the meaning behind them. I read cyber news daily and even followed #cybersecurity on Instagram and Twitter to make sure I always have a way to be aware of trending topics.
Psssst. The Memo (pictured above) is a great read, I highly recommend.
6. I WROTE THINGS DOWN: Writing things down supported me a few different ways. 1. It improves my ability to recall information 2. I like to keep track of the facts and notes help me easily refer back to the specifics of a meeting or conversation. 3. I often write things down as if I'm teaching it to someone else, these types of notes are commonly the foundation of processes I ended up documenting for my team.
There are lots of tools that can help you organize your notes but if you’re like me, you still love a pen & paper, both work.
7. I BUILT RELATIONSHIPS: I’ve found building relationships is best done with your actions, not just your words. It’s definitely worth the effort to find ways to collaborate with teammates you work closely with around the organization, no matter how small. I always made sure I understood what other teams do, their challenges, how their work was related to mines and the best way I could support their goals.
This had an added benefit of helping me be deliberate about the decisions I made because I’m personally mindful of the folks my work directly affects.
8. I PRIORITIZED LEARNING: Studying for security certifications was the best way I found to hold myself accountable to building my knowledge but there are so many ways to do this. Commit to reading at least 1 piece of cybersecurity news per day, follow folks in the industry on social media, join networking groups. Take advantage of any employer education benefits/perks! Find out if there’s a budget for classes, certifications and/or conferences and use it.
9. I STRIVED FOR RESULTS, NOT PERFECTION: My personal problem solving equation at work has been the same for years. What is the best possible solution, with the information, resources, and time that I have right now? Delivering results that work isn’t always sexy but it’s definitely effective. Mistakes will be made, there will be times you’ll look back on your previous work and wonder 🤬 what you were even thinking, it’s fine, learn the lessons and keep it moving.
10. I SHOWED UP AUTHENTICALLY: No this isn’t one of those “bring your whole self to work” spiels, that’s not the goal. I’m talking about showing up as the genuine essence of myself. I don’t code switch, PERIOD. The act in and of it itself has been proven to cause psychological harm, in addition to being exhausting AF. See “The Cost of Code Switching.” Frankly, it’s not my job to dispel anyones internalized opinion of how I should show up in the workplace and I refuse to show up as a minimized version of myself for anyone else’s comfort. I’d rather spend that valuable energy focused on doing my best work, sharing my unique point of view, being creative in how I solve problems and developing my skills.
“Deal with yourself as an individual worthy of respect, and make everyone else deal with you the same way.” — Nikki Giovanni
I recognize showing up authentically will not be easy in environments where diversity is not appreciated/celebrated — and especially for Black women who are often unjustly targeted simply for being our magical selves. Having the space & safety to show up as yourself at work is invaluable and everything about your performance will be better. If doing your work while being yourself is not supported, prioritize finding somewhere it is. That is where you will truly be able to thrive.
Best,
Shamika ✨
