topic Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp in Career Discussions

Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

harryc1127 — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:25:31 GMT

So i'm applying for new jobs, Am I allowed to mentioned on my CV that I am currently studying to pass CISSP? Or this against the ethics rules?

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

csjohnng — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:29:44 GMT

Put aside "ethics rules".

What is the point/message you want to bring to the audience (your CV readers?) by saying you are studying CISSP?

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

harryc1127 — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:29:55 GMT

That I have an active interest in persuing a career within cyber security / information security

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

csjohnng — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 14:01:29 GMT

Just an advice on CV.

CV is just a limited "space" ( and time) to describe and draw attention to the recruiter and the hiring manager.

Recruiter and hiring manager will have limited time to scan through your cv and your CV should be concise and precise.

If I am a hiring manager, either I might be interest in your certification (which you have already obtained) or what you have done in your current and previous job/experience. Unless you really have nothing more to add ( even this is the case, still I won't suggest you to put this, it gives me negative impression).

If you are looking for junior role in security, I would suggest you to put more effort to describe your career achievement/aspiration.

If it's a senior role, I would expect to see certification rather than what you are studying.

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

CISOScott — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 15:13:23 GMT

You are allowed to say you are studying for anything. You just can't claim to possess the CISSP until you actually do. Some employers will ask for your ISC2 id and verify you are still a CISSP in good standing.

As someone who has experience in the hiring role, the statement that you are studying for the CISSP wouldn't be one of those "make or break" or "Oooh! Let's hire this person!" type of statements. If you are looking for a junior role and looking to start in information security, you wouldn't possess the experience needed to be a full fledged CISSP, just an Associate of ISC2. Which is a good start, but doesn't fulfill your desire of being a CISSP. This post isn't designed to make you not study for the CISSP, I just want you to understand some realities. One of the reasons the CISSP is held in higher regard than other certifications is because of the experience requirement. Once you become a CISSP you have proven to have experience in the field, not just the ability to memorize facts and pass a test.

If I were looking to hire you I would be appreciative that you are wanting to improve yourself, just don't assume that the statement "I am studying for the CISSP" to be the thing that gets you hired. If you are hoping that just including the word "CISSP" in some sort or fashion on your resume would help your resume make it past the computer word search screening function and get you to the interview process, let me offer this advice.

I have had some people who figured out the algorithm or key word search or "perfect" question answers of the application used to screen applicants and they made it to the interview stage. It became very obvious during the interview that the person was dishonest and did not have the desired skills and was in over their head. Yes, I have had people lie on their application screening and say they were an expert at server installations, yet were unable to give me a single make and model of a server they had "installed". These candidates never get hired. Even if we admired the ambitious nature of the applicant, the dishonest nature was an immediate turn off so they were ruled out as untrustworthy. This was especially harmful for their career when security clearances were required. And yes, hiring officials do talk and tell stories about their applicants, especially if they are in the same field.

Don't give up your dreams of becoming a CISSP. Study hard and get the experience required, if you don't posses it yet. Then schedule and take the exam. However, don't think like this: "If I can just get in front of the hiring official and tell them of what I am able to do so I will do whatever is necessary, including misrepresenting myself or my qualifications. Then they will hire me." I like ambitious people and hire them, but not if I find out they were dishonest.

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

chris666x — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 19:11:28 GMT

Like many have said, the CISSP takes years of experience to obtain, you will come across sounding like a fraud by the mentioning CISSP on your resume when you do not actually have the accreditation in question. Your best choice is to work hard toward achieving the CISSP and then proudly mention it on your resume after you have been awarded the actual CISSP.

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

RRoach — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 11:39:03 GMT

Its not going to help. Every interview I participated as a technical interviewer it came down to experience and capability even if a certification was mandatory. If the position was entry/junior there had to be some basic hands on experience. So I would keep studying until you actually pass the CISSP (associate if not enough experience) and/or endorsed. Make sure to include as much experience, education/courses/seminars, technology (installed/configured/used) on the cv/resume.

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

Shannon — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 12:22:56 GMT

To my knowledge, as long as you don't use the CISSP logo & / or claim to be holding the certification until you've actually obtained it, the Code of Ethics doesn't explicitly prohibit stating that you're 'studying for it' in your CV or a similar document.

(Also refer to this document, which provides the rules for utilizing the same.)

Nonetheless, as @csjohnng & @CISOScott explained, aspirations on a CV may not weigh much, compared to a summary of achievements & experience --- especially with an adept recruiter holding the scales.

All the best obtaining the CISSP certification, which is definitely worth it...

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

harryc1127 — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 21:58:34 GMT

Thanks for all the info guys 😊

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

AndreaMoore — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 13:15:16 GMT

Great feedback and opinions!

@harryc1127 there are study groups for each cert on here if you want to connect with others who are studying: https://community.isc2.org/t5/Study-Groups/ct-p/CertificationStudyGroups

Re: Am I allowed to say i'm studying for cissp

sergeling — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 20:22:30 GMT

If you want to show you have an active interest in pursuing a career within cyber security / information security, you should either already obtained a cybersecurity certification such as SSCP, or studying for entry level/intermediate level of certification, not something like CISSP which require experience in the field.

In my experience, mention that you are "studying" for something on resume is not helpful. You can find opportunity to bring that up in the conversation during interview. But if you put on resume, you are inviting interviewers to start asking questions about what you are studying. Having an oral defense on CISSP will not be fun experience.