Re: Passed CISSP - Now What?

JoeB_IG · ‎05-21-2020

Hello, I am seeking guidance...

I provisionally passed the CISSP exam and I am confident I will obtain the endorsements necessary to get the certification.

I am in the U.S. military and retiring in 12 months. I have this time to get more education/certifications but I don't want to waste my efforts pursuing something without a significant ROI. Right now I am scheduled to take training to earn a Fortinet certification and the newly revised Cisco Cyber Ops Associate certification.

Bottom line, when I leave the military, I want a well-paying job that also might include short-term travel opportunities (abroad). I am open to new career paths, niche fields, etc. If you have any recommendations, please share them with me.

Caveats: I am not highly technical. I have some understanding of network infrastructure and firewall operations, but not a lot of experience.

Thanks!

CraginS · ‎05-21-2020

@JoeB_IG wrote:
Hello, I am seeking guidance...

I provisionally passed the CISSP exam and I am confident I will obtain the endorsements necessary to get the certification.

I am in the U.S. military and retiring in 12 months. I have this time to get more education/certifications but I don't want to waste my efforts pursuing something without a significant ROI. Right now I am scheduled to take training to earn a Fortinet certification and the newly revised Cisco Cyber Ops Associate certification.

Bottom line, when I leave the military, I want a well-paying job that also might include short-term travel opportunities (abroad). I am open to new career paths, niche fields, etc. If you have any recommendations, please share them with me.

Caveats: I am not highly technical. I have some understanding of network infrastructure and firewall operations, but not a lot of experience.

Thanks!

I. Congrats!

2. Thank you.

3. Rather than focus on the certifications, I suggest you focus on hands-on experience. If you need more training in a particular arena, your best bet is SANS courses.

Were I hiring, I'd place more value in a successful SANS grad with CISSP than one with just a CISSP.

4. As a military retiree, I advise you to be careful not to sound too much like the "ole sarge" or the "ole kernel" to the folks you work with, including family. (experience speaking, here).

5. Unless you have your next job lined up and need to leave duty to start work before your actual retirement date, do not take terminal leave. Instead, use your re-retirement permissive TAD/TDY in four day chunks to get more use of them. Then sell leave instead of using it, if possible. E-mail me privately so I can explain that part to you.

Craig

D. Cragin Shelton, DSc
Dr.Cragin@iCloud.com
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AppDefects · ‎05-21-2020

@JoeB_IG wrote:

Caveats: I am not highly technical. I have some understanding of network infrastructure and firewall operations, but not a lot of experience.

Thank you for your service!

There are lots of opportunity to lead, especially in cyber program management. Think about Cloud opportunities. Tell us what you are passionate about and we'll give you a stream of ideas.

JoeB_IG · ‎05-21-2020

Thank you -

Right now I feel like my goals gravitate towards defense of critical infrastructure. In college I concentrated on incidence response, digital forensics, and vulnerability... but no real-world experience.

I would like to find a job in the Los Angeles area (where my wife & kids live)... but we would be willing to relocate for the right opportunity. I would especially like a job that can use my security clearance, provides me with opportunities to travel for work, and also enjoy an otherwise robust remote work schedule. I place quality of life/sense of purpose as having greater value than income.

Thanks for your ideas.

Joe Berlejung

JoeB_IG · ‎05-21-2020

Thank you for the tips!

This is exactly the kind of guidance I need... I recognize that having the CISSP does give me an edge in some circumstances... but it doesn't translate well into what I can personally do for a hiring company.

I will definitely look into SANS... I get their catalogues every few months... it may be the only option I have since I can't really get another full-time job while I am still in uniform.

I stopped being "old sarge" about a year ago... I love the Army, but my passion has dwindled. I suspect I will not have any problems with the culture change.

I could have upwards of 90 days of terminal leave. I live/work in a high-cost area, so it is to my economic advantage to enjoy my leave before I retire. If I sell back my leave, I don't get the associated (and very high) BAH. If I was in my home state of Kentucky, I might feel otherwise, but I am getting Silicon Valley BAH... it practically mirrors my base pay income. I can definitely use the PTDY as you suggest.

Thanks again!

Joe

AppDefects · ‎05-22-2020

@JoeB_IG wrote:
Thank you -

Right now I feel like my goals gravitate towards defense of critical infrastructure. In college I concentrated on incidence response, digital forensics, and vulnerability... but no real-world experience.

I would like to find a job in the Los Angeles area (where my wife & kids live)... but we would be willing to relocate for the right opportunity. I would especially like a job that can use my security clearance, provides me with opportunities to travel for work, and also enjoy an otherwise robust remote work schedule. I place quality of life/sense of purpose as having greater value than income.

Thanks for your ideas.

Joe Berlejung

There are a few aerospace companies in and around LA (e.g., Northrup, Aerospace Corp, ENSCO) that could could "assume" your clearance and at the same time help you build systems security engineering skills.