Building your personal brand in the infosec industry

Since the infosec industry is a quickly growing and changing one, individuals wanting to be recognized by top industry leaders must learn how to set themselves apart from the competition, as well as earn the respect of their peers. Building a personal brand and reputation, both across your networking and online circles, is a step in the right direction. Here are the first steps you should take to begin building yourself as an expert in the security industry.

1. Become certified

It’s likely that you already know about the many options for cybersecurity certifications. Though it can be overwhelming, a main step in setting yourself apart from industry competition is earning certifications. The CompTIA Security+, Certified Ethical Hacker, GSEC, CISSP and CISM are a few common certifications worth reading up on. Check out our previous blog post to determine which certification is right for you and how to receive it.

2. Set up professional social media accounts

According to TIME, 93% of hiring managers will browse applicants’ social media accounts before making their decision. What’s more, 55% reported reconsidering a candidate based on what their profiles’ content. When searching for a job, your options are twofold: set high privacy settings so anyone not connected with you can’t view your posts, or keep your content hiring manager-friendly. If you’d like to take it a set further, dedicate your Twitter and/or LinkedIn profiles to retweeting and posting articles about the infosec industry. Potential interviewers will see that you are truly passionate about your desired field and excited to engage in discussion about it.

What’s more, networking also takes place on social media. Connect with other infosec professionals on LinkedIn and Twitter to widen your pool of contacts.

3. Become a member

Consider becoming a member of any of the UMSA affiliate organizations. UMSA is a non-profit organization comprised of security-related organizations (affiliates). UMSA serves business, government and education professionals in the upper Midwest, collaborating with professional associations, educators and industry-leading companies to provide professional development opportunities that contribute to a strong security foundation for organizations.

Below is a listing of our affiliates. Please support them in their efforts by visiting their websites to learn more about the organizations:

Advance IT Minnesota
ASIS Minnesota
BCPA
ISACA-MN
ISSA-MN
InfraGard Minnesota Members Alliance
ISC2-Twin Cities
MISC
OWASP

4. Attend events

To become actively involved in the infosec industry, attend events centered around it. Security events such as Secure 360 Wisconsin in October of this year, Cyber Security Summit (also this October) and, if you’re a student, Student360 in February 2018 are all great ways to stay updated about infosec news, as well as network with other professionals in the industry. Not only will events like these give you opportunities to further your knowledge of the cybersecurity industry, they also give you opportunities to connect with other professionals and companies in the infosec world.

Since both threats and technologies in the cybersecurity world are growing at a rapid pace, staying connected in order to understand the industry is key to finding career success. Keep an eye on our blog for more helpful tips on building your infosec career and to continue learning about the industry.