Originally this was going to be 99 Reasons, but I decided to settle on 25. I felt that I could really get to the point of this post by listing 25 reasons. Stop treating the cybersecurity industry like some sort of magical land that you aren't permitted to live in. Give yourself a reality check next time when you wonder why you haven't landed that cybersecurity dream job you have been wanting for the last few years.
Use this list, print it out if you can and really highlight the ones that pertain to you. If you keep doubting yourself, regardless of the reason, you will go cybersecurity unemployed. The Cybersecurity job market is hot right now and people with little to no skills are being offered jobs. Interesting right? Yep, companies are choosing to spend time training you because very rarely will you meet every single requirement that they listed in their job post.
You are lacking the confidence.
You have no idea what type of cybersecurity job you are looking for.
You haven't taken the initiative to put yourself out there.
You haven't updated your resume in years.
You are comfortable settling for where you are working now.
You feel you need more certificates.
You feel that it is too late in your career to make such a change.
You are too lazy to write a cover letter that is cybersecurity specific.
You feel that there aren't enough cybersecurity jobs located in your local area.
You believe that you need to understand coding to get a job in cybersecurity.
You never graduated from college and think you wouldn’t be a good job candidate.
You don't think you can handle the pressure.
You've never been to a cybersecurity conference before.
You don't have time to learn about the cybersecurity industry.
You aren't willing to invest in yourself.
You have a record and feel that the things you did when you were younger will effect your chances now.
You always let recruiters find you versus reaching out to them.
You don't have a Linkedin profile that showcases your security talent.
You haven't taken any udemy courses to show you been business when it comes to cybersecurity.
You aren't attending local meetups to meet those that are in the industry.
You don't have a master's in cybersecurity.
You haven't taken the time to create your own lab to test free cybersecurity products.
You just graduated and don't feel you have enough experience.
You aren't willing to spend 1 hour a week listening to a cybersecurity podcast.
You haven't taken the time to learn about the security vendors you have pasted on your laptop.
Now get out there and really own the job you see yourself wanting to work. Do not let anything or anyone stop you from living your best life. We need you in the cybersecurity industry, but it is solely up to you to make that happen!