Paul's Security Weekly (Audio) Breaking Into Cybersecurity - PSW #907
Jan 1, 2026
A lively breakdown of how to start a career in cybersecurity and which roles actually exist. Panelists map personality types to paths like compliance, forensics, and research. They highlight nontechnical routes, community involvement, and practical projects that get you noticed. Practical pathways include military, volunteering, conferences, and continuous hands-on learning.
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Question Big Job-Count Claims
- The cybersecurity job market figures are often misleading and inflated by unreliable sources.
- Treat big hiring statistics skeptically and focus on real openings and roles you can target.
Compliance Career Spans Many Hats
- Josh Marpet describes his role as chief compliance officer, trainer, and standards author across agencies and companies.
- He emphasizes writing standards and training federal auditors as core parts of his cybersecurity work.
Publish Projects To Prove Skill
- Build and publish projects (GitHub, tools, writeups) to demonstrate skills and get noticed in interviews.
- Tangible contributions beat theoretical credentials when hiring managers evaluate candidates.