Intro to Career Support: Cybersecurity

How You’re Supported as an Enrolled Boot Camp Student:

Career Materials – Unlimited feedback on professional materials to help you become employer-ready.
Career Coaching – Quality coaching, strategies, and resources to help you become employer-ready.
Career Events and Workshops – We conduct ongoing behavioral and field-specific workshops, as well as engagement opportunities with industry professionals to help you become employer-ready. Check out our upcoming Career Connections!
Referrals – Once your materials are industry-backed and approved, you are eligible for referrals with industry to network through the relationships we’ve built and increase your visibility.

Career Material Submissions:

Intro and Career Goals: Here you will find a brief introduction to the career services support offered to reach your career goals and become Employer-Ready. You will also utilize resources to research target roles based on your background, interests, and skills.
Get Started: You will develop an industry-backed resume or CV, and submit it to your coursework LMS for feedback. Remember to submit an intake form to initiate career services support here if you’d like a more personalized review experience.
Personal Brand and LinkedIn: Review a professional brand statement that you can use for a variety of purposes including creating and/or polishing your LinkedIn profile. Once you’ve developed your LinkedIn profile, you’ll submit it for feedback.
Online Presence: You will update your career materials to meet industry-backed standards and submit links in your coursework LMS for feedback.
Job Search and Networking: For this career submission, you will implement previous feedback in your career materials. In addition, identify best practices for networking and how to successfully prepare for the interview process.
Get Hired: You will schedule a 1:1 with your career coach while implementing previous feedback in your career materials. You may re-submit career materials for a final review via your coursework LMS. Once you’re approved, you will be Employer-Ready!

What is Employer-Ready?

Employer-Ready means that you have the industry-backed materials to give yourself the best chance to secure your desired job. Your job search materials are excellent, you are well-prepared for interviews, and you are pro-actively seeking and pursuing the jobs that you want with multiple networking strategies.

Employer-Ready

Create a Professional CV or Resume with the Resume Guide: Cybersecurity
Create a LinkedIn Profile with the LinkedIn Guide: Cybersecurity
Prepare for a Successful Interview with the Behavioral Interview Prep Guide

Employer-Ready Criteria by Persona

Get Certified

Register and pass IT certifications that support your career interests. Network+ and Security+ are the two main certifications needed to become employer-ready.

Build Your Visibility

Attend all employer-facing events organized by the program.
Attend 1-2 local Meetups / Eventbrite events per week, make 2-3 solid connections per event.
Create business cards that include desired title, links to LinkedIn, and QR code for resume or CV.
Reach out to your entire network to let them know what types of roles you’re looking for specifically.
Use LinkedIn to connect weekly with 5 employees/decision makers.
Conduct 3+ informational interviews weekly with industry leaders.
Follow desired companies on social media.

Prepare for a Successful Interview

Attend behavioral Interview workshops.
Attend technical interview workshops.
Complete interview stories worksheet prior to behavioral interview session.
Schedule a 1:1 mock behavioral interview with your career coach.

Apply to Jobs

Apply to at least 10 jobs per week.
Set-up email notifications for your common keyword searches from job boards.
Share application status with your career coach or team so he/she can leverage possible employer relationships or alumni connections.
Follow-up on all applications within 1 week.

Improve Your Skills

Analyze job postings and learn what employers are seeking; spend sufficient time researching each unfamiliar topic.
Expand your knowledge of non-technical topics, e.g.business administration, project management.
Practice ethical hacking in public access cyber ranges like Arizona Cyber Warfare Range or in free capture the flag ranges like CTF365.

Frequently Asked Questions

Career Personas

Question: What does it mean to be a Starter, Switcher, or Advancer persona?

Answer: Many job-seekers identify as one persona while others may identify with more than one. The basic definitions are below:

STARTERS: Establishing a professional identity with little to no prior experience.

SWITCHERS: Rebranding to align professional identity with new aspirations or industry pursuit.

ADVANCERS: Positioning for growth or upward mobility.

Cover Letter and Interview Prep

Question: Where can I find resume and cover letter templates?

Answer: You can access Tools and Resources on the Career Engagement Network.

Question: Can you assist me with my cover letter when I apply for jobs? Can I send you job descriptions to see if you think they are a good fit for me?

Answer: Once your materials are industry-backed and approved, you can work with your Career Coach on questions related to the job search. This includes reviewing job postings and tailoring cover letters for specific job applications.

Question: Can we set up a practice interview?

Answer: Once you are Employer-Ready, your Career Coach will be able to assist you with interview preparation and practice.