Richard Oliveros Alvarez

Some tips to advance in your career: 1.Get a mentor, someone really good in cybersecurity who can support and advise you. 2.Participate in communities. 3.Showcase your progress and projects on your social networks like LinkedIn. 4.Study, study, and study, and even more so, practice, practice, and practice. 5.Don't forget about the laws; always practice in controlled environments or in production with authorization. 6.Don't get discouraged; we all start as juniors. 7. Teach what you've learned, no matter how small it may seem. There will always be someone with less knowledge than you, and teaching reinforces understanding. 8. Stay humble: A bad person will never become a good professional. 9. Share the knowledge.

One tip is to clearly understand the scope of the job. Due to the nature of the work we do and, in the early stages, our ego, challenges can consume us more. Therefore, defining a clear scope for each project is important. Likewise, getting some sun and walking can be quite beneficial. On the other hand, using automations allows us to save time, which we should use to change our environment. I know it's hard because, from experience, our activities revolve around forums, CTFs, YouTube channels, and challenges, but we should do things that take us out of our comfort zone. Why not a dance class, a trip to the museum, etc.?

While it's true that staying up-to-date in the cybersecurity world is a challenge, there are several reliable sources of information such as CSIRTS. Additionally, I recommend subscribing to RSS feeds or newsletters that you can access automatically and periodically. It might seem overwhelming at first, but if you can fine-tune your TikTok algorithm, it could become a daily source of tips and short videos to keep you at the forefront. The TikTok algorithm shows you what you focus on; if you search for cybersecurity, standards, news, etc., that's what you'll see. The concise and specific videos can be very useful. The tools are there to be used. Furthermore, belonging to communities helps.

Based on my experience, while it's true that certifications help, the community is a springboard for that first paycheck or entry into the cybersecurity field. Both online communities and in-person events assist in this process. Similarly, presenting in forums and groups about advancements in CTF platform challenges helps. We are in an era where a good professional is not someone with a thousand titles, but someone who is very good at a specific job. And I say this with all my heart, being 100% an academic nerd.