Navigating Your Cybersecurity Career: Weighing Public vs Private and Small vs Large Enterprises

Dear Cybersecurity Enthusiasts,

In this ever-evolving digital era, opportunities in cybersecurity are expanding like never before. Yet, the question remains, where should you channel your efforts and talents? Do you dive into the public or private sector? Does the buzz of a small business or the prestige of a large corporation attract you more? Today, we're breaking down the benefits and challenges of these career paths, shining a special spotlight on federal government roles.

Public or Private?

Cybersecurity jobs in both the public and private sectors come with unique attractions and potential hurdles. Working in public sector roles, often associated with government agencies, bring a strong sense of serving the public. These roles offer clearly structured career paths and are generally perceived to have higher job stability. However, compared to the private sector, they may offer lower salaries and may not move at the same fast pace in terms of technology innovation.

In contrast, private sector jobs, particularly in tech companies, often come with higher salaries and are typically at the forefront of innovative solutions. However, they may demand more work hours and may not offer the same job security as their public counterparts.

Small or Large Business?

The size of an organization also plays a significant role in shaping your cybersecurity career. At a small business, you can often enjoy a broader range of responsibilities and gain hands-on experience, leading to a multi-faceted skill set. However, a small firm's resource limitations might impede career advancement or specialized training opportunities.

Conversely, large corporations usually provides specialized roles and clear paths for career advancement and continuous education. They often have more resources for employee training and development. But, it can be more challenging to effect change in larger organizations due to their robust policies and strict enforcement of processes. The level of hyper-specialization can also lead to a gap in knowledge of the wide breath of cybersecurity disciplines and/or make you feel like you are not truly making a difference in the organization.

A Unique Path: The Federal Government

When considering federal government roles, certain unique factors come into play. Notably, the DOD 8570 requirements, now updated with the DoDD 8140, are essential for determining your eligibility for specific roles. These requirements categorize roles into IAT (Information Assurance Technical), IAM (Information Assurance Management), IASAE (Information Assurance System Architect and Engineer), each demanding different certification requirements.

The Security+ certification serves as a baseline requirement for federal employment, satisfying IAT Level II and IAM Level I requirements. For higher-level roles, the CISSP certification is crucial, meeting requirements like IAT Level III, IAM Level III, and IASAE II. The CASP+ certification also holds value in the federal government, meeting IAT Level III, IAM Level II, and IASAE II requirements.

While CASP+ is not as well-known outside of federal roles and its focus is more tactical, many professionals opt for the CISSP due to its wider recognition and broader coverage, particularly beneficial for management and executives.

Furthermore, many federal cybersecurity job roles bear different titles than their private or public counterparts. For a comprehensive list of these roles, you can visit the DoD Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF) website.

Concluding Thoughts

Deciding between the public and private sectors, or between small and large businesses, is a highly individual choice. Consider what you value most in your career - job stability, salary, opportunities for innovation, or hands-on experience. Whatever path you choose, keep learning, stay adaptable, and keep your skills updated. The world of cybersecurity is a dynamic one, and it awaits your unique contribution.

Until next time,

Franklin Buckholdt

Founder, CyberChronicler