You’d probably look for these things in most jobs, but especially your early jobs in cyber.

<aside> 👩‍🏫 A manager who has the time, will, and skill to teach you.

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Time: As a newbie, you want someone who plans to work with you almost every day, not just once or twice a week.

Will: You want someone who proactively identifies opportunities for you to learn, take responsibility, and get recognized for your hard work. They see your success as their own.

Skill: Has the manager taken any trainings in coaching and developing others? Professional development is a hard-earned skill.

<aside> 💁 A team that’s excited about your career development.

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Is the team thoughtful about including you in growth opportunities?

Do they celebrate your wins and give you fair feedback quickly?

<aside> 🥗 Exposure to a variety of topics and types of work.

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To find a mix of work that suits you, sample and experiment.

For balance and workflow, take roles that range from owner to observer.

For variety, look for a range of topics, collaborators, urgencies, and skillsets.

<aside> 🧙 An opportunity to master something important.

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This builds your confidence and helps get you noticed.

Volunteer to work on something that’s already viewed as meaningful.

Iterate on it until you get good, then let other people see that you’re getting good at it.

  1. Rather than hoarding your knowledge, take notes so others could see how it’s done.
  2. Suggest ways to upgrade it, or connect it to something else.