Hello all - Feeling Discouraged on Job Hunting!

Elizabeth

May 11,2022 at 12:44AM UTC

Welcome to Fairygodboss!

We’re the largest online career community helping women achieve their career goals. Gain access to articles, jobs, events, and a supportive network of women and allies. Membership is free, always.

Hello all!

As this if my first post with regards to networking, I'm currently job hunting (to get out of my current position) and am overwhelmed by what's out there!

To give you a small background, I’ve been working in an academic setting for nearly 10 years now – the majority of which has been in administration and finance-related roles with some IT involved. In terms of career aspirations, I’ve really enjoyed remote work since it began and I’d like a job that would allow that flexibility to continue, if possible. I’ve been interested in a possible career path in Cybersecurity due to the rising demand and potential growth prospects in the field and signed up for a introductory course which I will start in June to see if I like it.

In the meantime, I am looking at potential analyst jobs on job sites, including this one. However, I haven't seen any positions that would allow me to learn on the job since most require several years of experience. For instance, I applied to an internal position within our IT department that has been in the process of a reorg. I had a phone screening which then advanced to an interview and the hiring manager told me "by the end of next week" and I've heard nothing since. HR told me that the position hasn't been filled and things have slowed due to the reorg but I've had no contact since; not even from the hiring manager who never responded to my email.

I've also tried taking courses on LinkedIn to learn some new tools related to analyst roles in the field but I'm not sure if that's enough for the jobs I apply to; especially because roles in academia are so specific that I feel as though my skills won't hold up in other industries.

Does anyone else have any other tips?

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Why women love us:

Daily articles on career topics
Jobs at companies dedicated to hiring more women
Advice and support from an authentic community
Events that help you level up in your career
Free membership, always

14 comments

Share your insight

Join an authentic community that helps women support each other at work. Share your professional experience or ask for advice — you can even post anonymously.

14 Comments

Join the conversation

AnonymousMay 11,2022 at 2:48AM UTC
I'm in cybersecurity. I've had three remote job offers this week. It did take a long time for me to get my foot in the door; this field isn't easy to enter because you have to build trust. That is best done by in-person networking. Also the material can be technically difficult, but with an academic background you should be able to study it and learn it. Many of the cybersecurity jobs are analyst-type positions. Follow up with the IT position in your current organization; cybersecurity individuals usually begin with a help desk or other IT position before they transition into cybersecurity.
ElizabethMay 13,2022 at 6:16PM UTC
Thanks! I've reached out to the HR manager and he said they're getting through last round interviews and will be making a decision soon so I have a feeling I didn't get it, but who knows.
AnonymousMay 11,2022 at 10:38AM UTC
Federal positions in cybersecurity often require CompTIA certifications. Go for CompTIA Security+ if you are able to commit to the study time. It took me 3 months of intensive study. Once you have that certification, the federal job field opens up. Get security clearance and you are golden, especially as a woman. Many federal positions are on-site, however, due to security levels, so check that out before you start. Be prepared for a culture shift; cybersecurity is male-dominated. It's not necessarily toxic but you have to be prepared to be the only girl, everywhere. Industry is not as interested in certifications, but they still hold some weight. Industry jobs seem to be remote, or at least the ones that I've interviewed for are all remote. Be aware that remote in cybersecurity means "we will send you the equipment and it will monitor every keystroke, every eye blink, every mouse click" in cybersecurity. Sometimes they even film you while you work remotely. That is built into the field due to the nature of the work. Cybersecurity degrees are undeveloped at this point (my opinion) and employers are not always interested in them anyway. They truly value experience in this field. Here are my top spots for learning more about the field: WiCys, SANS, Cyberstart, ISSA, Cyberjutsu, Cyversity, Udemy. Of those, WiCys, Cyberstart, and Udemy have been the most helpful. Cybersecurity is a huge field. Try to pick an aspect to specialize in early on or it gets overwhelming. GRC is a good area; everyone wants to do the penetration testing (ethical hacking) because it's glamorous, but GRC is what worries companies since that's where they get fined.
ElizabethMay 12,2022 at 1:21AM UTC
Thanks for the realistic picture! I'm not sure if I'm as interested with working in the federal industry anymore - the tracking definitely gives me anxiety because of how introverted I am to begin with, but I'll keep those certifications in mind. I've signed on with TryHackMe to learn some stuff on the side.
Cynthia (Van Syoc) KendallMay 12,2022 at 2:31PM UTC
I love that you have a plan. No Advice from me here. But I did see on the Nightly News that more and more companies are going to remote jobs. I just landed one myself. Not super great pay but considering I don't have the 3 hour round trip commute I had back in my temp working days and I don't have to invest in office clothes I am happy. There are no jobs for someone like me and at 61 I was afraid I would never get hired. I applaud your forward thinking going into Cyber Security. I think considering we are going towards Remote Work as a rule in the future, your services will be in demand! Kudos!
Sabrina CortesMay 13,2022 at 3:40PM UTC
Congrats on the new job, Cynthia!
AnonymousMay 12,2022 at 10:48PM UTC
You have a lot of asks and should prioritize them.
I would suggest writing a specific list of all the things you want in a job and rank them. Have an honest conversation with yourself on what you are willing to compromise on until you earn the years of experience to start demanding some of the things you want and are not getting so easily. Cybersecurity is a competitive market. If you are new, it is possible you may have to work in a office setting for a while. Some companies and work environments are demanding a full return to work others a hybrid. Try USAjobs.gov depending on what sector of govt you work in, some jobs are remote, some are hybrid where you have to come in 1 to 3x per week. It depends on the office.
Sabrina CortesMay 13,2022 at 3:48PM UTC
I'm sorry you're feeling discouraged.
It's great that you're taking courses to advance yourself, though; don't forget to add them to your resume! :)
I'd like to emphasize that you want to tailor your resume to each job you apply for. This means that you want to include skills and keywords from the job descriptions in your resume. Doing this greatly increases your chances of passing the applicant tracking system (ATSs) scanning process. The ATS looks for matching words between your resume and the job description if you have enough, your resume is forwarded to the Recruiter or Hiring Manager.
I hope this helps!
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
ElizabethMay 16,2022 at 9:42PM UTC
Thank you!
Sabrina CortesMay 18,2022 at 1:11AM UTC
You're welcome!
Jubi BaruahMay 19,2022 at 11:31PM UTC
How is your job hunting going?
ElizabethJune 2,2022 at 12:20AM UTC
Hey! So the interview I had turned out to be a dud - I've had two other phone interviews since then, one of them wasn't that promising but the other one was for a job I applied to back in March so I guess they haven't found the right candidate yet so I hope to get an interview at least.
In the meantime, I've had my intro course orientation and I begin class next week!
AnonymousJune 10,2022 at 1:27AM UTC
Feeling down because I do all that I know following coach advices: reaching out to LinkedIn networks, recruiters, former colleagues, friends, searching jobs online in LinkedIn, Zip recruiter, Indeed, and tailoring my resumes for each job application. I also were interviewed with hiring managers in several rounds with no serious job offerings. All networks contacts recruiters friends are useless and silent. EDD shorts my unemployment benefits before actual expiry date due to no funding. Why they dont let people want a job have a job?
Leslie MillsJune 10,2022 at 1:06PM UTC
Hello!
Most of us have transferable skills, and sometimes we don't realize we have them. Evaluate yourself: You have Ad Min experience, which involves Customer Service, Finance experience qualifies you for many opportunities.
Part of the value of a new position is the opportunity to increase your skills and learn more.
Do not allow any potential employer with whom you have interviewed who does not follow up in a timely manner after you have contacted them dominate your job search. We should expect the same courtesy that we give them. If they cannot professionally handle the hiring process, what else might they also handle the same way?
Remember how talented and valuable you are. Be your own best cheerleader.
Let's all rock on!
Leslie