Navigating the Cybersecurity Career Path by Helen E. Patton

Author:Helen E. Patton [Patton, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781119833437
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2021-10-27T00:00:00+00:00

Impostor syndrome affects almost everyone in multiple industries. In security, it occurs throughout the profession. It can impact women and minorities to a greater degree than others because they are already working harder to exist in the culture.

So, what can we do about it?

Fact-Check Your Inner Monologue

When you feel a bout of impostor syndrome coming on, the first thing to do is step back and dispassionately review the situation. Are you responding to a single comment or a range of feedback? Going through a stressful time that makes all things more difficult? Are you feeling less than adequate in comparison to someone else's success? Be clear with yourself about what is driving the feeling of inadequacy.

Be balanced in your examination. Look at your track record. Are your doubts reflected in your work outcomes? Are you generally successful and the current anxiety doesn't match your feelings? Or is your work suffering, and there might be some legitimacy to your thoughts? Think of the people you trust — what messages are you hearing from them? Do their comments match your concerns?

Are you being fair to yourself? No one is exceptional all the time — not even the superstars in our industry. Do you expect perfection from your team, or are you holding yourself to a higher standard than everyone else? What's happening in your personal and work life right now? Is your total life experience helping or hurting your work outcomes? Is your environment supporting your work or hampering it? It's a balance. High goals can be motivating. They are also a recipe for disaster if you set the goals to a level that cannot be realistically achieved. Work with your manager and peers to validate that you're finding the sweet spot, and allow for life to happen, which means sometimes you won't hit the goal. And that's just part of being a good security professional.

Consider who the comments are coming from. Sometimes, a comment about your performance can come from someone without a full understanding of your work or reflect bias from the person giving the comment — intentional or not. If a piece of your brain thinks this might be the case, again, check in with trusted partners. How can you frame the feedback in the context of someone who might be ageist, sexist, or racist? Regardless of bias, should you act on the feedback anyway?

Often, a period of reflection is enough to remind yourself that you are doing just fine, that everything is okay, and that you're enough. Sometimes, you might have a lingering concern. You then have to go a little deeper.

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