Mentorship advances security careers

What are the most important qualities, skills or experiences to seek when looking to advance a career in security? When asking security leaders this question, the responses are endless.

Curiosity is a common answer. “Stay thirsty,” says Jordan Avnaim, Chief Information Security Officer at Entrust. “Ask questions, listen, and learn from others’ experiences. Be daring. Safely experiment and be comfortable making mistakes.”

The ability to constantly learn and ask questions is another. In a world of frequently emerging threats, knowing when to ask questions is a valuable skill to acquire.

John Anthony Smith, Founder and CSO of Conversant Group, says, “Never take anything at face value. Because at the end of the day, humans are fallible and we make mistakes. As security professionals, it is our duty to question all things that are stated as truth to make sure that they truly are, in fact, secure.”

Communication is another useful quality the security professionals find useful.

“Communication is critical,” says George Jones, Chief Information Security Officer at Critical Start. “Being able to take all of the technical pieces of cybersecurity and digest it into something that an executive or a senior leader can better process so that they’ll understand how things impact the business is critical.”

All of these qualities are excellent for security professionals to develop. Although answers may vary on what skills security professionals should practice, there is one consistent recommendation among most security leaders: find a mentor.

“Mentorship is invaluable to advance a security career,” Jones says.

Security leaders often discuss the value that finding a mentor can have on a career. Establishing a connection with a mentor can build a professional’s network, expand their skillset, open doors to new opportunities and more.

“Left to our own devices, we’re only as good as our own creativity and what we’re able to find in a Google search,” Smith says. “And I would say many of the softer and finer skills can’t be honed that way. It requires interaction with human beings.”

Receiving mentorship is not the only way to grow a security career. While learning from a mentor is a beneficial experience, many security leaders have also found that offering mentorship is equally advantageous.

“Good mentorship is bidirectional. It’s not just one way. I’ve learned a lot from my mentees, and I’ve helped my mentors with a few things along the way as well,” Avnaim says. “It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Each mentorship relationship can present an opportunity to learn something new.

“I get something out of every person that I work with,” Jones says. “I think that’s helpful as a mentor. It’s an opportunity for me to give and to stay connected with emerging trends, continuously develop my leadership skills, and foster that collaborative relationship.”

Mentorship connections can also give security professionals the ability to sharpen preexisting skills.

“You know the old saying that iron sharpens iron? I fervently believe that saying kind of applies here,” Smith says. “I believe that folks need peer groups or mentors that they can bounce ideas off of, that they can learn from and that they can hone their skills against.”

Good mentorship — whether given or received — doesn’t just benefit a person’s career in the short-term. It is something that sticks with them as they continue to grow as a professional.

“I’ve been fortunate to have several mentors who have significantly shaped my career,” Jones reflects. “One in particular taught me the importance of people. As a young manager, I didn’t really know what I was doing. And this person that I still occasionally speak with today taught me how to connect with my staff, and to really understand them and serve them in order to get the most out of them.”

Engaging in mentorship can provide more than just professional development opportunities, it can also provide an opportunity to embark on a rewarding journey.

“Having had and continue to have so many great mentors in my life, I recognize the value of mentorship and continue to look to provide that same value to others. It’s very rewarding for me to do so,” Avnaim says.

There is not a singular, specific path that security professionals must follow in order to find a mentor (or a mentee). However, one of the most effective ways to find a mentor is to engage in networking.

Networking comes in many forms, and all of them can lead to a valuable mentor relationship.

“First and foremost, I would always recommend looking inside your organization and finding that leader that that you admire the most in your organization,” Jones suggests.

Although meeting other professionals at conferences or industry events can be fruitful, it may also be overwhelming. Security leaders warn against trying to rush into a mentorship relationship, and instead advise that professionals allow the relationship to develop organically.

“Undoubtedly, relationships will be forged over time,” Avnaim assures. “Once nurtured a bit, it takes a little effort to help develop into a good mentor and mentee relationship.”

Mentorship is a valuable career-building experience, but it is also so much more. It is an opportunity to form connections, understand new perspectives and gain better insights into the security world. Perhaps the most convincing argument in favor of mentorship is that it provides value not just for the mentor and the mentee, but the entire security industry.

“We need more security professionals,” Smith says. “And we need good ones.”