Security Professional??

[Guest_imported]

Hi everyone I just got a career question to ask.

I've graduated last year with my a+, mcse and ccna certification, I did my intern at this software company for 4 months I was suppose to start my career their because I was doing so well..but before the end of my intern half of the company was laid off so my hopes of getting a job there were zero. since then, I've been applying here and there but not much success. I am just staying patience and waiting for the market to pick up again.
Anyhow my question is since I can't find a job rightnow I want to go back to school. I was thinking I should study towards network security. a network security specialist are those professionals around?? what would be a good start, I figure I might have to learn UNIX and some hacking skills because ppl say you can't protect if you can't hack. I am really losted I dont know where to start, I can only secure my own computer for now I dont know anything about hacking, there is so much I need to learn.
Any suggestion how and where I should start? what good books are out there??

thanks for taking the time reading my post

 

[MasterRacker]

Security specialist, because of recent events especially, is definitely an up and comoping area of opportunity. Check out

http://www.sans.org

Jeff
I haven't lost my mind - I know it's backed up on tape somewhere ....

 

[gcux]

I will respond to:
"Anyhow my question is since I can't find a job rightnow I want to go back to school".

Sometimes you must look at the actual reason(s) you are not getting jobs. From my perspective you have all of the basic qualifications for somebody entering at an entry-level IT position. You even have had an internship: that's more than I had when I started 7 years ago.

It may be necessary for you to concentrate on the marketing aspects of job hunting. How well do you represent yourself on paper and in interviews? You literally have to sell your skills and abilities to the customer (your future boss). This is uncomfortable for many people, but until you step out of your comfort zone you will continue to get the same discouraging results.

Be careful waiting for the market to improve, it may never improve but that doesn't mean there aren't jobs available. That only means you have to work harder to get them.

Good Luck.

 

[wvns]

Check out

http://www.informationsecuritymagazine.com

http://www.ciber.com

(who has a subsidary of ensphereics (sp?) that does "infosec&quot.
I'm currently a consultant and I've done some admin work, but looking at getting into security. I've found from that magazine a gigantic amounts of information and follow up books, magazines, and websites. It's the most complete and easy to work with source yet. Good luck and happy hunting.

Scott

 

[Parody]

Check out CISSP certification - by ISC2 (

http://www.isc2.org)

You do need some experience as an admin though.

 

[Kjonnnn]

What positions are you lookn for? are you looking for positions beyond your experience. I found out companys didnt care about my schooling without the experience.

So you may have a 4month 'internship' but I'd take whatever you could to get your foot in the door (which may not be in the salary range that lured you into school in the first place). Once your foot is in the door, think about school.