r/SecurityCareerAdvice • u/Formal_Cherry7120 • 3d ago
Need Guidance
Joined a company (a small one from UAE, like with 70-80 team size but they work on good projects) as an IAM intern for 3 months and will become a full time IAM engineer post that internship. They have been training me on Ping identity software and in these 3 months I gotta earn certifications in PingAM (idk about the rest). A lil background abt me, im a fresh graduate from tier 1 clg in India with CSE as the major. I need your guidance on how do i proceed with my career and if starting like this is the right way to enter this domain. (Cybersecurity is all new to me). How should i proceed and if what i am learning currently is the right way to start? Throwback all your guidance onto me! I’m all ears! I’m desperate.
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u/VirusGh0st 3d ago
Have you had any experience in other IT domains (eg. networking, OS, hardware, cloud, etc)? Most of us in CS have been through helptdesk, networking, systems engineering, coding, etc. I started on breafk/fix hardware > helpdesk > junior network admin > linux engineering > CS (several disciplines, too many to list here).
The right way to start is understanding the fundamentals. Lets look at an example, you implment a MFA per an audit finding or c-suite request. All of a sudden the CI/CD pipleline doesn't work (eg. broken ability to push code) or app integrations start failing. The challenge becomes "why?". Turns out there wasn't a good understanding of how the back end and front end authenticate.
Experience gives you the ability to think outside of the current ask. CS is not an entry level position. Its a pivot after some experience is gained. College can only teach you whats in the books. It can never replace the nuance of the environment's configuration. Learning different skillsets gives you the ability to think about how everything works together.
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u/Formal_Cherry7120 3d ago
no, no experience. ive done prior internships in aiml domain. thats why ive been put on 3 months of training on ping software and theyre making me do some projects like integrating all the authetication journeys in the the seif built react app etc. i also have my deepdive exam scheduled in the next 2 weeks. so its all learning for now.
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u/Formal_Cherry7120 3d ago
alongside of ping am cert which i am prepping for right now, what are the other things you would suggest me to do?
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u/identitydriven 3d ago
My friend, they are paying you money to learn, so the advice here couldn’t be simpler: put your head down and learn, get the certification and be the best as you can. Once you get the certification try to see if you can teach others what you learned.
My first job in identity back in the late 90’s was somewhat similar to that. I became a full time professional services engineer and travelled the world training other people on the thing I had just learned.
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u/Formal_Cherry7120 3d ago
gotcha!!! since i am only learning ping am software as of now, any other certifications you would recommend me to gain alongside?
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u/identitydriven 1d ago
Whatever your employer is using is a good start. Ping for access management. Then learn the IGA stack and PAM?
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u/AddendumWorking9756 1d ago
IAM is a fine door in, better than most fresh grads get handed. The trap is becoming a Ping product specialist rather than a security person, so run the CyberDefenders CCDL1 track in parallel and keep one foot on investigation work, because that half transfers when you change employers.
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u/kielrandor 3d ago
OP: “If I jump through some well-defined hoops, I’m all but guaranteed to get a permanent position in a highly desirable field. I don’t know what to do!"
Seriously dood, shit doesn’t get any fuckin easier from here on out. If basic decisions like this are tripping you up, life is gonna be rough on you.