What do experienced CISOs wish they had known at the beginning of their cybersecurity careers?
In this bite-sized episode, Kris Rides looks back at conversations with cybersecurity leaders over the years and brings together one question we ask every guest: What advice would you give your younger self? and their answers reveal lessons that often take years of experience, career changes, mistakes and leadership to fully understand.
From learning to take more risks and ask harder questions to staying curious, being intentional about your priorities and understanding that no single career decision has to define your future, these CISOs share what they wish they had understood sooner.
In this episode, we explore:
🔐 Why learning to say no can be just as important as saying yes to opportunities
🔐 Why fear of failure can hold you back early in your cybersecurity career
🔐 How to think about career risks, failures and decisions that can be changed versus those that cannot
🔐 Why your first job or career decision does not have to determine the rest of your career
🔐 Why constantly chasing the next role can stop you from appreciating and learning from where you are now
🔐 How staying curious and continuing to ask “why?” can help you build deeper cybersecurity expertise and create more career opportunities
🔐 Why younger professionals should have the confidence to ask difficult questions about salary, expectations, reporting structures and opportunities before accepting a role
There is no perfect roadmap to becoming a CISO, and many of the lessons that shape successful cybersecurity careers only become obvious in hindsight.
Whether you are trying to break into cybersecurity, starting your first security role, considering your next career move or working toward cybersecurity leadership, this episode brings together practical advice from experienced CISOs for the professionals following behind them.
🎙️ Watch the latest episode of Root to CISO and hear the career advice these cybersecurity leaders would give their younger selves and comment what you wish you knew in your earlier career.
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