Companies crave experience in their security staffers, dimming prospects for entry-level applicants. Bill Brenner on how a young upstart can break through. If you're young, breaking into the security industry can be hell.
Companies have either suffered a data security breach or live in fear of one. So when they're hiring new IT security personnel, they want years of experience. If you're fresh out of college, that's a problem.

Another problem is that security practitioners are control freaks by nature. They have to be, if you stop and think about it. They have a huge responsibility, and delegating some of the work to younger pups is a lot to expect.

But here's the problem: The future of information security is in the hands of the youth. That may seem a clichéd statement; so obvious it sounds stupid. But it's a fact.

This column isn't an invitation for young upstarts to cry and lament about the disadvantages they have. Instead, it's about a few things you can do to break through and make it in the industry. Think of it as suggestions for becoming a security rock star, which you almost have to be to make a difference these days.

This morning I'm at Security B-Sides Boston, listening to a talk from someone who is fighting this battle right now. Joseph Sokoly, a security analyst at NetBoundary, recently gave a talk at the Austin, Texas B-Sides event about the troubles of being young in the security industry. This time, he's in Boston giving an update on where his career trajectory has taken him in the weeks since then.

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