How to Make the Jump from the Military to the Cybersecurity Field

Planning for civilian life after service in the military can be a daunting task. Many people join the military at the age of 18 and typically retire at the age of 38, and finding a new job soon after they separate from the military can be one of their biggest challenges, said Tom Marsland, an active-duty Navy sailor who served on nuclear-powered submarines.

“The time will come to an end faster than they think,” Marsland said. “I see so many veterans who are in their last year or even month of service, and they don’t know what they want to do yet.”

Marsland is also the board chair of VetSec, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping veterans pursue a job in cybersecurity. He joined as a way to plan his own military transition.

He believes cybersecurity and the military tend to have a natural partnership that offers veterans a great career path during their transition to civilian life. Read on to explore how veterans can leverage their military experience and skills to pursue a fulfilling career in cybersecurity.

Service members in various areas of the military can bring advantages to the cybersecurity industry.

Cybersecurity is a growing industry with a labor shortage. The 2020 (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study (PDF, 1.1MB) indicates that more than half of IT and security professionals feel that cybersecurity staff shortages are putting their organizations at risk.

How can the nation fill these job openings?

The 2020 National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education publication on cybersecurity and military service (PDF, 528 KB) shows that there is a shortage of cybersecurity professionals in the field that could be filled with veterans equipped with skills in risk management as well as a security clearance obtained while in service. In the United States, about 200,000 service members transition to civilian life each year and enter the civilian workforce with an average of 15 years of training and experience under their belts, according to the Department of Defense.

“I see a lot of veterans have the skills that cybersecurity employers look for in the industry just from the technical aspects, even if it’s not directly cybersecurity skills they come with,” Marsland said. “Any employer knows veterans are going to be trainable and have a high work ethic.”

Military experience — which often includes working with high-tech tools — can help veterans develop important skills for working in the space, such as situational awareness and understanding of the chain of command.

Here are some of the skills and potential jobs that could match, according to Marsland:

SKILLS

JOBS

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Some intelligence background

Jr. penetration tester (EL)
Penetration tester (ML)

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Technical computing skills

Security operations center (SOC) analyst (ML)
Jr. security analyst (EL)
Jr. security engineer (EL)

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Policy and procedures

IT auditor in governance (EL)
Any role in compliance (EL)

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EL: Entry-Level, ML: Mid-Level

Marsland said that service members in various areas of the military can bring advantages to the cybersecurity industry.

“From the enlisted side, most jobs are technically oriented and require self-drive, determination and the ability to learn quickly on your own,” he explained. “From the officer’s side, they’re trained to be world-class leaders and run organizations that directly contribute to the security of the nation. Cybersecurity provides a similar mission.”

The sense that they are defending the nation in a slightly different realm can also offer all veterans a sense of continuity in their work.

In the United States, about 200,000 service members transition to civilian life each year and enter the civilian workforce with an average of 15 years of training and experience under their belts.

Although cybersecurity and the military seem to have a natural partnership, there are still challenges to pursuing a career in this industry.

“I think using the ability while you’re in the military to actually think about your life post-service and what you want to do can help overcome these barriers,” Marsland said. He points out that the military will train you to do any job that they need you to do.

Building and developing a career in cybersecurity starts with knowing who you are and what you have to offer then bridging that gap with job opportunities that match your skill sets and interests. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to figure out what works best for you based on Marsland’s suggestions.

1. Think about your post-service career.

It’s important at this stage to plan and set realistic goals, even if it means you are considering taking a paycut for an entry-level cybersecurity position. Set aside a little bit of extra time to think about what you want to do and how you can use resources at your disposal while you’re still in service to get those certifications and have time to plan ahead.

2. Learn how to translate your military skills in civilian terms.

Marsland says the best way to do this is to speak to someone in the industry and find a mentor who is a veteran and can see what you’ve done and how it might apply and correlate with required skills. Work on formatting your resume to better describe your military service and how it can boost a company’s revenue and/or reduce their risk.

3. Discover your niche in cybersecurity.

The NICCS has a Career Pathways Roadmap digital tool that allows any professionals including veterans to explore and build their career path through specializations and skills development. You can even search through job titles in different areas of cybersecurity to see where you best fit and learn mobility through these connections across the industry.

4. Build a professional network outside of the military.

Start with creating a LinkedIn profile and use that opportunity to share more about yourself outside of service and narrow down what you’re looking to do. Marsland said that active military members need to work on maintaining a network outside of the military and not wait until they’ve already transitioned to start building.

5. Get certified.

Earning industry-recognized certifications, particularly in GIAC programs, is critical to developing your career in cybersecurity. According to Marsland, every military branch has a credentialing opportunity where if a veteran goes through the training, the military pays for the certification exam voucher. Certifications allow you access to employers and often lead to job opportunities with the help of a program sponsor.

“In cybersecurity, it’s not all roses [for] a military member thinking they’re just going to get out and already be making six figures,” Marsland said. “You’ve got to do a lot of prior planning and owning your destiny, which is a really big piece of this.”

“The sense that they are defending the nation in a slightly different realm can offer veterans a sense of continuity in their work.”