Expert Advice

Joyce Brocaglia is the executive career advisor for CSO magazine. The following questions and answers are featured on CSO's online magazine (www.csoonline.com).

Back to Expert Advice Question List

I will be graduating from college soon and I am very interested in climbing the ranks to become a CSO. I have three years of IT experience in an educational environment. What are my next steps?

The path to becoming a chief information security officer is not easy or easily defined. The role of a CSO or CISO is a complex and challenging one that is constantly evolving. In fact, if you were to ask ten CSOs how they got to where they are, you would almost certainly get ten different answers.

Regardless of what your career goals are, it's important to start with a strong foundation from which to build. Earning a college degree in a relevant area of study is just the beginning. After this milestone your goal should be to gain as much practical experience as possible. Working as a systems administrator or network engineer is an excellent way to develop technical understanding. While in this role, follow a course of self-study and strive to gain as much hands-on security engineering experience as possible — get your hands dirty, learn how to build, break, patch and defend. Learn your craft but as you do, be aware of the bigger picture and don't lose sight of you long-term goals.

Gaining hands-on operations experience is part of the process of becoming a CSO. Later in your career, as you take on management responsibilities, a solid technical background will give you the perspective and credibility necessary to lead a corporate security program.

Back to Expert Advice Question List