Hack Your Network: Career Connections for Cyber Pros

Okay, without further ado, the one and only Heather Morris is going to talk to us about leveraging, aka hacking your network to help you in your career journey. Let's give a round of applause.

Hi everybody. I'm really excited to be here. Um, my name is Heather Morris. I am the director of recruiting for a company called Red Horse Corporation. Um, I have been in the GovCon talent industry for a little over a decade. Um, and today we're going to talk about networking, why it's important, why a lot of you are here today. Can you not hear me? How about now? Yeah. Okay. Um, I'll start over. Uh, my name is Heather Morris. I'm uh the director of recruiting for Red Horse Corporation. I've been in the GovCon talent industry for a little over a decade. Um, I'm excited to be here and be talking about networking. It's something that I'm

really passionate about. Uh, reason why many of you are probably here today at Bsides in Vegas. Um, so we'll kind of dive into it. Um, and yeah, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to stop me throughout. So the introduction building meaningful connections, relationships, it helps you stay informed about not only job opportunities but also industry trends. Um it fosters collaborations and really helps with your overall professional development. But why cyber security? Like why is it so important in cyber? Um, specifically, you know, cyber security is an industry that's constantly evolving with new threats, new technologies. It's it feels like every six months there's it's it's just a a change in in technologies that y'all

are utilizing. So, professionals need to stay up to date with the emerging tren trends and advancements. So, with that, there's also a significant demand for cyber security professionals. So networking helps you really tap into those job opportunities and the the market in general and and just help you stay ahead of those industry shifts that I I mentioned. Um cyber [clears throat] security professionals often work in team- based collaborative environments. So networking helps facil facilitate those relationships and enhance teamwork and enable knowledge sharing. So, it's really an opportunity to meet people face to face, shake hands, let them know who you are versus just somebody that they might see on socials, um, and collaborate. Um, last and my al my

absolute favorite thing that we'll talk about here is build building your professional network helps you not only with job opportunities, but also insights and mentorship. Mentorship is something that I think is huge within this space. Um, so we will dive into that as well. Overall, networking plays a key role in staying competitive in developing your career in cyber security. So, the why, yes, top of- mind is obviously job opportunities, but it's important to network because most roles in tech and in the Saber community are really filled through referrals and word of mouth. So getting out there, meeting people is really going to help you have that competitive edge versus being one of the thousand people that apply to a

job that's on LinkedIn. Um, putting yourself out there and networking in the right spaces. You could gain a mentor that can help you support your career. Networking provides valuable knowledge um about the latest tools, best practices, emerging trends like I mentioned, and it could lead to new partnerships, new research opportunities or projects. um specifically with job enhancement um visibility in the cyber security community, power of personal recommendations um and internal referrals and continuing learning through knowledge exchange. So you're going coming to a conference like um besides and beyond. Many of you probably are going to blackhat defcon things of that nature. Um so it's important when you're coming to these events to try to have a plan in place.

Um so uh before the event, during the event, and after the event as well. So before you head to an event, first make sure obviously the events that you attend align with your interests or background. Um conferences and meetups are the ideal location to meet like-minded people. Um, you can find formal or informal opportunities at these kind of events. Um, it's a matter of your comfortability and how you get out there. Um, I think everyone in this room should be proud of their own personal growth by just being here. Honestly, um, how to ensure that you're getting the most out of an event. First, we want to prepare personally. Think about what you want to get out of the event. Um, is

it just to nerd out? Is it to uh meet more like-minded people, to learn about new technologies, find a new job? Whatever it is, come into an event with that mindset. Um it'll drive what kind of sessions you attend, what kind of breakouts you participate in. Um and really help drive your overall experience. Um, you always want to make sure you have your I like to call it an elevator pitch, but explaining who you are, what you do, um, and really what you're looking for. Um, and then research the event. Don't just show up to an event. Make sure you know who's speaking, who's attending. Um, plan on when and where you want to stop by

booths, listen to talks, participate in activities. This will ensure you're ma maximizing your time at the event and also um just being on the grounds. Uh during the event, you know, I strongly recommend that you approach every conversation with the aim to learn and connect versus what can I get out of this conversation. Um it's fair to have the m that mindset. Um but what if you could help them? What if you could make an impact on that individual that you're speaking with? Um, you know, you'll hear me talk about it a little bit more in depth as these slides go on, but um, networking is a two-way street. So, um, you know, the a conversation

could also help change your mind, give you a different perspective on the way you want to take your career. Um, so definitely try not to be tunnel visioned. Um, and always come at the avenue or the perspective of how can I help or what can I learn from this? Get engaged, be present, uh participate in all the things. Get outside of your comfort zone. I'm sure everyone in this room has heard the the phrase, you know, learning learning and growing happens outside of your comfort zone. So, get out there. Even if you fail, it's still nice to to try and and challenge yourself. I know that at these events, they have a lot of different like hack

this, hack that. So, um, get out there, um, and showcase your interest in specialties in general. During the event, every opportunity you get to is to stop by as many networking lounges, mingles, happy hours that you could possibly unique opportunities to meet people that are here specifically for networking. Um, you and you never know who you'll meet after the event. uh follow up with your connections you made during your time at the event. You know, I highly recommend personalized LinkedIn connections. It's a great way to solidify the connection that you made um and really bring it full full circle and open additional conversations. Uh when reaching out, be sure to note some specific points that might help the

individual remember you. Um I'm, as I'm sure many of you here are, you probably talk to a lot of people. So, it's important to um be able to set yourself apart from all the other conversations and then stay engaged and continue supporting them through their socials as well. Like their stuff, share their stuff. Um and just ultimately be mindful. Um and that will come full circle and be impactful. Networking on platforms is a wonderful place to network and meet more like-minded individuals. First, let's talk about LinkedIn. Obviously, it's the number one. It's the the bread and butter of uh networking. Um, first thing, make sure your profiles are up todate. Um, professional and showcase all of your skill sets. If you get a new

certification, make sure that's on there and all of your experience. Obviously, um making sure that it's it's up todate is going to ensure that people can find you and know really what you you have to offer and what what you have going on. Um LinkedIn is not supposed to be a super confidential site. [laughter] Um so ensure your settings allow people to share and engage with the stuff that you have posted as well. um you know or if you are open to the job market and you you turn on that badge, make sure that people are able to share your profiles and your posts. Um that's that's what what it's all about, networking. Um engage with individuals and their

posts that you find insightful or you think your personal network would find useful. Remember that you are a professional in your field. So advocate for things that you feel are right and impactful. Um, engage with individuals and posts that you find insightful. Advocate. When I say engage, I don't mean just liking something here and there. I mean also posting your own content, being original, tag organizations, groups, um, individuals within your network that may have helped you write the post. um that will having those tags and hashtags will really help further your reach within the LinkedIn community and participate in discussions and comments. If you like something someone says, give give your your your two cents, your feedback. Um I think people

really appreciate that. And celebrate your successes, celebrate other people's successes in your networks. As I mentioned on my previous slide, and yes, I'm going to say it again, when you send a connection or request, ensure you personalize the message. Um, especially when it comes to thought leaders, recruiters, things of that nature, we get several connections that may not be relevant to our personal networks. So, by saying something personal, we're able to connect that and make and bring that full skirt. We want you in our network, but it we want it to make sense as well. and kind of take out all the noise that we might get. Um, on a final note, join LinkedIn groups. I feel like these this is an

avenue of LinkedIn that is highly overlooked um on the platform, but there's no better way to find a group of like-minded individuals that maybe isn't a co-orker that you work with um or somebody that you meet on B at bides, right? Um, but it's a a great place to find folks that have the core interests that relate to you. Um, and it's also a a good way to learn from thought leaders within your industry on other social media platforms like X or Instagram. Um, I really recommend taking these these platforms and utilizing them um as a meaningful circle, right, that you can learn from. Stay engaged in conversations so that your name is out there in the community.

Beyond connections, you can search related hashtags that will have posts related to the topic that you're interested. For example, #infoscashblue team. Um, use it to keep up with trends and insights. Uh, these platforms are great for informational um, and really being able to grow in that way and also engaging with these people. I'm sure if you find somebody that you you connect with and and is is a great person that you want to continue um having a network with uh you'll connect with them on LinkedIn and I'm sure that's where the conversations will really flow but uh it's a great way to meet new people. I have talked a lot about engaging and being active

but how right it's more than just building an online presence. It's really about your personal brand. Um, within cyber security and really beyond, you know, when you have an online presence and you're connecting with people, you you have a brand, right? Yes, you're advocating for your organization that you work for, but um you as an individual have a lot to offer within your the space that you're a professional in. So when it comes to your expertise, I guarantee you that there's people out there that want to learn from you, want to grow with you. So there's several things you can do to stand out from writing blog posts, creating your own portfolio outside of LinkedIn, things

like GitHub, or simply, you know, contributing your own thought leadership through industry forums. Um, there's a lot of different ways to get your name out there and and and to make an impact. The more you stay engaged and share accomplishments, you'll see it come full circle and individuals will reach out to you with opportunities. But it's worth taking the time and putting yourself out there to engage in these communities. How to approach networking. It's so easy to go to a networking event or conference and immediately beline for the reason that you're there, whether that's jobs, partnerships, or mentorship. However, it is so important to remember that networking is so much more more than that. It is about

relationship building. Keep their approach to be building genuual relationships. When you meet somebody, it's it's it's so easy to just be like, "How is this person going to help me grow within my career?" Um, which is fair. I think that's a totally fair thing to think, but um building that relationship. Meaningful connections take time. listen when you're talking with individuals. Um, you know, a buzzword that resonates me um as a recruiter is by identifying pain points. Um, networking is not a one-way street. By understanding others and the challenges and their needs before jumping right into your personal self-game, um, offer to help, share knowledge. This adds value, builds trust, which can lead to future opportunities. An example of that

is maybe you're talking to somebody that's having a an issue with their code or, you know, can't figure out a certain problem. Um, sit down with them, talk about your experience, what's worked for you. Um, and that really will resonate with them and they'll remember that and it'll go a long way. Um, it's not a best practice to come to conferences with the goal of quote unquote pitching yourself or your business or whatever reason that you you may be here specifically for unless you're a paid sponsor and you have one of these amazing booths out there. [laughter] Um, it comes off as almost disrespectful to the community um and also the event sponsor themselves. Um, if you focusing

on listening and adding value, you'll organically be able to pitch yourself and an individual will ask you questions about who you are, what you're doing, what you're looking for. Um, so my biggest thing is be a person. It's not about the pitch. It's being mindful and being kind. Like I just said, meaningful connections, they take time. Leveraging mentor mentee relationships. um a mentor in cyber security space really any skill set is going to be by far one of the most influential and significant network connections that you can have. These are individuals in the industry um you work that can give you advice and guidance based on real world experience. A mentor will not only open doors for

opportunities for professional growth, they can also help give you exposure to new ideas, new skills, and strategies that you may not have come up with on your own. Um, it's someone who can really be a sounding board throughout your career. How do you find the right mentor? finding someone you admire in your industry, follow along within their career, whether that's on LinkedIn, whether that's somebody you meet at an event, whether whether that's somebody you meet speaking on a panel or on a stage. Um, you really just have to figure out the how to approach them and and build that connection. Um, it typically doesn't organically happen. Um, you may have to ask if they'd be

open to a mentorship. Um, good people in the industry, I can guarantee you, would love the opportunity to be a mentor. Um, they typically love what they do and they'll relish the opportunity to quote unquote pass on the legacy or teach the ways. It's flattering and an honor at the end of the day. Um, I also want to note um that this scenario does not have to be a formal setup. It can be shadowing somebody, getting feedback on your work, asking questions. Um just ensure that you have you are being mindful of your mentor's time. Um you have a clear personal goals. You're communive. You celebrate successes together. And don't be afraid to ask for questions or advice when

needed. Also keep in mind that it isn't just bene beneficial for the mentee, it's also beneficial for the mentor. Collaboration and knowledge exchange are invaluable. For example, maybe a junior engineer may have experience with the brand new tech stack that just came out versus the mentor has years of industry experience with connections. A mentee can help teach the technology and the mentor can help with paving a career path. Um I'm standing on the stage here today because I have a wonderful mentor who is Kirsten Rener who is um amazing at what she does. she's running the hiring ground today and um you know it's it's amazing to to learn from people within your specific industry. So any

opportunity you have to do that I definitely highly recommend it.

All right, maintaining longterm networking relationships because now I've said it a few times, building relationships takes time. Maintaining long-term networking relations are the key to successful networking in general. You do not typically come full circle right away. They require building and nurturing. Follow up and consistency is rule number one. Regularly check in with your network. Don't let relationships go stale. Share interesting insights or updates that might be of interest to your network. celebrate your wins. Whether that's a certification, whether that's, you know, you you got a degree or whatever that might be. Um, celebrate your wins. That's one of the best best things you could possibly do. And help when possible, reinforcing the value of

your relationship. Um, take the time to meet up. Uh, the gentleman that spoke before me, he definitely touched on this, but having facetime goes a long way. um you know, it keeps the relationship alive whether that's in person or online uh virtually and and in and digital engagement. Um coffee meetings, love them. They're they're great. Just adds a personal touch and shows that you care and you want to make time for the individual. Last offer offer help. You know, if someone in your network has helped you, offer your assistance in return. Whether that's sharing your expertise, uh making introductions, or providing resources, practical networking tips, be authentic. People like you for you. So, if you're

genuine and not just a corporate version of yourself, it goes a long way. you know, it's the quirky quirky side of you that um is going to really resonate with somebody. Uh when you're passionate about something, it shows and people will will recognize that quality over quantity is imperative. While many connections are nice to have, it only takes one strong relationship to make an impact on your future. Stay updated on the stay updated. The tech space is always changing. keep up to date with trends and insights um so that you're cutting edge and you have something to that will give value back to the community as well and be patient. I've already mentioned it doesn't come full circle right away.

So take your time, meet some great people, get out there, shake hands, and you never know how it will impact you. The summary of this is networking is about building relationships, not just job hunting. Leverage both an online and offline um presence for opportunities to connect with others in your field. Approach networking with the goal of adding value, not just seeking opportunities. Mentorship can be a gamecher. You just have to find the right mentor. Um, and final thoughts, cyber security professionals who invest invest in networking will not only find job opportunities but will also build a strong support system for continuous growth. And that's all I got today.