One of the best parts about working in Cybersecurity is that anywhere there is technology there is something that needs to be secured. From customer and staff accounts to complex machine learning algorithms that need private servers to run, companies need security. Here are just a few companies for those looking to get their foot in the door to the wide world of Cybersecurity.
VMWare:
VMWare is a diverse software company that offers solutions to most of the problems modern businesses will run into. From Applications, cloud infrastructure, networking, and security. If you have a business that you want to modernize in this digital world VMWare has your solutions.
Contact Information:
fmathias@vmware.com – Frances Mathias, Senior Recruiter at VMWare
3401 Hillview Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304
I’ve used VMWare products both in professional environments and during my education. I’ve always been fascinated by the interworking of virtual machines and remote access. As technology continues to push forward the need for security when it comes to both virtual environments and remote will only increase. This makes VMWare a great place to start at. On top of that they have many locations all over the world and could make for a nice job if you enjoy traveling or dream of working abroad.
Athene:
Athene is an Investing company with a focus on building retirement account of its customers. Athene was established in 2009 after the stock market crash. Their goal is to create accounts of their clients that can withstand the shock that can occur in markets to help create a stable investment option for its clients.
Contact Information:
skoogler@athene.com – Stephanie Koogler, Sr. HR Partner, Talent Acquisition – Information Technology
7700 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266
While at first Athene my not seem like your normal Cybersecurity job given it’s an investment company. All its platforms are digital, and their security team is a massive priority. This gives you the chance to not only work to secure Athene’s platforms, but you also might be able to learn more about investing and start to build wealth along the way.
Casey’s General Store:
Casey’s is a company built on making the start of their customers day better. A family-owned company that started from one store, has boomed into a company that now operates 2300 stores across 16 states while still being family owned.
Contact Information:
Joshua Kraling – Implementation / Deployment Manager at Casey’s General
One SE Convenience Blvd, Ankeny, IA 50021
https://www.caseys.com/careers
Casey’s is where I got my start working in technology when I joined their remote help desk. They offer a variety of positions when it comes to security from finical systems to networking. This makes it so there is room to move if your desired field changes. On top of having multiple options, they are located in a smaller suburb in Iowa which is a nice breath of fresh air from your average city-based software company.
Lumen:
Lumen is a forward-thinking company that creates advanced delivery solutions for its digital clients. Just like how modern delivery companies move goods and deliver packages efficiently, Lumen wants to do the same just at the digital level. By providing a system and infrastructure for routing data through multiple different providers, Lumen helps handle high data rate workloads and work to future proof its client’s digital environments.
Contact Information:
Jackie Swanson – Lead Recruiter
800-871-9244
100 CenturyLink Drive, Monroe, LA 71203
When I first started reading about Lumen their ideas were truly fascinating. The idea that as a world that revolves around stat and being able to influence how that data is transferred was incredibly interesting. The best part about this company is that you get to work directly with all the top networking companies when using their infrastructure. This allows for a ton of information to learn and serves as a great starting point. On top of being a great starting point you get to work with industry leading technology, while still having the job security at a well-established workplace. Normally you have to tradeoff working at a startup to get similar access.
Be Prepared:
When looking for any job its important to be an informed candidate for the position you are applying for. The last thing you want to do is walk into an interview and only know what was on your application when it comes to the company you’re walking into. It is very important to have questions ready so here are some basic questions that will work at any interview.
What is a normal day like in this position?
What will most of my time be spent on?
What is a next step for my in my career at this company beyond this role?
What would you consider going above and beyond in this position?
Resources:
About vmware. VMware. (2021, September 17). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from https://www.vmware.com/company.html.
What drives athene? Athene. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from https://www.athene.com/our-story.
Learn about Casey’s. History of Casey’s | Casey’s. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from https://www.caseys.com/about-us.
About us. Lumen. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from https://www.lumen.com/en-us/about.html.
Getting a position with VMWare would be an excellent place to start a career. VMWare has been heavily used in every company I’ve ever dealt with. It seems like having direct experience at that level would lead to many future opportunities.
I never really thought about Casey’s being a good start in the IT field, but I suppose it makes sense as long as you keep an eye on job openings and make sure that you focus on learning all you can when you are in the help desk position so you can work towards a higher position.
Working at VMware sounds like an excellent choice for a career in cybersecurity. Their software is used by quite alot of organizations around the world in I.T. which would make you very desirable as a skilled employee for companies.