The dreaded CISSP. My opinion about this certification has varied over the years so I’ll stick to the meat for this. No spoilers here, and no promotion as I’m also not being paid to plug the certification or organization responsible for it. Read on for some time saving info, and a few stories.
Not that anyone asked but when I say mixed feelings about it, it comes from a place of frustration of the cost of the exam and maintaining the certification. Especially considering how a lot of “junior” roles in Security require it, when being told “you need a minimum of five years experience” to take the exam. Aside from that it’s also cost prohibitive for a lot of junior people and a lot of them do not work for companies that will pay for or refund their expenses (i.e. some companies will require you to use PTO to go to conferences to maintain CPEs….Ironic as these companies will also have <certification> preferred/required” on the job description for the role.
I imagine some people will say “well I didn’t have to get the certification”, well that’s fine for you. The industry wasn’t what it was when people started off a couple decades ago. A lot of people struggle in the beginning getting their foot in the door and a lot of people already inside take for granted doors that were open for them, which is why I continuously harp on contributing to and participating in the community when you can as that approached worked for me. If you were able to get your foot in the door without degrees, certifications, or an inside connection count yourself as one of the lucky ones but do what you can to make yourself stand out in the future as a lot of people coming in will be nipping at your heels if you get too comfortable.
Enough with the opinion pieces for now. I originally drafted this before I started studying, and my opinions have changed slightly but considering I passed the exam, I decided to put together a playlist and some content together to help you pass with as little financial burden as possible. Happy Hunting!