Part I: A Career in the Security Industry

• Chapter 1: Choosing a Career in Information Security
  • Do You Want Job Security for Life?
  • Choosing Your Path: What Specializations Are Available?
    • The Complexity of Our Industry
    • Is There Any Standardization?
    • A Modern Categorization for Tech Companies
    • Career Paths Are Not Linear
• Chapter 2: Cloud Security as a Career Path
  • The Rise of Cloud Security: Why Choose a Career in This Domain
  • So, What Exactly is Cloud Security?
• Chapter 3: Understanding Career Levels
  • A Look at Progression Frameworks
  • Don't Take Titles Too Seriously...
  • ...But Also, Titles Do Matter

Part II: Entering the Field

• Chapter 4: What Skills Do You Really Need?
  • Is Formal Education Necessary?
  • Learn Foundational Computer Science
  • Learn To Code
    • Understand Software Design Principles
    • Get Familiar With at Least One Programming Language
    • Develop a Small Web Application
  • Learn Version Control
  • Learn Foundational Security Concepts
  • Learn General AppSec Concepts
• Chapter 5: Tips for Effective Learning
  • Find Your Learning Style
  • Create a Learning Plan
  • Build a Knowledge Base
  • Avoid Relying on "AI" Chatbots
• Chapter 6: What Does It Mean To Be At This Stage
  • The Experience Paradox
  • What's Expected of You
    • Observe and Learn
    • Be Curious
    • Cultivate a Growth Mindset
    • Be Slow But Steady
    • Learn How To Ask Questions
  • Avoid Making a Bad Impression
  • In Summary: Make Yourself an Easy Hire
• Chapter 7: Working Towards the Next Stage
  • Do Your Job
  • Have Some Side Projects
    • Why Having Side Projects is Important
    • Need Some Inspiration?
  • Start Building Your Personal Brand
    • Be Consistent
    • Have a Personal Website
    • Have a LinkedIn Profile
    • Have a GitHub Profile
    • Have a Twitter Profile

Part III: Establishing Yourself

• Chapter 8: The Essential Skills You Need To Learn
  • Improve Your Software Engineering Skills
    • Be Proficient With Git
    • Get Used To Treat Everything as Code
    • Pay Attention To Code Quality
    • Pay Attention To Your Writing Skills
    • Know Your Tools
  • Become Familiar With a Cloud Provider
    • Understand the Concept of Cloud Computing
    • Pick a Cloud Provider
    • Key Concepts To Comprehend
  • Understand the DevOps Philosophy
  • Learn How To Manage Servers
  • Learn Containers
    • The Basics
    • The Components
    • Working With Images
  • Learn Container Orchestration
    • Why What You Think You Know is Probably Wrong
    • Understanding Kubernetes Architecture & Components
    • Get Hands-On Experience
    • If You Want To Be “Production Ready”
  • Learn Container and Kubernetes Security
  • Learn Infrastructure as Code
  • Learn CI/CD
  • Next, Tackle DevSecOps
    • Embedding Security in the Development Process
    • A Modern DevSecOps Pipeline
  • Pay Attention To Secrets Management
• Chapter 9: Tips for Effective Learning
  • Keep Focus
  • Practice, Practice, Practice
  • Certifications: How Important Are They?
    • Some Caveats To Consider
    • Certifications I Would Recommend for Cloud Security Engineers
• Chapter 10: What Does It Mean To Be At This Stage
  • Working Towards the Senior Role
    • The Many Faces of the Senior Role
    • Being Considered a “Senior”
  • What's Expected From You
    • Technical Competence
      • Execute. Execute. Execute
      • Champion Technical Excellence
      • Be a Product Engineer
    • Have Excellent Communication Skills
    • Be a Professional
      • Be Reliable
      • Treat Others With Respect
      • Be a Manager of One
• Chapter 11: Working Towards the Next Stage
  • Keep Growing Your Skills With Side Projects
    • First, Build a Lab
    • Then, Start Experimenting
    • Practice Shipping
    • Consider Open Source
  • Build Your Brand Internally Within Your Company
    • Market Yourself
      • Weekly Digests
      • Brag Documents
      • Tell Me About a Time Documents
    • Manage Up
    • Plan For Promotion
  • Keep Building Your Brand Externally Within The Industry
    • Keep Working on Your Personal Brand
    • Share Your Knowledge
    • Network
    • Speak at Conferences
    • Watch Out for Pitfalls

Part IV: Thrive

• Chapter 12: The Skills You Need To Master To Be Well-Rounded
  • Dig Deeper in the Security Aspects of Cloud Providers
  • Work With Kubernetes Beyond the Basics
  • Refine Your Terraform Skills
  • Know How To Secure CI/CD Pipelines
  • Know About Supply Chain Security
  • Know About Security Logging and Monitoring
  • Other Topics You Should Know About
• Chapter 13: Tips for Effective Learning
  • Learn From Others
  • Consider Investing in Professional Coaching
  • Own Your Career
• Chapter 14: What Does It Mean To Be At This Stage
  • Reaching Staff+
    • What is a Staff+ Anyway?
    • Avoid Over-Specializing in a Niche
  • What's Expected From You
    • Technical Leadership
    • Consider Communication Your Primary Skill
      • Writing is Where You’ll Spend Most of Your Time
      • Public Speaking Can Help, Too
    • Be Able To Influence
    • Help Others Grow
      • Share Your Knowledge
      • Mentor Others
    • Cooperate With Management
      • Own Project Management
      • Consider a Stint in Management
• Chapter 15: Final Tips for a Long Career
  • Your Brand is Your Most Important Asset
  • Stay Relevant
  • It's Time in the Game, Not Timing the Game

Part V: Interviewing and Choosing Your Next Company

• Chapter 16: Pick Your Adventure
  • FAANG: For World-Scale Expertise
  • Startups: For Growing Quickly
  • BigCos: For Learning Solid Processes
  • Consultancies: For a Breadth of Knowledge
  • Non-Tech: Avoid Them If You Can
  • Government: For the Greater Good
  • Putting It All Together
• Chapter 17: Where To Look for Jobs
  • Job Boards
  • Recruiters
  • Networking
• Chapter 18: Get Ready for Interviewing
  • Polish Your CV
  • Polish Your Skills
• Chapter 19: Managing the Interview Process and Securing Offers
  • Understanding the Different Stages of an Interview Process
  • Manage the Process
  • Dealing With Offers