Bringing valuable skills and experience to the world of cyber security

When I joined Quorum Cyber in the summer of 2020, right after completing an HNC in cyber security, we were a team of less than 20 and so we all had to chip in to do different jobs and be very flexible to protect our customers. Since then we’ve grown rapidly to over 130 team members who each specialise in different skills, in our own teams. We still have that superb camaraderie and team spirit that appealed to me two years ago.

We all have unique backgrounds and life experiences. Some of us have years of cyber security behind us, some worked in IT roles, including for Microsoft, with whom we’re a Gold Partner. Several employees are in their first job since leaving full-time education and some are joining at the end of the summer through our new Graduate Programme or Graduate Apprenticeship Programme.

And several of us, like me, retrained after gaining a wide range of experience in other industries. We all contribute different skills and knowledge to the team. What brings us together is our shared passion for helping to protect our customers from cyber threats, hunger to keep learning about the subject – we have a policy here that we’re always training for the next certification – and our curiosity. It’s a very supportive environment and we always help each other to do our best for the customer and to continually pick up new skills. Because cybercriminals are always attempting new ways of breaking into organisations and exploiting people, we also need to keep learning, be creative and think outside the box.

We all bring unique skills and experience

While we have shared values, we all have our own personal journeys that brough us to Quorum Cyber. Mine started in the military where I served in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for 10 years. Since I left in 2007 I’ve worked in the oil and gas industry and also as an officer for Police Scotland. So I have a lot of experience of suddenly responding to changing situations where multiple parties are involved and when I don’t always have all the information I need to make the right decisions on the spot. Such instances can escalate and become stressful if not dealt with calmly and carefully.

Cybersecurity can have a lot of these features, so many lessons and experiences I gained on military duty, in the police and in other jobs since then, such as working as a subsea engineer on oil rigs in Africa and India, have really helped me get to grips with some of the scenarios I’ve faced working at Quorum Cyber. My previous experiences of problem-solving in unusual situations around the world have definitely helped me when, in my incident response role, I’ve needed to think clearly and analytically when presented with large volumes of unstructured data and I’m up against the clock.

Opening doors with SaluteMyJob

So, cybersecurity seemed the right choice for me and, at times, I wish I’d joined the industry sooner. I didn’t walk straight into a job, however, I had excellent support from SaluteMyJob, an organisation that helps ex-services personnel prepare for job applications and interviews. They introduced me to Quorum Cyber and I went to a presentation from their Founder & CEO Federico Charosky, which really piqued my interest. Fede took the time to meet me sometime afterwards, we kept in touch and a few weeks later the company offered me a position.

Always-learning mindset

I’ve always liked learning new skills, which is essential in this role as Incident Response and Digital Forensics Consultant. I took a number of different training courses when I left the military to prepare for the private sector and I continued to do so when I left the energy sector and got a job as a management systems consultant. Technology and cyber security are always evolving and so you need to want to keep learning. And you just have to get used the fact that you can’t know everything – it moves too quickly for anybody to know it all. Quorum Cyber has an excellent approach to education: everybody is encouraged to keep training and gaining new certifications.

The company is supporting me as I take an MSc in Advanced Security & Digital Forensics at Edinburgh Napier University, which I’m balancing with my day job in Incident Response and family life. Everyone’s really supportive and we can always count on each other to share knowledge, explain anything we might be unsure about, or anything else.

Cybersecurity continues to evolve, so the industry needs a diverse mix of creative thinkers who are passionate about contributing their skills, knowledge and life experiences to the table.

Find out more

If you’re considering applying for a role at Quorum Cyber, take a look at our current vacancies. We’re growing quickly so if you don’t see a role that fits your skills today, visit regularly to see if new positions have opened. You can learn more about the services we provide to over 150 customers around the globe on our main website.