Suggestions for programmer considering career change?

Hi,

I'm contemplating a career change and would like to hear anyone who has
suggestions / thoughts about my situation. First, a little background on
myself: I've got about 15 years of IT experience, most of it doing
object-oriented (mostly Java) software development. For various reasons I've
decided that I should start moving my career in a different direction and
(again, for various reasons) decided to move into the IT security field. I
do realize that the "security field" is very broad, which is exactly why I'm
posting this: I'm interested in hearing ideas from people on what specific
areas I should think about trying to get into. Before that, though, I should
mention some of the considerations that are important to me:

- I'm interested in finding an area where the opportunity exists to make
roughly the same amount of money that I do now (with the understanding that
my lack of experience in the security field would, at least in the short- to
medium-term, make that unlikely). In other words, I don't mind taking a pay
cut _temporarily_, but I'd like to find a niche where the long-term pay
potential is comparable to what I'm doing for a living now.

- I'd like to be able to develop and get paid for a skill that's reasonably
portable. In other words, I don't want to go into a niche that's so small
that there are only a handful of companies where my skills would be in
demand. Been there, done that.

- I prefer to continue doing work that's at least semi-technical (as opposed
to, say, doing nothing but sit around all day attending meetings). Hence my
desire not to go into management in my current field.

I'd appreciate any feedback that you may have, particularly from anyone
who's been in a similar situation.

Tom

Re: Suggestions for programmer considering career change?

"Thomas" writes:

> Hi,
>
> I'm contemplating a career change and would like to hear anyone who has
> suggestions / thoughts about my situation. First, a little background on
> myself: I've got about 15 years of IT experience, most of it doing
> object-oriented (mostly Java) software development. For various reasons I've
> decided that I should start moving my career in a different direction and
> (again, for various reasons) decided to move into the IT security
> field.

I'd parlay your application programming experience into web
application vulnerability assessment. Get real familiar with this,

http://www.owasp.org/index.jsp

Bone up on SQL injection attack techniques, and see if you can't land
a job with a group that does application pen (penetration) testing, or
instructing java web app programmers on secure coding techniques.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Re: Suggestions for programmer considering career change?

"Todd H." wrote in message
news:84ek1cpbhz.fsf@ripco.com...
> "Thomas" writes:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm contemplating a career change and would like to hear anyone who has
>> suggestions / thoughts about my situation. First, a little background on
>> myself: I've got about 15 years of IT experience, most of it doing
>> object-oriented (mostly Java) software development. For various reasons
>> I've
>> decided that I should start moving my career in a different direction and
>> (again, for various reasons) decided to move into the IT security
>> field.
>
> I'd parlay your application programming experience into web
> application vulnerability assessment. Get real familiar with this,
>
> http://www.owasp.org/index.jsp
>
> Bone up on SQL injection attack techniques, and see if you can't land
> a job with a group that does application pen (penetration) testing, or
> instructing java web app programmers on secure coding techniques.
>
> Best Regards,
> --
> Todd H.
> http://www.toddh.net/

Todd,

Thanks for your feedback and the link. What you described sounds promising
and I'll definitely look into it.

Tom