One of my favorite jokes in the security industry is the one that deals with the difficult challenge of recruiting: Everyone seems to be looking to hire a 30-year-old with 20 years of security experience. Obviously, that's impossible, but this joke can actually teach us a lot about information security.
Is there value to life experience and age in security? Is youth better? Or is age irrelevant altogether? As the poignant adage states, "Youth is wasted on the young." That being said, I think that both the young and experienced can learn from one another. Let's examine these questions by listing and discussing a few of the pros and cons for each.
Pros: Youth
Energy: New entrants to the security profession come in with a strong desire to improve the state of security. It's admirable, and I'm sad to say that it's something that gets beaten out of us over the years.
Drive: Someone who is trying to build a marketable skill set and prove themselves within the profession is likely to work harder than the average person.
Ability/willingness to be molded/mentored: Those new to the field often come in with a sparkle in their eye. They can be inspired far more easily than someone who has been around a while, and that often results in them doing very creative and interesting work.
Cons: Youth
Skills: Unfortunately, school doesn't prepare you for a career in the security profession. It is true that you will learn valuable skills that will help you on your way to becoming successful. That being said, no one comes out of school with the perfect set of skills. That requires time on t ..
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