Hello all,
Still relatively new to the world that is Forensic Focus. I graduated in July of this year with a 22 in BSc (Hons) Computer Forensics and studied this degree at the University of Glamorgan. I understand my degree classification isn't going to make finding employment a relatively "normal" task and have witnessed this so far through applying for various vacancies; I have had instances where I've been invited for interview and also had direct feedback but the general consensus is "lack of experience". After some thought I've carved out the following options in getting all important experience
-Work placements Unpaid/paid whether these placements be in the area of forensics or more general areas concerning technical support roles.
-Certification courses I.e. EC-Council courses such as Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator or the Ethical hacker course.
-Employment Look for employment in areas such as technical support in order to build on a range of skills and get into some kind of infrastructure.
So really I'm wondering what you all think is the most effective way in getting a job in the area of Computer Forensics and whether certification courses are worth the quite substantial sums of money they often require? or whether just plain old experience is better and if so through what route?
I would be very grateful for peoples feedback on this situation.
I just recently addressed this issue on my website. The link is here
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I would venture to say that your degree classification will have little to do getting a job. Universities and the lecturers seldom have any real-world experience and, while they are good at providing some groundwork, your degree is not the 'be all and end all'. What counts is knowing how to do the job. If you have the funds buy an EnCase passport and learn how to use the software. Download some test cases (there is a thread somewhere on this forum about that) and have at them!
Go find a forensic company and offer to work for them for either nothing or virtually nothing just to get yourself some experience. Who knows they might like you enough to employ you if you know what you're doing.
Apply for a different job entirely and chart your course once you are there. It is easier to think with less stress than heaping upon yourself a weighty task in the current economic climate.
I chatted with an Investment Analyst yesterday who was working behind the bar in th local pub. He said "I know it is a bit of a come down, but I am taking some part time work in Investment to get my foot in the door."
Nothing wrong with this man's thinking at all - respect to him. It doesn't matter what people think about the job you might have do right now it is where you are going and how you plan it.
The employment conditions today really is no different to as it was back in early 1990 after the recession. Back then I did an alternatively job in a different discipline and worked towards where I wanted to be.
A question that has been considered over the last couple of years is "to skill or to certify" a person? This might help you with your three potential scenarios.
As a suggestion of charting your destiny perhaps consider my earlier comments. Work from within and not from looking through a window into the world of work by having to scrape the frost from the window pane.
As a scenario for charting your progress
1) Do any job - and do not fall victim to worrying about the type of job it is at the moment. Use the job as a stepping stone to get the addtional info you need to go in the direction you want to go.
A real life stories for you
About 30 odd years ago (when I was about 18 years old) I did a temp job selling ad space. The bloke next to me selling ad space on the magazine was highly educated bloke; his dad who was a well-off Doctor and had sent him to be educated at Gordonstoun. So the bloke was to me as I saw it at that time very brainy/well-to-do. I asked him why he was selling ad space given his circumstances? He said he wanted to be a journalist but there were no jobs at that time because he hadn't got experience and hadn't gained the full skills. So he worked in another job to pay for his bedsit food etc and when not working he went out and found things to write about and targetted the employer he wanted to work for as a journalist by sending in his spare time reports about community events. He had been doing this for about 2 years before I met him and by the time I left the guy had won himself a place as full time journalist on a large regional newspaper. So he got there in the end. I guess you can too.
2) Gain employment based upon your "any job" and spare time work approach and demonstrate how any morsel of information you learned could be shown to assist in your charted course. Obviously if you do a job sweeping up and making tea at interview you can clearly demonstrate your flexibility to work under varying conditions (sweep up) and a willingness to respond requests made of you (make tea) without the request putting your nose out of joint. However, it could be your spare time may reflect where you learned more about digital evidence.
Alternatively, if you work in a retail outlet, take time to look how the computerised tills work, computerised credit card units, CCTV, etc - all produce digital evidence. These help with knowledge for the CV and at interview.
3) Certification courses. In your case you have already been to University. It is possible for people to think that someone who leaves school, goes to college and then to university and then wants to do more studying might be shying away from abit of good old fashioned hard graft work. Besides wouldn't it be better to let your intended employer know you will go to night school or whatever to learn.
You may think none of the above is relevant to you, in which case fair enough, sorry it wont help you. Alternatively there maybe a morsel of info that helps give you even an idea - in that case nothing has been lost in reading it.
Hi,
Trewmte I just wanted to say I found your post very positive in a time which I think is very difficult for people looking for jobs.
I am a student lucky enough to be in a placement at the moment but I have been thinking what will happen next year when it finishes? It looks grim for those of us hoping to get into forensics !
However your post reminded me that it is important to keep focused and be determined.
I liked the points about looking at the cash tills as potential sources of evidence and the story about the journalist plugging away.
I am worried about what type of jobs may be available and what decisions I should make so I am glad I read your post. It reminded me that whatever happens I will still be interested in forensics and can still develop my skills and still work towards a career in forensics !!
all the best )
Sorry I haven't replied earlier. Been quite busy this week, but thank you for you feedback on the situation. DFICSI your advice was much appreciated and also trewmte raised some very good points regarding working in a different job and using this to your advantage. On that basis because I have always had a job since my high school years which has often been hard graft and diversifying I hope these experiences will help me regarding applying for jobs in the future. At the moment I have a full time job with a building maintenance company who are quite up to date technologically speaking and may need a technical support worker in the near future, so I shall remain positive!
Regards