Security Analyst – Jeff Soehner CISSP, GXPN,GPYC,GMOB,GCIH

Every year or so I try to flex my muscles by attempting to obtain another professional certification and 2018 was hardly different. This was the year that really tested my ability to focus and thank god that is now behind me.

I decided to attempt to become more adept at Python coding (and development in general) having learned just enough to understand that I really don’t fully understand coding. Sure I can understand some constructs like looping, etc. but I never really had the knack for it. After 20+ years in this business I decided I could not improve my skills without learning a bit more about coding.

After, what seemed like a few months and as we were full into Spring, I received confirmation of my company’s intention to fund this years choice of my training curricula ‘Automating Information Security with Python’. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, I just received a promotion and had a large task ahead of me, was approved to visit Black Hat and take a short course in August and had several home improvement projects planned and paid for that needed to begin. If I was going to do this it would take a lot of my free time to avoid failing miserably.

I spent a lot of time, reviewing my course material, asking colleagues and with trial and error, I am happy to report that I have just passed my exam!

For those of you who are on a quest for self-improvement, have wonderful partners who are happy to take a back seat to the endless sacrifice you will surely need to accomplish your goals, I say to you – tell them ‘Thank You!’ because behind every great achievement like this sits a wonderful significant other that has the faith to cheer you on to success.