The answer to this question is most often “a lot.” When you limit the question to the security industry alone though, the answer can sometimes be “not much,” which is a reflection of the path a candidate takes to enter the profession.

Last month we summarized an approach to career planning that identified three key milestones and their related processes.

Understanding the secrets to building and advancing careers is a common topic of discussion and debate amongst the hundreds of security professionals we’ve had the good fortune to meet in our respective careers. 

As many of you have observed, a number of executive roles leading corporate security department are filled by senior-level federal government officials from the law enforcement, intelligence and military communities who are retiring and seeking a second career.  

In last month’s column, we provided background on “Laying the Groundwork to Become an Effective Influencer.”

In last month’s column, we provided background on what the term “Influence” really means. This month we will explore what you need to do to lay the foundation to become an effective influencer.

There are significant opportunities for security and risk executives to be influenced as well as to be the ones that are acting as the ones that are influencing others.

We have heard from a number of security executives about a very disturbing trend taking place when contracting out various services to support security programs. These reports indicate that a decline may be occurring in the integrity and ethical standards of a number of security services providers.

Your resume is a marketing document. Too much information presented as a career biography may not achieve the results you are hoping for. A recruiter or hiring manager, who has never met you, will judge you by its content and appearance alone, and decide whether you deserve further consideration for the role in which you have expressed interest. A brief, clear, attractive resume will recommend you more highly to a recruiter than a long-winded, poorly designed one will – even if the content is the same. The time investment is significant, even if produced with the assistance of a professional writer.

Have a clear understanding your values, skills and interests; focus on your future profession; set clear goals based on your strengths; know your next step; obtain new learning and skills you will need; and establish a diverse communication network – these steps will increase your chances of career success and job satisfaction.