Why you might not want that high-paying cybersecurity job

"Cybersecurity" work in San Francisco means working with startups and the tech giants.<p>"Cybersecurity" work in Chicago means working with derivatives trading and exchanges and large enterprises.<p>"Cybersecurity" work in NYC means working with the big financial and media companies (and, presumably, over the next couple years, more and more startups).<p>Cybersecurity work in Maryland means working for government contractors.<p>This article is chock full of valid points but might be more of a cautionary tale about working in the greater DC metro area. Contrary to what this article would have you think, most high-end security work is <i>not</i> done for the government.

TLDR Version: Its really not bad. You'll make pretty good money, in what is otherwise a 9-5 job in a large company. You won't get to use as many toys, and you'll sometimes be told to leave your own toys at home. The job will also involve dealing with people and politics.

"Cyber defense is often the opposite of a creative activity."<p>Security can also be about identifying and mitigating risks to make a formerly unprofitable certain loss into a viable business opportunity. Big picture example: how many US banks would have offices in China or Russia right now without the help of security professionals? It's not <i>all</i> about bopping people on the head.