PRO+ Premium Content/Information Security

The CISO job is one of those positions that's much easier to get once you have a proven track record. However, companies are seeking first-time CISOs and finding candidates externally, and in rarer instances, from within their ranks. How can CISO job candidates establish that they have security leadership abilities? Many companies will require certifications, like CISSP, which demonstrate that the job seeker understands the lingo and rules and regulations. But certifications and degrees are never a substitute for on-the-job experience. The business information security analyst -- an analyst who works with business units when they want to roll out new processes or services -- is a role increasingly found in top-level security programs. "That is often becoming a great role for people to grow into CISOs because they are learning how the business operates," says John Pescatore, director of emerging security trends at the SANS Institute, which trains a lot of first-time CISOs. "At the same time, they are growing their experience in ...