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8 Ways to Jumpstart Your Cybersecurity Career in 2026 | #DTF032
2026 is here, and the cybersecurity job market is evolving. Whether you are trying to break into the industry or land your next senior role, the playbook has changed.
In this episode of the DTF Cyber Podcast, Fern and Troy are joined by Gary Perkins (CISO at CISO Global) to break down 8 actionable steps you can take right now to jumpstart your career. From building public red team projects to mastering new attack toolchains like the Flipper Zero, we cover the technical and soft skills that hiring managers actually look for.
We also dive into why networking is your #1 asset, how to contribute to open source projects, and why "learning to script" is non-negotiable for modern security pros.
🚀 In this episode, we cover:
Why you need a public GitHub portfolio (even if you aren't a dev).
How to legally perform "hunts" in your current job to gain experience.
The difference between "scripting" and "developing" and why Python/Bash helps.
Why reading non-cyber books can actually make you a better CISO.
👇 Jump to the 8 Career Hacks:
00:00:00 - Intro: Welcome back to 2026!
00:01:02 - Meet Gary Perkins, CISO at CISO Global
00:07:43 - #1: Build One Public Red Team Project Quarterly
00:14:00 - #2: Master a New Attack Toolchain (Flipper Zero, Bloodhound, etc.)
00:21:16 - #3: Contribute to Open Source Security Projects
00:29:16 - #4: Perform a Weekly Hunt in a Real Environment
00:43:35 - #5: Learn to Script Your Own Tools (Python & Bash)
00:51:18 - #6: Network Like Your Career Depends On It
01:02:17 - #7: Read a Non-Cyber Book (The Phoenix Project, Leaders Eat Last)
01:07:42 - #8: Teach Something Publicly
01:16:20 - Bonus Resource: The Threat Intelligence Support Unit (TISU) Cohort
📚 Resources & Mentions:
Book: The Phoenix Project
Book: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Organization: Threat Intelligence Support Unit (TISU) - Free Cybersecurity Cohort
https://www.eventcreate.com/e/tisu8
Connect with the Guest: Gary Perkins (CISO Global)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/perkinsgary/
Subscribe for more no-nonsense cyber insights! #Cybersecurity #InfoSec #CareerAdvice #RedTeam #BlueTeam #CISO #TechCareers #2026
http://cyberpodcast.net
Spotify: http://spotify.cyberpodcast.net
Apple: http://apple.cyberpodcast.net
X: https://x.com/dtfcyberpodcast
IG: https://www.instagram.com/dtfcyberpodcast/
Linkedin:
DTF: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dtf-cyber-podcast/
Damian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianchung/
Troy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kosovotroy/
Fern: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernrojasaz/
Business Inquiries: dtf at cyberpodcast dot net
Everything here is our personal hot takes — not our employers, not the vendors we roast, not legal advice. Just three idiots with mics trying to keep you from getting pwned.
View all episodes
By Cyber Podcast2026 is here, and the cybersecurity job market is evolving. Whether you are trying to break into the industry or land your next senior role, the playbook has changed.
In this episode of the DTF Cyber Podcast, Fern and Troy are joined by Gary Perkins (CISO at CISO Global) to break down 8 actionable steps you can take right now to jumpstart your career. From building public red team projects to mastering new attack toolchains like the Flipper Zero, we cover the technical and soft skills that hiring managers actually look for.
We also dive into why networking is your #1 asset, how to contribute to open source projects, and why "learning to script" is non-negotiable for modern security pros.
🚀 In this episode, we cover:
Why you need a public GitHub portfolio (even if you aren't a dev).
How to legally perform "hunts" in your current job to gain experience.
The difference between "scripting" and "developing" and why Python/Bash helps.
Why reading non-cyber books can actually make you a better CISO.
👇 Jump to the 8 Career Hacks:
00:00:00 - Intro: Welcome back to 2026!
00:01:02 - Meet Gary Perkins, CISO at CISO Global
00:07:43 - #1: Build One Public Red Team Project Quarterly
00:14:00 - #2: Master a New Attack Toolchain (Flipper Zero, Bloodhound, etc.)
00:21:16 - #3: Contribute to Open Source Security Projects
00:29:16 - #4: Perform a Weekly Hunt in a Real Environment
00:43:35 - #5: Learn to Script Your Own Tools (Python & Bash)
00:51:18 - #6: Network Like Your Career Depends On It
01:02:17 - #7: Read a Non-Cyber Book (The Phoenix Project, Leaders Eat Last)
01:07:42 - #8: Teach Something Publicly
01:16:20 - Bonus Resource: The Threat Intelligence Support Unit (TISU) Cohort
📚 Resources & Mentions:
Book: The Phoenix Project
Book: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Organization: Threat Intelligence Support Unit (TISU) - Free Cybersecurity Cohort
https://www.eventcreate.com/e/tisu8
Connect with the Guest: Gary Perkins (CISO Global)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/perkinsgary/
Subscribe for more no-nonsense cyber insights! #Cybersecurity #InfoSec #CareerAdvice #RedTeam #BlueTeam #CISO #TechCareers #2026
http://cyberpodcast.net
Spotify: http://spotify.cyberpodcast.net
Apple: http://apple.cyberpodcast.net
X: https://x.com/dtfcyberpodcast
IG: https://www.instagram.com/dtfcyberpodcast/
Linkedin:
DTF: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dtf-cyber-podcast/
Damian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianchung/
Troy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kosovotroy/
Fern: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernrojasaz/
Business Inquiries: dtf at cyberpodcast dot net
Everything here is our personal hot takes — not our employers, not the vendors we roast, not legal advice. Just three idiots with mics trying to keep you from getting pwned.