Bytes, Bits & Brilliance: Career Insights and Inspiration

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The hidden cost of job searching, layoffs, and digital privacy

This episode is a solo reflection on the modern job market, shaped by layoff experiences, career transitions, and a tense moment in an interview process involving personal data. 

Connecting career uncertainty with larger questions about privacy, control, and what people are expected to give up just to stay employed.

We discuss how the job market has changed, what layoffs really feel like across different stages of a career, and why onboarding can be an early warning sign about company culture. 

I also share how returning to the podcast has been delayed by professional development, studying, and life transitions. Thank you for being here!

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

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What if the real cybersecurity workforce problem isn’t just headcount — but how the work itself is changing? In this episode, I dig into a SANS and GIAC report that challenges the usual “talent shortage” narrative and reveals a more complex picture of AI, compliance, career progression, and the future of cyber talent.

In this episode, I explore:

• Why skills gaps are now outranking staffing shortages in cybersecurity
• How AI is reshaping entry-level cyber roles and the path to expertise
• Why incident response is being transformed behind the scenes
• How regulation is creating new hiring priorities and specialist roles
• Why cybersecurity success may no longer mean climbing a traditional ladder
• What it means to build a more sustainable and accessible cyber pipeline
• How the future of cybersecurity depends on a broader ecosystem of skills

Key takeaways:
The cybersecurity workforce conversation is no longer just about filling open roles. It’s about capability, adaptability, accessibility, and long-term sustainability. As AI changes repetitive tasks and regulation expands the scope of the profession, cybersecurity is becoming more multidisciplinary — and more dependent on communication, governance, and business understanding.

Why this matters:
If the profession keeps prioritizing immediate needs over future development, we risk weakening the pipeline that creates tomorrow’s experts. The future of cybersecurity depends on creating pathways that are accessible to talented people from all backgrounds, not just those with unlimited time, money, or resources.

Listen if you care about:

• cybersecurity careers
• cyber workforce development
• AI in cybersecurity
• cybersecurity skills gap
• compliance and governance
• future of work
• leadership in cybersecurity

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

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There’s a narrative in cybersecurity that’s quietly pushing good people away.

And it’s a problem we need to address.

In this episode, I’m unpacking a tension that doesn’t make sense on the surface:
Thousands of open cybersecurity roles… and still, talented people questioning whether they belong.

So what’s really going on?

We talk about:

• The disconnect between the cybersecurity talent shortage and hiring practices
• Why the industry’s messaging may be discouraging capable professionals from entering the field
• The reality of imposter syndrome—and why no one knows everything in cybersecurity
• Why diverse career paths aren’t a weakness—they’re exactly what the industry needs
• The critical role of non-technical skills like problem-solving, communication, and strategic thinking

I also challenge leaders and hiring managers to rethink how we evaluate talent:
Are we prioritizing pedigree… or potential?

Because if we’re serious about closing the workforce gap, we need to:

• Create more inclusive entry points
• Value transferable skills
• Build teams—not just check boxes

Cybersecurity isn’t just a technical field.
It’s a problem-solving field.

And there is space for more people than we’ve been led to believe.

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

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What’s really happening in the cybersecurity workforce—and why are so many organizations still struggling to hire and retain the right talent?

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Correia, the Director of Global Cyber Workforce Strategy & Engagement at SANS, to unpack key insights from the 2026 SANS GIAC Workforce Report.

But this isn’t your typical workforce conversation.

This report focuses on “cyber talent leaders”—the people responsible for hiring, developing, and retaining cybersecurity professionals. And what it reveals is both eye-opening and urgent.

We explore:

• The growing mid-career and senior talent bottleneck—and why it’s slowing organizations down
• How cybersecurity roles are evolving beyond technical expertise to include communication with boards and C-suites
• The real impact of AI on cybersecurity roles—and the emergence of positions like AI governance specialists

We also get real about leadership and representation:

• The ongoing gap in women in cybersecurity leadership—and why it still matters
• The importance of re-skilling existing talent instead of only chasing new hires
• How cybersecurity as a profession is maturing—and what that means for career paths

Brian’s journey—from conference management to cybersecurity leader—is a powerful reminder that there’s no one path into this field. The key is finding your niche and growing into it.

This conversation is for leaders, hiring managers, and anyone navigating a career in cybersecurity.

Because the future of cyber isn’t just about technology—it’s about people.

Get in Touch with us:

Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianjcorreia/

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

2026 Report: https://www.sans.org/white-papers/2026-cybersecurity-workforce-research-report

Join Inside the 2026 Cyber Workforce: Key Trends, Talent Gaps, Strategic Shifts, and the AI Revolution live event on June 24th 1:00 PM ET 

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us Fan Mail

Your track record for surviving hard days is 100%. Let me prove it to you.

In this deeply personal episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the three T's that have kept me grounded through 28 years in tech, multiple layoffs, career transitions, and everything in between.

You'll learn:

• Transparency: Why vulnerability is your secret weapon—and how admitting "I'm not okay" actually heals you and everyone around you
• Transformation: The counterintuitive reason job loss and setbacks aren't punishment—they're your forge for becoming who you're meant to be
• Trust: How to stop white-knuckling control and actually go with the flow (even when your brain screams otherwise)

This isn't motivational fluff. It's real talk about resilience, acceptance, and the power of showing up authentically in your professional and personal life. Perfect if you're navigating career change, burnout, imposter syndrome, or just wondering how to keep going when things get hard.

Featured In This Episode:

• The power of honest conversation during crisis
• How change and transformation work together
• Mindfulness, acceptance, and releasing what you can't control
• Real examples from my own layoff and career transition journey
• Why you're tougher than you think

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming soon

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us Fan Mail

What if the key to better leadership, stronger teams, and healthier workplace culture starts with one thing—self-awareness?

In this episode, I sit down with Larissa Fitzhugh, founder of Diadem Solutions, to explore what it really takes to build workplaces where people can thrive—not just perform.

Larissa shares how her journey in HR operations led her to focus on employee experience after realizing she couldn’t always answer one simple question honestly: “What is your culture really like?”

From that moment, she chose to be part of the solution.

In this conversation, we unpack:

• Why self-awareness is one of the most powerful career accelerators
• How the DISC framework (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness) helps you understand how you show up under pressure
• The two breakthroughs that change everything: relief and compassion
• Why culture isn’t built through big initiatives—but in small, consistent daily moments
• The leadership gap around difficult conversations—and how to approach them without overthinking
• Why differences on teams are not a liability—but a necessity for growth

We also talk about the reality organizations are facing:

• AI is reshaping the workforce, but human understanding and emotional intelligence are more critical than ever
• Many organizations know change is needed—but aren’t taking action
• Culture and leadership development are often deprioritized due to time and budget constraints

This episode is a powerful reminder:
Leadership is not just about strategy—it’s about people.

And the leaders who understand themselves—and others—will be the ones who shape the future of work.

Connect with us:

Larissa: www.diademsolutions.co | linkedin.com/in/larissa-fitzhugh

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us Fan Mail

What if the biggest cybersecurity risk isn’t your company - but your life?

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Hazel Cerra, a retired U.S. Secret Service agent who spent 25 years protecting world leaders before stepping into the world of digital security convergence at BlackCloak.

We explore how today’s threat landscape has evolved far beyond physical protection. Executives are now 12 times more likely to be targeted—not just because of what they do, but because of who they are and how visible they are online.

Hazel breaks down:

• The convergence of physical and digital threats—and why you can’t separate them anymore
• Sophisticated scams like spear phishing and “pig butchering” crypto fraud
• Why executives and their families are prime targets
• The psychological toll of cybercrime, from betrayal to loss of trust and relationships
• The growing risk of sextortion targeting young people

We also go deeper into leadership:

• Navigating high-pressure, male-dominated environments like the Secret Service
• Building confidence through worst-case scenario thinking
• The role of mentorship in advancing into leadership

This conversation is a wake-up call—and a reminder that cybersecurity is no longer just about systems. It’s about people.

If you’re a leader, a parent, or simply someone living in a connected world, this episode will change how you think about protection.

Connect with us:

Hazel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hazelcerra-cybergal/

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Bytes, Bits and Brilliance, we address common concerns for individuals looking to pivot into cybersecurity, particularly those who feel they may need to start over or obtain additional certifications. 

It's important to view roles not just as job titles but as signals that reflect what companies truly need. 

Dawn shares her insights on how to leverage existing skills and experiences, even if they don't seem directly related to cybersecurity at first glance. 

She encourages listeners to adopt a mindset of adaptability and to recognize that career pivots can be messy and non-linear, requiring both strategy and faith in oneself.

Dawn illustrates her points by discussing a specific job role she encountered, highlighting how the language used in job descriptions can reveal opportunities that align with one's existing skills.

Takeaways

• Career pivots require skill, strategy, and faith.
• Look at roles as signals about company needs.
• Pivots are often messy and non-linear.
• Job titles in cybersecurity can be misleading.
• Technical fluency is more important than technical mastery.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming soon

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us Fan Mail

In today’s evolving job market, the rules of career growth are changing—and this episode is your guide to navigating it with confidence.

Dawn sits down with Natasha Schwartz, a seasoned staffing and recruiting expert with over 30 years of experience, who is now pivoting into cybersecurity while leveraging her deep expertise in talent strategy.

Together, they unpack what it really takes to stand out, pivot careers, and navigate today’s hiring landscape.

In this episode, we explore:

• 💡 Why transferable skills make up more of your value than you think (hint: up to 80%)
• 🎯 How authenticity—not perfection—wins in interviews
• 🧠 The importance of self-care and mental readiness during the job search process
• 🔍 How to evaluate whether companies truly support inclusive hiring practices
• 🚀 Why blending your past experience with new skills is the key to unlocking future opportunities

Natasha also shares her journey into cybersecurity and how even non-technical topics—like performance reviews—have a place in tech spaces.

If you’re navigating a career pivot, re-entering the workforce, or simply trying to stand out in a crowded market, this episode will remind you: you bring more to the table than you think.

💡Work Smart, Live Balanced, and Thrive in your Career Journey.

Connect with us:

Natasha Schwartz LinkedIn

Dawn Butler Linkedin

Resources:
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice — whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility — this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode dives into innovative approaches to hiring that focus on genuine conversations, soft skills, and strategic collaboration. Tara Turk-Haynes shares practical frameworks and insights for transforming hiring processes to better assess candidates and foster lasting talent retention, especially in technical and cyber roles.

In this episode:

• The importance of viewing interviews as conversations, not interrogations
• The role of storytelling and soft skills in assessing fit and potential
• Common pitfalls in traditional hiring practices, especially for technical roles
• Strategies for including non-traditional candidates and broadening talent pools 
• The critical impact of organizational culture, communication, and process timing on hiring success
• The significance of defining clear job descriptions and aligning expectations with performance metrics
• How to leverage understanding of team dynamics to improve hiring and onboarding
• The increased importance of inclusion and soft skills evaluation in the evolving cyber landscape

T. Tara Turk-Haynes is the Founder of Equity Activations that partners with organizations to embed measurable equity strategies into how they hire, lead, and grow. 

Tara's work spans talent acquisition systems, leadership development, organizational culture, and inclusive communications.  Tara's work and thought leadership have been featured in Fast Company, Lars Schmidt’s Redefining HR, and on stages including Culture Amp’s Culture First and RecFest. 

As a first generation college graduate and corporate leader turned founder, Tara works with organizations ready to take equity seriously as infrastructure. 

Connect with us:

Tara: www.equityactivations.com

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can: 

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone. 
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee.  This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.  
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.