Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month! All month long we’re featuring some amazing women making waves in the #Cybersecurity field. Today, we’re spotlighting Meskerem Gebrehiwet, a Security Consulting Analyst at Accenture. Check out our exclusive Q and A with her below.
What do you love about your job?
Helping organizations accomplish their security goals and transitioning them to relatively secure and advanced environments and being involved in raising security awareness.
What are your favorite aspects of your job specifically, and working in cybersecurity generally?
Each day is different. Facing new challenges and working with different teams to solve them is exciting to me. What I like about this field in specific is that every project has different challenges and presents a learning opportunity.
Why do you think young women should consider a career in cybersecurity?
There is so much they could do in this field. The field is not only for tech savvy or those who have “hackers” skill, so don’t be intimidated to explore and consider the field. Job opportunities are vast — you could literally work for any kind of organization because cybersecurity is now an integral part of most organizations in the digital era, and its relevance can only be bigger with time. Moreover, the number of women in the field is relatively small, so join and increase that number and inspire others to follow.
What advice would you give to girls who are interested in a cybersecurity career?
I strongly encourage them to pursue their interests. Like I mentioned, the field is growing by the day. It will have a space for them to apply their knowledge and contribute! Keep learning and exploring. If one sub-field didn’t work for you, try a different one. One more thing, “hang out” with individuals already in the field of interest through social media and other means. Do not hesitate to reach out for advice. There are a lot of people out there who are passionate about helping others.
Stay tuned and follow us all month long to learn more about inspiring leaders in cyber.
