Spreading the Good Word about CISSP Certification

As popular as the CISSP certification is, many people still don’t know about it. And many who may have heard of it don’t understand what it’s all about. Tell people about your CISSP certification and explain the certification process to your peers. Here are some facts that you can share with anyone and everyone you meet:

CISSP is the top-tier information security professional certification.

Over 75,000 security professionals around the world have the CISSP certification.

The CISSP certification started in 1989.

CISSP was the first credential to be accredited by the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standard 17024:2003.

The organization that manages the CISSP certification has other certifications for professionals who specialize in various fields of information security. The organization also promotes information security awareness through education programs and events.

Promote the fact that you’re certified. How can you promote it? After you earn your CISSP, you can simply put the letters CISSP after your name on your business cards, stationery, e-mail signature, resume, blog, and website. While you’re at it, put the CISSP or (ISC)² logo on there, too (just be sure to abide by any established terms of use).

Promoting other certifications

Some of your peers may not be ready to pursue the CISSP certification. They may not have the career experience or knowledge required to go for the CISSP now. These certifications may be suitable for your friends:

Associate of (ISC)²: If you can pass the CISSP or SSCP certification exams but don’t yet possess the required professional experience, you can become an Associate of (ISC)². Read about this option on the (ISC)²website.

SSCP (Systems Security Certified Practitioner): This midlevel certification is for hands-on security techs and analysts.

Your colleagues can use these two certs as steppingstones, and eventually, they may be ready for the big one.

Wearing the colors proudly

The (ISC)² online store has a lot of neat stuff, from jackets to shirts to mugs to caps. You can find something for everybody there. The organization introduces new items now and again, and it runs closeout specials on the stuff no one wanted in the first place.

Consider adding a few nice khaki shirts that sport the (ISC)² and CISSP logos to your wardrobe. Or a bright yellow CISSP grip for your computer bag. Or really splurge and consider buying an (ISC)² or CISSP bag!

Lead by example

Like it or not, security professionals, particularly those with the CISSP and other “top drawer” certifications, are role models for those around them. From a security perspective, whatever we do — and how we do it — is seen as the standard for correct behavior.

Being mindful of this, we need to conduct ourselves as though someone were looking — even if no one is — in everything we do.