How do I find summer internships in Cybersecurity?
I am a second-year student studying Cybersecurity as my major. I would like to find suitable internship opportunities for the summer, but I do not know where to search. It seems most positions I find are only for other computer-science fields (e.g software engineering).
7 answers
Shivam’s Answer
First, focus on understanding the essential skills required for entry-level roles. Try networking with hiring managers - don’t hesitate to ask for coffee chats or informational interviews. Volunteering for lab projects with professors is another great way to gain hands-on experience and deeper insights into the field.
Also, companies like JPMorgan Chase often organize hackathons specifically for college students. Participating in these events not only helps you connect with the right people but also gives you a platform to showcase your skills.
They also offer a Research & Technologies Summer Associate Program, which can be a fantastic stepping stone into the cybersecurity space. You can check more details here: https://careers.jpmorgan.com/global/en/students/programs/research-technologies-summer-associate-program.
Shivam recommends the following next steps:
Logan’s Answer
Additionally, universities commonly feed into partnering businesses in the local area, making it easier to get internships. You will need to network with Campus staff and professors to understand what businesses like to hire from your school/degree. For example our school commonly feeds directly into local governments and cybersecurity businesses.
Lastly, use the internet to your advantage. While I haven't had success on ZipRecruiter or Indeed, doesn't mean you won't either. All the jobs I received call backs from I found directly from google, or linkedin job postings.
Edmond Momartin ☁️
Edmond’s Answer
Check out the local chapters of cybersecurity non-profits. Most offer in-person events which provide a great opportunity to ask questions, and even find internships. These are OWASP (owasp.org), ISC2 (isc2.org), ISSA (issa.org), Cloud Security Alliance (cloudsecurityalliance.org), etc.
Atul’s Answer
Patrick’s Answer
Keep an eye out for internship opportunities for MDR's and or MSSP's. These companies typically open their applications right around the winter semester (early in the year) so that you can make it in during summertime.
Here is quick Google dork that I made which can help you find these positions in the search engine:
inurl:careers OR inurl:internships AND ((cybersecurity AND internship) (ReliaQuest OR RedCanary OR crowdstrike OR huntress))
Remember to keep applying, brush up on your cybersecurity knowledge on websites like HackTheBox or LetsDefend, and work on your soft skills in the mean time. Otherwise good luck and I hope you have a successful career path ahead of you.
- Patrick
Richard A. (Tony)’s Answer
I was once CISSP - let it lapse a while ago because I was too busy with other "Stuff".
"CyberSecurity" is a very deep field these days, ranging from intrusion detection and prevention, cryptography, authentication and authorization, and on.
Like the police, everyone starts as flat foot patrol; somewhat thankless until something happens, then lost trying to explain what happened!
Look for jobs in network monitoring; it is the "patrol" equivalent. Propose internships to companies you admire that may not have thought of an intern as extra hands during vacation season with a small staff, then prepare to be bored (until you're not!). Look for IT internships at Hospitals and Medical Centers; they always need bodies, but you may not think of them first. Don't forget local government and utilities - then all need low end security staff.
What you will learn is network operations and practical security response procedures which is the best learning experience you will ever have.
In the background, actively work on OpenSource network security packages as a contributor if you can. Having a couple of changes accepted into a firewall, monitor, or networking package is a pretty hard accomplishment for a company to ignore.
Tony
Luis’s Answer
Luis recommends the following next steps: