
Ask HN: Information Security vs. Software Engineer - dummyacount
Career Advice,<p>This seems a little weird asking for career advice to a bunch of strangers on the net, yet I spend most of my time in-front of a computer. Creating this from a dummy account because I am somewhat nervous about this. I am in my late 20s that is currently working in a stable InfoSec job doing mostly threat-tracking. While its interesting, I feel as if my technical skills are leaving me. Some background, I started off in IT doing HelpDesk then progressed to System Administrator work then to InfoSec. I am have done mostly Information Assurance, from validating software that is being introduced to our environment and  security testing but never done pen-testing. I understand at a certain point you must take off the tech-hat and put on the management hat, but I think I have gotten to the “middle-management, I NEED A PORSCHE” way to soon. I truly miss doing my work on a terminal, climbing under desk&#x2F;fixing issues and helping to build projects. That’s why I kind of think that Software Engineer would allow me a new challenge while also staying within the Tech realm.<p>I guess my question is, does it make sense to switch over to become a Software engineer? Or does it make more sense to go the Cyber Security Engineering route. I would like to stay in “Tech” but I don’t want to live and die via emails and dashboard alerts. Has anyone moved from Cyber Security&#x2F;InfoSec to Software Engineering? I have mostly seen people switching from other career fields within IT over to Cyber. 
I have no formal education in IT&#x2F;CS but have taken a python course and Java course previously. I am planning to take a Calculus course this fall to brush up on my math skills.
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jonny_storm
It absolutely makes sense. If you're not doing math or writing code, then
you're compiling reports and ticking boxes in checklists. Get out of infosec,
and start building things.

You can jump to networking, systems automation, data science, product
development... Anything else. If you return to security later, you'll be
better equipped. If you pick up some theory whilst developing your chops, then
so much the better.

Good luck!

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auslegung
I can't help out much, but I will give you this. If you enjoy making stuff,
software engineering can be GREAT, and it sounds like you want to be making
stuff again.

