By Jordan Cohen
This summer I am interning at BlueVoyant, a startup cybersecurity firm with offices in New York, Tel Aviv, and College Park. I work within the threat intelligence and operations in College Park, Maryland. We provide various cybersecurity services for a diverse clientele. I have been profiling cyber vulnerabilities daily and have been identifying emerging attacks external to customer’s perimeter.
Why did you choose this particular internship?
I always have been curious about intelligence in the cyber domain. Last semester I took Toni Gidwani’s Cybersecurity strategy course which prepared me for the language that this technical writing internship entailed. I had applied to various internship, but I mostly wanted to experience the processes private sector uses to address cybersecurity concerns. BlueVoyant was perfect opportunity to apply my background to a new sector, especially because of how small the firm was. It has been great to be able to learn from everyone on the team. The experience hopefully will give me a good foot in the door for an industry I am passionate about. I wanted to develop my writing and analytic skills and also to experience first-hand what I had learned in class about cybersecurity.
How will this experience help you in your job search and career?
Interning at BlueVoyant has exposed me to the fast-paced dynamics of a deadline riddled work environment. Delivering reports and briefings in a few hours based on customer’s needs is an altogether different process than the academic papers we write for SSP. This experience will also help me narrow down what specific part of threat intelligence in cybersecurity appeals to me. As the summer progresses, hopefully I will be able to touch all points of what the company does. The internship will provide a fundamental step for me in terms of finding a position for myself in the industry.
Have you changed as a result of this experience? If so, why?
The opportunity to work on comprehensive and urgent tasks for customers in need. I have learned about work ethic, team management, and leadership. It has been an honor to work under such experienced professionals and I have tried my best to sponge up their knowledge. I have learned that it is imperative to be flexible and adaptable in this feel and I have a better understanding for what employers are looking for in terms of entry level candidates.
Why did you choose this particular internship?
I always have been curious about intelligence in the cyber domain. Last semester I took Toni Gidwani’s Cybersecurity strategy course which prepared me for the language that this technical writing internship entailed. I had applied to various internship, but I mostly wanted to experience the processes private sector uses to address cybersecurity concerns. BlueVoyant was perfect opportunity to apply my background to a new sector, especially because of how small the firm was. It has been great to be able to learn from everyone on the team. The experience hopefully will give me a good foot in the door for an industry I am passionate about. I wanted to develop my writing and analytic skills and also to experience first-hand what I had learned in class about cybersecurity.
How will this experience help you in your job search and career?
Interning at BlueVoyant has exposed me to the fast-paced dynamics of a deadline riddled work environment. Delivering reports and briefings in a few hours based on customer’s needs is an altogether different process than the academic papers we write for SSP. This experience will also help me narrow down what specific part of threat intelligence in cybersecurity appeals to me. As the summer progresses, hopefully I will be able to touch all points of what the company does. The internship will provide a fundamental step for me in terms of finding a position for myself in the industry.
Have you changed as a result of this experience? If so, why?
The opportunity to work on comprehensive and urgent tasks for customers in need. I have learned about work ethic, team management, and leadership. It has been an honor to work under such experienced professionals and I have tried my best to sponge up their knowledge. I have learned that it is imperative to be flexible and adaptable in this feel and I have a better understanding for what employers are looking for in terms of entry level candidates.