Problem 6: Burned Out Yet?

Or, maybe we should take off the exclamation point and change a few words around. How about: “My job is pretty cool, and I like being a security pro on most days. The pay is decent.” 

Or, perhaps you’ve had enough. “I’m fed up at work. Truth be told, I’m looking for another job. I’m disgusted with my boss, co-workers, customers or (fill in the blank). I need a change of scenery – real bad. Driving a truck across the country or plowing snow near some Colorado ski resort is sounding pretty good right now.”

Most security professionals that I know experience symptoms of burnout at some stage in their professional career. In fact, one poll last year revealed that over half of the security professionals surveyed were unhappy in their jobs. Perhaps you just need to get away on one of those Southwest Airlines vacation deals. True, a certain amount of stress comes with all jobs, but particular career choices tend to bring more burnout than others.

While a comparison between security professionals and doctors who work 80+ hours a week may seem like a stretch, I do believe that this issue is more of a career-killer for security pros than for many other career tracks. (One friend commented, “It’s true that doctors work long, stressful hours, but they get paid for it. We don’t.”) 

Or perhaps you’ve already moved to that company across town (or the country) – more than once. Your career aspirations aren’t being met.  You’ve come to the realization that your problems are not company-specific or even related to sub-par pay or benefits. You’re considering a new line of work or at least a different security role.

You might be dealing with:

Problem 6 for Security Professionals: Dealing with Inevitable Burnout

According to one online help guide, you might be heading towards burnout if:

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