What This Talk Covers
Chris Young delivers an energetic, motivational talk on how to go from a complete nobody in cybersecurity to being known, connected, and referred for opportunities. This is not vague networking advice - Chris backs everything up with his own timeline: in January 2022 he decided to enter cybersecurity, spent 23 months before finding anyone to talk to, then in just eight months of applying his framework, landed five conference talks, two dozen job referrals, six livestream appearances, internships, and a guest instructor position at Level Effect.
The Three-Step Framework
Step 1: The Backward Plan. Start with a clear objective. Know what you want and manage your expectations. Be willing to change direction, but commit to something specific first. Chris advocates for "ignorance on fire over perfect knowledge on ice" - take imperfect action and fix it on the move rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
Step 2: Network Strategically. Find someone to look up to as an example. Chris chose Jax Scott because she simplified the NIST framework in a way even a newbie could understand. The key insight: busy people in cybersecurity are interested in what other busy people are doing. If you want what they have, do what they do - upskill, share what you have done, and build connections even if it is outside your comfort zone.
Step 3: Give to Get. This is where the talk really shines. Chris tells the story of discovering cybersecurity book reviewer Alexis Julian, compiling all her published work into a PDF ebook, creating clip art she could share, and building an interactive flip book - all without asking for anything in return. The result? She came back and offered to mentor him. The power of giving without strings attached is the core principle.
Who Should Watch
Anyone breaking into cybersecurity or any professional field where connections matter. The advice transcends cybersecurity - this is a masterclass in relationship building. Particularly valuable for introverts or people who hate traditional networking.
Notable Moments
The LinkedIn connection advice is gold: when someone connects with you, send a personalized thank you message without asking for anything. Do not send 15 one-minute voice messages to new connections. The Marine Corps background adds credibility to the "take imperfect action" philosophy.