The SOC Analyst Job Application Process is Broken

Is the Application Process Broken?

• Yes
• No

The SOC Analyst Job Application Process is Broken

A little bit about the background of becoming a SOC Analyst. Most people want to become a SOC analyst because it is the gateway to cybersecurity. It has long since been the easiest path into cybersecurity. And being in cybersecurity is certainly prosperous.

This is The SOC Analyst Job Application Process is Broken.

Let me tell you a little bit about my personal journey:

How Much Does a SOC Analyst Make

I’ve lived a pretty extraordinary life. I’ve made a ton of money, and I finally got to the point where money just wasn’t making me happy anymore. I had to do something I felt was worth doing. I lost interest in going to work and doing what felt like brainless work for tons of money. I felt like Sisyphus. In fact, I made several posts on Facebook about how I hated my Sisyphean life. And it was true — I hated every single thing about it. 

Sisyphus comes from Greek mythology. He was to push a boulder up a hill, and then it’d just roll back down, and he’d have to push it back up the hill. So, for eternity, he was just pushing a bolder up a hill in a pointless endeavor with no meaning or purpose, and that’s how I felt.

I had already traveled the world, bought expensive toys, and bought big houses. Money had no purpose for me anymore other than to let me eat and put a roof over my head, which I figured was a small amount of my actual income. It became more important to me to be fruitful in what I did with my time than to be reimbursed for something meaningless.

So, I left a $185,000-a-year job. 

Most people are quite content with their lifestyle. I lived some amazing years full of bliss, and I believe everyone should go through that in their life. So, I will get personal with you and tell you about my journey.

Salaries depend heavily on where you live and are adjusted by the cost of living. These salaries come from Cumming, Georgia which is a suburb outside of Atlanta. The following information is anecdotal experience based on average salary expectancy outside of a large city.

Tyler’s Career Trajectory (Atlanta, Georgia)

• $55k / yr in 2013 as an entry-level SOC analyst

• $75k / yr 1.5 years later as a SOC analyst at a different company

• $105k / yr one year later as a Sr. SOC Analyst

• $135k / yr one year later as a Sr. Security Engineer

• $135k / yr + 25k in RSUs two years later as a Sr. Security Engineer

• $160k / yr two years later as a Cybersecurity Architect

• $140k + 10% bonus/yr six months later as a Cyber Advisor

• $185k / yr a year and a half later as a SOC consultant

It’s typically easier to find a job in an MSSP to start your career as a SOC analyst, but they pay less. Currently, expect to make about $60-$80k at an MSSP.

The starting salary of a permanent SOC analyst at a company’s internal SOC is $80-$100k. Everyone wants a permanent role, but contracts are becoming more common. Take them.

Take the contracts.

Take the first job at an MSSP for a decreased salary if you have to.

There is a big pay increase from SOC Analyst to Senior SOC Analyst, which lasts only about two years. Senior SOC Analysts make well over six figures everywhere in the country.

The reason why SOC analyst jobs are the easiest jobs in cybersecurity to get for entry-level is for these three reasons:

1. Revolving door of the SOC — The transient nature of using the SOC as a stepping stone means that when people decide what they want to do, they move away from it, opening that position again. Or maybe it turned out cybersecurity wasn’t for this person, so they quit, leaving the backfill position open again.

2. The SOC is a 24/7/365 operation, meaning there needs to be coverage over three shifts every single day. There are a lot of positions to fill. Overnight positions often want to move to the day shift, which creates turnover.

3. The last challenge of the SOC is that because of the hiring challenges, SOC that typically would staff in a follow-the-sun model in three sparse geographical regions might all of a sudden need to cover all shifts, and everyone must live in a specific country, as per things like FedRamp. 

The SOC remains the best position to find an entry-level job in cybersecurity and is likely your next stop, but if you think you’re ready for a specialty, then go ahead and apply for the jobs you want.

Just note that it’s going to be a whole lot easier on you when you get in and are looking around. Someone might even respond back.

If you’re looking to get a SOC job in 2025 then you better start prioritizing networking. 

Your next job will come from someone you know. The hiring process is broken. People are using AI to create variations of their resumes and the same person will try to apply several times to get a better chance to be seen.

Hiring managers know this. They know that it’s broke so they turn to referrals and who they know or have heard of.

Create your personal brand because there are 50,000 Aspiring SOC analysts that need a job but only one John Smith, and you have complete control over the supply and demand of John and zero over the supply and demand of SOC analysts.

My prescription pad often reads: 2x in-person meetups a month, daily online appearances in groups, blog on Medium 2x a week. 

Note to future self

Whatever you start doing, start collecting your email list now of contacts. You’ll need them later in the world of AI when we are all entrepreneurs