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How can I get some work experience in high school?
I ran out of classes to take at my high school - so now my day ends at 1PM
I really want to do a cybersecurity related internship with the half day I have off.
I'm really excited about the field (I've been involved in a related competition since freshman year, and I focused on it at a MIT summer program), and I'm eager to see the real life applications.
From a professional standpoint, is this attainable? I understand companies might be hesitant to take on high school interns, especially seniors. I honestly am really excited to get hands on experience in the field and would love to continue this into the spring/summer. My family doesn't have any connections in the field and I've been pointed to cold emailing. Any tips on how I could approach it?
Thanks in advance!
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5 answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Victoria !
Cool question about Cybersecurity jobs ! I will leave a link below for you because it may be helpful for you to read some job descriptions for this field to see if you are qualified to obtain employment in it.
Is there a computer lab or computer club at your school ? You can become involved in it even if you don't have classes. Also look into Hacker High School which is something you can do from home at your own pace. It provides lessons in cyber safety and security for your age range and exercises that you can practice. I have left a link below for you as well as for Cyber Wox which is a community and resource site.
Another suggestion would be to Shadow for this career so that you can see the applications you speak of. You already know that you want to be in this career, but one way to see the applications may be to shadow a few companies for this purpose or search online for how you can access the applications you speak of. One caveat : Talk with staff in your high school computer lab and your guidance counselor to find out who is allowed to view and use the cybersecurity apps. It may just be that professional techs who are certified could be the ones that are the people that view and use them. It may save you time if you find this out first.
E-Mailing random companies that are involved in cybersecurity may actually be helpful. If you don't want to e-mail them, send your resume with a cover letter inquiring about employment. Make sure that if you do look for positions online that you are qualified for everything in the job description. There's nothing wrong with getting a lot more experience at school or through extracurriculars before you get your college degree and certifications. That may be when job offers will be open for you.
Something else you can try are Cybersecurity activities and events in Los Angeles for teens. Here are some that you can look up online:
CyberPatriot, ISSA-LA Summit, Cybersecurity Awareness Month (which is in October), and Girls in Business Camp Los Angeles 2024. Hopefully these can be added options for you and keep you busy during your free time.
Think about getting a Cyber Arts Certification for Cybersecurity Level 1. This certification is made specifically for your age range. It goes live online every Tuesday at 1:00 PM PST.
I hope that this is a bit of help to get you started and I wish you all the best !
CYBERSECURITY JOB DESCRIPTIONS https://www.indeed.com/q-cyber-security-l-los-angeles,-ca-jobs.html?vjk=80600b570c4fe6aa
HACKER HIGH SCHOOL ONLINE FOR EXPERIENCE WITH CYBERSECURITY https://hackerhighschool.org/
CYBER WOX - COMMUNITY FOR NETWORKING AND RESOURCES FOR BUILDING A CAREER IN CYBERSECURITY https://cyberwoxacademy.com/
Cool question about Cybersecurity jobs ! I will leave a link below for you because it may be helpful for you to read some job descriptions for this field to see if you are qualified to obtain employment in it.
Is there a computer lab or computer club at your school ? You can become involved in it even if you don't have classes. Also look into Hacker High School which is something you can do from home at your own pace. It provides lessons in cyber safety and security for your age range and exercises that you can practice. I have left a link below for you as well as for Cyber Wox which is a community and resource site.
Another suggestion would be to Shadow for this career so that you can see the applications you speak of. You already know that you want to be in this career, but one way to see the applications may be to shadow a few companies for this purpose or search online for how you can access the applications you speak of. One caveat : Talk with staff in your high school computer lab and your guidance counselor to find out who is allowed to view and use the cybersecurity apps. It may just be that professional techs who are certified could be the ones that are the people that view and use them. It may save you time if you find this out first.
E-Mailing random companies that are involved in cybersecurity may actually be helpful. If you don't want to e-mail them, send your resume with a cover letter inquiring about employment. Make sure that if you do look for positions online that you are qualified for everything in the job description. There's nothing wrong with getting a lot more experience at school or through extracurriculars before you get your college degree and certifications. That may be when job offers will be open for you.
Something else you can try are Cybersecurity activities and events in Los Angeles for teens. Here are some that you can look up online:
CyberPatriot, ISSA-LA Summit, Cybersecurity Awareness Month (which is in October), and Girls in Business Camp Los Angeles 2024. Hopefully these can be added options for you and keep you busy during your free time.
Think about getting a Cyber Arts Certification for Cybersecurity Level 1. This certification is made specifically for your age range. It goes live online every Tuesday at 1:00 PM PST.
I hope that this is a bit of help to get you started and I wish you all the best !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Thank you so much for the advice!
CyberPatriot is actually exactly how I got started with this field! I've been involved in my school's program for that as well :)
Unfortunately I don't think my school has any sort of a computer lab dedicated to this - it's more limited to just teaching cs related classes. But I'm definitely thinking of reaching out to local companies! If you've been involved in a hiring process/have received cold emails from students in your job(s), would you mind sharing what stands out to you? How would I most effectively convey that I truly am willing to learn and want to do this for the long term? Thanks!
Riva
You are very welcome for the advice ! : )
Michelle M.
Updated
Liz’s Answer
Hello Victoria,
It's fantastic to hear about your drive to secure an internship! I couldn't agree more with the previous suggestion to make the most of the resources available to you. If there's a computer lab at your school, it could be a great place to start. You could lend a hand there, and also approach your teachers to see if they have any contacts in the cybersecurity industry. If your school doesn't have these facilities, you might want to consider checking out nearby schools to see if they offer resources that your own school doesn't.
Reaching out to companies via email can indeed be a good strategy, but it's crucial to target the right kind of companies. As a high school student, it might not be realistic to aim for giants like Google. However, smaller local businesses in your area could provide a more feasible opportunity for an internship.
I hope this advice proves useful to you!
It's fantastic to hear about your drive to secure an internship! I couldn't agree more with the previous suggestion to make the most of the resources available to you. If there's a computer lab at your school, it could be a great place to start. You could lend a hand there, and also approach your teachers to see if they have any contacts in the cybersecurity industry. If your school doesn't have these facilities, you might want to consider checking out nearby schools to see if they offer resources that your own school doesn't.
Reaching out to companies via email can indeed be a good strategy, but it's crucial to target the right kind of companies. As a high school student, it might not be realistic to aim for giants like Google. However, smaller local businesses in your area could provide a more feasible opportunity for an internship.
I hope this advice proves useful to you!
Thank you so much! Absolutely - I'm thinking of reaching out to smaller companies around me so I can get in-person experience. My past internships have been all virtual, and I really want to experience the working environment. If you've ever been involved in a hiring process, do you have any pointers on what I should include in the email to stand out? Thanks :)
Riva
That's great to hear! I think the best way to stand out is to be yourself and let your passion shine through in the email! Also, checking for spelling and grammar errors before is very important since it shows your due diligence. :)
Liz Jankowski, CPA
Updated
Chris’s Answer
Hi Riva,
This is absolutely attainable and as others have mentioned, leveraging your current network is the first step!
At first, you might want to pursue school resources, such as the computer lab, and explore ways you can get involved with the school's IT system. Ideally, once you finish school early at 1PM, you can efficiently get to work in the same location! This would likely be a low risk solution for the school and get you relevant experience in cybersecurity and system administration. This does not have to be the end goal, as working at the school could be a good stepping stone towards gaining a part-time gig at a small, local business as it would demonstrate experience in the field.
You said that your family does not have any connections in the space, and while that may be true on the surface, you may be surprised at how vast a network can be when considering secondary connections to people. If your parents happen to work in an office setting, it could be the case that one of their colleagues is friendly with the IT department and could make an introduction! However, the burden for the initial touchpoint in this scenario falls on your parents rather than yourself, which may not be feasible.
Cold emailing is always an option as well. Regardless of the path you take, focus on finding a commonality with the people you reach out to. People are more likely to help you if you share something with them, whether it be a mutual friend, went to the same school as them, were part of the MIT summer program, etc. I generally like to work from closest connections out to fringe connections when exhausting my network. In your case, the types of people you reach out to may resemble this progression:
school -> parents -> friends -> summer program -> school alumni -> local small businesses -> etc.
Most success will likely come from working through your direct network or getting an introduction to someone new through your direct network, if possible. As you might imagine, people are more likely to respond and willing to help when they are initially approached by someone they already know, rather than a stranger, so gaining introductions can be a powerful tool. More generally, be direct and polished in your communications when asking for a "coffee chat." Mention who you are, your goals, and why you think they would be a great person to talk to, and always thank them for their time! They may not be able to help you, but they may know someone who can. Don't forget to ask if they can introduce you or pass along information about someone who may be able to provide better or further guidance.
Lastly, don't get discouraged! Not everyone will be jumping through hoops to help you! The work also may not always be glamorous as high schools and small businesses (the most likely to take on help from someone without a four year degree) aren't generally known for their engineering prowess. However, I am sure you will find many friendly people along the way and learn a ton. Keep working your leads, stay the course, and only change your approach once you are entirely sure the current strategy is not working.
Best of luck!
This is absolutely attainable and as others have mentioned, leveraging your current network is the first step!
At first, you might want to pursue school resources, such as the computer lab, and explore ways you can get involved with the school's IT system. Ideally, once you finish school early at 1PM, you can efficiently get to work in the same location! This would likely be a low risk solution for the school and get you relevant experience in cybersecurity and system administration. This does not have to be the end goal, as working at the school could be a good stepping stone towards gaining a part-time gig at a small, local business as it would demonstrate experience in the field.
You said that your family does not have any connections in the space, and while that may be true on the surface, you may be surprised at how vast a network can be when considering secondary connections to people. If your parents happen to work in an office setting, it could be the case that one of their colleagues is friendly with the IT department and could make an introduction! However, the burden for the initial touchpoint in this scenario falls on your parents rather than yourself, which may not be feasible.
Cold emailing is always an option as well. Regardless of the path you take, focus on finding a commonality with the people you reach out to. People are more likely to help you if you share something with them, whether it be a mutual friend, went to the same school as them, were part of the MIT summer program, etc. I generally like to work from closest connections out to fringe connections when exhausting my network. In your case, the types of people you reach out to may resemble this progression:
school -> parents -> friends -> summer program -> school alumni -> local small businesses -> etc.
Most success will likely come from working through your direct network or getting an introduction to someone new through your direct network, if possible. As you might imagine, people are more likely to respond and willing to help when they are initially approached by someone they already know, rather than a stranger, so gaining introductions can be a powerful tool. More generally, be direct and polished in your communications when asking for a "coffee chat." Mention who you are, your goals, and why you think they would be a great person to talk to, and always thank them for their time! They may not be able to help you, but they may know someone who can. Don't forget to ask if they can introduce you or pass along information about someone who may be able to provide better or further guidance.
Lastly, don't get discouraged! Not everyone will be jumping through hoops to help you! The work also may not always be glamorous as high schools and small businesses (the most likely to take on help from someone without a four year degree) aren't generally known for their engineering prowess. However, I am sure you will find many friendly people along the way and learn a ton. Keep working your leads, stay the course, and only change your approach once you are entirely sure the current strategy is not working.
Best of luck!
Updated
Biplab’s Answer
You've already got a lot of great advice here. You may be able to partner with any universities in your area that offer a cybersecurity program to at least gain lab experience. This may be an option worth exploring.
Updated
Nicole’s Answer
Hello Riva,
Are there any computer labs available to you, perhaps at a local community college or your own school? When I was a student, I found it extremely beneficial to learn about computer science in such an environment. I had the opportunity to assist my computer science teacher with his lesson plans, not only for the high school classes but also for his private consulting business.
Additionally, you could consider reaching out to family members or family friends. They might need some assistance with their own projects or be open to letting you observe and learn from their work on specific tasks.
Are there any computer labs available to you, perhaps at a local community college or your own school? When I was a student, I found it extremely beneficial to learn about computer science in such an environment. I had the opportunity to assist my computer science teacher with his lesson plans, not only for the high school classes but also for his private consulting business.
Additionally, you could consider reaching out to family members or family friends. They might need some assistance with their own projects or be open to letting you observe and learn from their work on specific tasks.