While ASIS helps security professionals at every stage of their career, ASIS recognizes that our young professionals represent the future of the profession. Each month, the ASIS blog will feature a Q&A with a young professional within our membership and share their unique perspective on a range of topics ranging from industry trends, and the value of ASIS membership to professional development.
This month’s blog will feature Neil Parker, Chair of the ASIS Young Professionals Community and Vice President of Business Security Enablement, Operations, Network & Employee Experience at Mastercard. Neil was previously featured in the January-February 2021 issue of Security Management magazine.
Q: How did you get started in security management?
A: British Military, to Private Military Contractor, to Risk Management Consultant, to Corporate Security, to Information/Cyber Security... quite the cliché, I know. However, every transition was the result of interest in expanding my skills and lateral/smart moves across organizations. This provided the platform to develop my skills so when opportunity provided itself to advance up the corporate ladder I was ready.
Q: What do you enjoy about security management?
A: No matter where you sit across Physical, Cyber, and Information security, our roles and responsibilities are ever-evolving in order to support an ever-changing threat landscape and the advances in technology providing endless new challenges. In my current role as the Business Information Security Officer for Operations, Network and Employee Experience I often find I’m leveraging my experience across all fields of security and that’s what makes it so exciting.
Q: What is an interesting story about your early career growth in the industry?
A: Rather than an interesting story, it’s maybe more of interesting approach to my early years in the corporate world after leaving the military. Don’t become an SME too soon, make sure your focus is a mile wide and an inch thick. I encourage everyone in their early career to be agile, mobile, get out your comfort zone.
Q: How can young professionals stand out in the industry?
A: Remember being good at your job is what’s expected of you--it’s what you were hired for--it’s the “everything else you bring to the table” that will get you noticed and move you forward in your career. Volunteer and seek out mentors….these are the greatest way to develop the soft skills that will take you forward in your career. Explore what security really means, understand all the different fields and see what you find most interesting and then jump in.
Q: What opportunities exist for young professionals in the security industry?
A: ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING, security is probably the fastest growing industry in the world. As the world goes through digital transformation and technology advances quicker than it can be adopted, we must have security as a first thought in design in everything we do. I would also advocate any young professional to join ASIS and become active in the YP Community – you will immediately become connected to a highly diverse and inclusive group of young professionals and seasoned veterans who want to help each other advance their careers.
