When Omar J. Alarcon traveled overseas to Australia with more than 10 years of professional experience, the competitive job market he found left him motivated to enhance his certifications. In the winter of 2011, Alarcon decided to take the Certified Information Security Manager® (CISM®) exam, and he earned his certification in May 2012. “The tools I acquired through the CISM certification in governance and risk management have given me a different vision of how I can deliver value to the business,” Alarcon said. As IT audit director for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) with the Australian Federal Government, Alarcon helps make a difference for thousands of people with disabilities by improving their quality of life and increasing their independence.
Alarcon believes his CISM certification has helped validate his knowledge and skills, giving him a competitive advantage in the job market. “It has provided me recognition from my colleagues in the industry and has allowed me to connect with groups of professionals to share experiences and challenges we all face as part of our day-to-day activities,” Alarcon said.
On a personal level, Alarcon says his CISM certification has taught him self-organization, discipline and motivation. “Although the CISM certification skills are very specific, I think that governance, risk management and incident management are skills we all use in our everyday activities,” he said.
Alarcon believes certifications offer professionals valuable networking opportunities. “CISM has given me access to a great professional networking platform and definitely put me on the job market map,” he said. “Through professional networking, I have discovered organizations, charities and causes that I fully support, such as the yearly Eureka Climb event where participants climb 88 floors to raise funds for charities. I am an advocate of giving back to the community in any capacity I can.”
In addition to expanding his professional connections, Alarcon says CISM has given him a distinct advantage compared to other job candidates. “It has helped me compete for roles at the management level, which has been a goal throughout most of my career,” he said. “Certifications require time, dedication and commitment, but they are totally worth it.”
To learn about the benefits of CISM, visit the CISM page of the ISACA® website.