A 35-year-old cybersecurity professional has opened up about a career dilemma that many employees may quietly relate to. Despite earning well and having the support of his manager, he feels his current role has left him technically stagnant. Now, he fears staying comfortable for too long could make it harder to find another job.
The professional shared his concerns in a post on Reddit, explaining that he has spent around 10 years working in cybersecurity and remains passionate about the field. However, after moving into a governance-heavy role, he feels he has gradually lost touch with the technical skills he once relied on.
Cybersecurity professional fears career stagnation
“I’ve kind of become a jack of all trades, master of none,” he wrote, describing his experience across different areas of cybersecurity and multiple domains.
He said he spent most of his career as an individual contributor before joining his current organisation around 1.5 years ago. His first assignment was as a manager overseeing security operations for a client.
While he performed well technically and operationally, he realised that management was not necessarily his strength. After disagreements with a client over what he described as unreasonable behaviour towards his team, he was moved to another project by his supportive manager.
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However, his new role brought a different problem.
“My current role is basically a governance role. There is very little technical work,” he said, adding that much of his time is now spent on client calls, discussions, assurances and managing expectations.
He admitted that he sometimes feels he is “just giving people false hopes and fooling them” because there is hardly any hands-on technical work involved.
Despite this, the job pays him well, particularly for someone working from a Tier 3 city. He said he is among the highest-paid employees under his manager, even though some colleagues who work considerably harder earn less.
‘I’m not learning or progressing’
The biggest concern, however, came when he started applying for jobs and attending interviews.
“Earlier in my career, I used to clear around 95% of the interviews I attended. Now I’m struggling badly,” he wrote.
He believes spending too long in his comfort zone has caused him to lose touch with technologies and technical skills that he was once comfortable with.
The situation has also made him question how secure his current position really is. His company is facing financial difficulties and there have reportedly been discussions about layoffs. Although his manager has told him that more projects are coming and that the organisation has plans for him, he is not convinced.
“If that happens after another 1 to 2 years of doing nothing technical, I’m worried about where I’ll stand,” he wrote.
He has now started upskilling, revisiting the basics, preparing for interviews and trying to become technically relevant again. At the same time, he feels guilty about potentially leaving a manager who has supported him.
“I’m 35, have a family. I can’t afford to spend the next few years sitting comfortably in a role where I’m not learning anything, just because the salary is good,” he said.
He asked Reddit users whether he should leave for a technical role or stay, keep earning well and use his current position to upskill.
Read the full story here.
Internet reacts
One user said they had always wanted to work in cybersecurity but had been unemployed since April 2026. “I’m learning Python and AI to add a few technical skills to my profile,” they wrote.
Another user said they had faced similar questions about their own career after 13 years at the same company.
“I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs working 13 years for the same company. Job safety is 100%, but at what cost? At the end, your mental satisfaction is the only thing that matters,” the user wrote.
Another person said they were dealing with a similar career crisis and were focusing on upskilling while looking for better opportunities.
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“Keep looking out for better opportunities,” they advised.
A fourth user, who said they were around the same age and had similar experience, offered to connect with the cybersecurity professional professionally.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
