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Security+ Certification: Week 3 – Persistence Matters More Than Comfort

Security+ Certification: Week 3 – Persistence Matters More Than Comfort

Nov 21, 2025

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Cover image for Starla Condes appears smiling inside a blurred office setting. Text on the image reads “Security+ Certification Vlog,” “With Starla Condes, Portfolio Manager, Talent Acquisition,” and “Week 2: One Page at a Time.”

Workforce Development

Security+ Certification: Week 2 – One Page at a Time

Nov 7, 2025

Week 2 of Starla Condes’ Security+ Certification Series finds her deep in the grind — juggling work, family, and late-night study sessions while pushing through the first domains of the CompTIA Security+ exam. Her schedule is packed from the moment she wakes up until the lights go out, and yet she’s proving that progress in cybersecurity certification is possible for anyone willing to stay consistent.The Reality Behind the RoutineStarla’s day starts at six in the morning. Between getting her kids ready, commuting through traffic, working a full day, cooking dinner, helping with homework, and bedtime routines, her nights don’t truly start until 9:30 p.m. That’s when she opens her laptop, reviews her notes, and studies until around midnight.It’s exhausting, but her focus is clear: consistency. Even her commute has turned into part of her study plan. She listens to Professor Messer’s Security+ lessons during her 40-minute drive, reinforcing concepts she studied the night before.The way she sees it, it’s not about having long, perfect study blocks — it’s about showing up every single day. “You eat an elephant one bite at a time,” she says, quoting her husband. And that mindset perfectly sums up how she’s approaching one of the most widely recognized cybersecurity certifications in the world.Understanding the MaterialBy Week 2, Starla has started working through the second Security+ domain while reviewing the first. She’s learning core cybersecurity principles like the CIA Triad — confidentiality, integrity, and availability — which form the foundation for all security decisions.According to CompTIA, these pillars are among the first and most critical concepts tested on the Security+ exam because they represent the goals of every security control and policy. She’s also exploring the differences between authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) — concepts that govern how users access and interact with systems securely.For someone without a technical background, these topics can feel foreign at first. But with time and repetition, they start to click. As Starla puts it, “What I like about Professor Messer is that he explains it in layman’s terms — in a way that makes sense to somebody like myself who doesn’t have formal training or experience.”How the Work Adds UpStarla has 79 days left in her 90-day plan. Each week she’s tackling a new domain, building confidence as she goes. Her goal is to complete all five domains by the end of the month, setting her up for two weeks of focused exam prep and practice tests before sitting for the certification.Her approach mirrors what learning science supports: steady, distributed study over time is far more effective than cramming. Even short, consistent sessions strengthen recall and understanding — a method especially valuable for adult learners balancing multiple priorities.Takeaway for the Security+ CuriousStarla’s experience shows that earning the Security+ isn’t reserved for people with a technical background. It’s for anyone who wants to understand cybersecurity fundamentals and is willing to put in the time.Start with a plan. Break the material into manageable domains and schedule time daily.Use relatable resources. Professor Messer’s videos, CompTIA’s official guides, and free online communities make the material accessible.Stay consistent. Even 30–60 minutes a day builds momentum faster than you think.Embrace the process. The goal isn’t to memorize; it’s to understand and apply.As Starla says, the biggest key is consistency. “You attack Security+ one page at a time.”Watch Week 1 to see where it all started and stay tuned for Week 3!

Cover image for Starla speaks into a microphone while sitting behind a laptop. Text on the image reads “The Overlooked Front Line in Federal Security: Why Recruitment Is a Security Risk.” A document titled “Human Resources’ Role in Preventing Insider Threats” appears beside her, and wooden letter blocks spelling “RISK” balance on a board in the foreground. The background is red with a geometric pattern.

Workforce Development

The Overlooked Front Line in Federal Acquisition: Why Recruitment Is a Security Risk

Nov 4, 2025

In a recent video, Alexander Parsons, Portfolio Manager for Technology & Infrastructure, broke down the fundamentals of facility and personnel clearances. He explained how each clearance type safeguards mission-critical work by ensuring only authorized individuals can access sensitive information. It was a straightforward, practical look at how compliance underpins national security.But as Starla Condes, Portfolio Manager for Talent Acquisition, points out in her follow-up video, the conversation shouldn’t end there. Clearances protect information once someone is already in the system. What protects the system from who gets in?“Espionage isn’t just a firewall issue,” she says. “It’s also a recruiting issue.”That single line reframes an often-overlooked truth: national security starts before an offer letter is signed.When Hiring Becomes a Security FunctionRecruiting has long been seen as an administrative process, but in government contracting, it carries national implications. Each résumé, interview, and background check represents both opportunity and risk.The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) notes that human resources teams play “an integral role in developing and contributing to multi-disciplinary threat management teams to effectively detect, deter, and mitigate insider threats.”Starla explains that while recruiters have always verified work history and education, the stakes have changed. “We’re not just protecting the quality of hires anymore,” she says. “There’s an element of national security that is being protected.”In other words, the line between cybersecurity and human resources is thinner than most realize.Verification as a First Line of DefenseStarla describes every stage of hiring as a checkpoint. Each interaction with a candidate is a chance to confirm, clarify, or catch something that doesn’t add up. “Every touchpoint with a candidate during the interview phase is a checkpoint, and those checkpoints matter,” she says.She encourages interviewers to move past surface-level questions. Ask about past managers, project details, team communication, and results achieved. “Ask them for examples,” she says. “Make them explain and talk through what’s on their résumé.”The Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE) reinforces that personnel vetting is often the first opportunity to identify insider threats before they gain access to sensitive systems. Similarly, a RAND Corporation report on continuous evaluation found that long gaps between personnel investigations leave organizations vulnerable to undetected insider activity.Verification, then, is not about catching someone lying. It’s about confirming trustworthiness at a moment when prevention matters most.The Cost of Overlooking Recruitment RiskWhen verification is skipped or rushed, the impact isn’t limited to HR metrics. It affects contract performance, compliance, and mission readiness. A single falsified credential can derail deliverables or trigger costly re-screenings. In more serious cases, it can create insider-threat exposure that puts entire programs at risk.The National Insider Threat Special Interest Group (NITSIG) reports that insider incidents across federal agencies and contractors remain a persistent challenge.In acquisition terms, that’s not just a personnel issue—it’s a performance risk. Contracting officers and program managers are accountable for results, and unverified or unvetted hires can introduce vulnerabilities that no amount of technical security can fix.Closing the Gaps in the Security ChainParsons explained how facility and personnel clearances form the structural framework of security. Starla builds on that by focusing on the human gateway that comes before clearances ever begin.Clearances safeguard classified information. Recruitment safeguards access.Treating hiring as part of the security perimeter closes a gap that technical defenses cannot. It’s a mindset that treats people, process, and policy as one integrated system rather than separate silos.Guidance for Acquisition ProfessionalsFor Acquisition Professionals, this isn’t theoretical. It’s operational. Integrating stronger verification standards into contracts and oversight processes can directly reduce mission risk. Consider these practical steps:Include verification requirements in contract terms. Ask for documented credential checks, interview validation procedures, and audit-ready hiring records.Involve HR in risk management planning. CISA emphasizes that human resources teams should be part of insider-threat and risk management structures from the start.Train hiring managers to recognize behavioral red flags. The NITSIG Insider Threat Indicators Guide lists early signs that may surface during interviews, including inconsistent timelines, unreported foreign travel, or vague explanations of past work.Promote continuous evaluation. RAND’s research confirms that ongoing review and re-verification are essential to maintain the integrity of cleared programs.Each step supports a culture where recruitment is recognized as a shared responsibility, not an isolated function.The New Security PerimeterFirewalls, encryption, and access controls will always matter. But security begins long before an employee logs into a system. It begins the moment their résumé is submitted.Starla summarizes it best: “If talent-acquisition professionals treat the hiring process with the same vigilance that IT treats a firewall, we can harden some of the most overlooked entry points into an organization—the hiring process itself.”Parsons and Starla are addressing two sides of the same mission. One protects information. The other protects access to it. Together, they remind acquisition leaders that compliance is not the finish line. It’s the starting point of national defense.If you missed the first part of this discussion, check out Alexander Parsons’ video on the basics of facility and personnel clearances. It lays the groundwork for understanding how security starts long before hiring ever begins.

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