Dante Giammattei

To truly understand my path in the intersection of Cybersecurity and Finance, I need to move beyond simple self reflection. My main strategy is to utlise formal self-assessment tools like MBTI to identify my main behavioural drivers. However, data without context is useless so I plan to cross-reference these results with feedback from my current role as an Operations Coordinator. I will actively seek feedback from my mentors regarding my leadership style under pressure - specifically how I handle financial discrepancies or staff conflict. Additionally, I will maintain a reflective journal documenting my reactions to technical challenges in my university coursework versus management challenges at work. This comparison of data, professional feedback, and personal journaling will reveal whether my true strengths lie in technical granular analysis or strategic leadership, allowing me to tailor my future career path accordingly.

My dual-degree offers a broad spectrum of opportunities, which can paradoxically lead to decision paralysis. To clarify my options, I need to research the day-to-day reality of specific roles such as 'Forensic Accountant'. 'SOC Analyst' or 'Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) officer'. My strategy involves conducting informational deep-dives - aiming for one a month - into a professional currently in these roles, specifically investigating the 'worst' parts of their jobs to understand the resilience required. I will also analyse industry trends from the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and major financial firms to see where skill gaps are widening. Furthermore, I will map the career progression of senior leaders on Linkedin who hold positions I aspire to, reverse-engineer their paths to see which entry-level roles provided the strongest foundation for their success.

While university provides the theoretical framework, I need to proactively bridge the gap to practice. My strategy is to leverage my current employment and also seek external technical exposure. In my current role as Operations Coordinator, I will volunteer to shadow the internal audit or loss prevention teams to understand how physical retail risks translate to data discrepancies, this is something I already do. Externally, I can't commit to standard internships. Thus, I plan to participate in 'Capture The Flag' (CTF) cybersecurity competitions to test my technical skills under time constraints, which simulates the pressure of a real-time security incident. I will also seek micro-credentialing opportunities, such as the ASIO Virtual Experience I completed, to gain low-risk insight into intelligence workflows and further validate my interest in the field.