Talent & Culture Blog >

Five Questions with
Alberto Reyes

How Falcon Complete Analyst Alberto Reyes Navigated a Career Change From Client-Side Security to Cybersecurity Analyst

Alberto Reyes was working on a client-side security team when he was introduced to CrowdStrike. Somewhere along the way, he realized that working with detections from the CrowdStrike Falcon® sensor was, in his words, “my favorite part of the job.” So when a position on the Falcon Complete™ team opened, he went for it — and got it.

We sat down with Alberto to learn more about his transition into the cybersecurity industry, what he loves about his role and what he’s learned from working at CrowdStrike.

Alberto Reyes

Q. You were on the client side in IT before joining CrowdStrike, which is a bit of a shift. Do you think it’s possible for other people to make that transition?

Definitely. I think one of the misconceptions people have about the cybersecurity industry is that they need to be an expert in everything. That they have to show up on Day One knowing every single thing under the cybersecurity umbrella. But that’s not true.

I think what’s most important is for people to have general knowledge and a good foundation to build from. Everyone on the team specializes in certain things, and we play to individual strengths. Understanding and acknowledging that you’re not an expert in all areas will help you connect with other people and learn from them. That way, we work better as a team, and we all grow. What I love about the Falcon Complete team is that we all learn from each other.

Q. What else do you like about working on this team and in cybersecurity?

One thing I really love about this job is that no two days are the same. We work with different clients on different issues every day. The main thing we do is work through the detections for the customer that come from the Falcon sensor — but one minute, you could be working on an attempted breach at a big hospital system, and then the next, you’re looking at a malware attack at a manufacturing company. Pivoting to different things keeps the day interesting.

Another aspect of the job that I really enjoy is that we have the ability to actually remediate the hosts. For example, if we see a hacker on a system and they’re trying to spread to other servers, we can respond to that in real time and actually cut the threat off before it gets to other servers. If someone is downloading malware, we can actually go into the system and remove those files in real time. We’re like the first line of defense or the first responders for our clients. Adversaries have to get past us before they can get into the systems.

Q. Would you say that’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Yes. The most rewarding thing is that we have an actual impact for the customer since we can respond in real time. In some cases, we can even prevent a ransomware outbreak or a phishing campaign in the customer’s environment. We can stop the hacker from getting into the system.

We know how painful these events are, how costly they can be for the client. So we know the impact to the business. And it feels fantastic to be able to help our clients in that moment and also improve their system so that they’re better protected for the future.

Q. What is one of the most important things you’ve learned during your time at CrowdStrike so far?

One of the best things I’ve learned is the importance of being open to feedback and new ideas. That’s what’s great about working on a diverse team. People have different backgrounds, different experiences. We all tackle problems differently. Working on a diverse team, you realize there’s not one specific way to solve a problem, there are many ways. When you are exposed to how other people think, how they deal with different problems, you can learn from them. Eventually, you develop a new way to solve problems.

Q. What do you like to do outside of work?

I’ve always enjoyed cooking, trying new recipes and experimenting with ingredients. Before COVID, I took cooking classes. This past year, I’ve been working from home more, so I’ve been able to spend more time in the kitchen. It’s sort of like an experiment where you find things you like and things that you don’t, and you learn more about yourself.

Does working for CrowdStrike sound interesting to you? Visit the CrowdStrike career page to learn more about our teams, our culture and current open positions.