POSITIONING UPDATES - IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Upgrade from Entry-Level to Mid-Level Cloud Security Professional

1. SALARY & POSITION ADJUSTMENTS

CHANGE FROM:

  • Target: $95-120K entry-level security engineer
  • Position: Entry-level Cloud Security Engineer

CHANGE TO:

  • Target: $110-135K mid-level positions
  • Positions: Cloud Security Engineer II, Security Analyst II/III, Associate Cloud Security Architect

Rationale: 30+ clients, $300K damage prevention, 100+ endpoints = mid-level experience

2. LINKEDIN PROFILE UPDATES

Headline

FROM: “Cloud Security Engineer | AWS SAA | Security+ (Nov 22) | AWS Security Specialty (Jan 2026) | Targeting Defense Contractors”

TO: “Cloud Security Professional AWS SAA Security+ 30+ Clients Secured Zero Ransomware Incidents Defense Sector Ready”

Summary - Add These Metrics

  • Ensure “30+ business clients” is consistently used
  • Add: “100+ endpoints secured”
  • Add: “$300K+ ransomware damages prevented”
  • Add: “<2 hour incident response time, 24/7”
  • Add: “Inherited and stabilized compromised environments others abandoned”

Experience - TimothyTek Section

ADD:

  • “Called when others failed - stabilized multiple compromised environments”
  • “30+ business clients across healthcare, finance, legal sectors”
  • “100+ endpoints with enterprise-grade security”

3. MEDIUM/DEV.TO ARTICLES

“From MSP to Federal Cloud” Article

ADD:

  • Ensure 30+ business clients is used consistently
  • Include “$300K+ prevented damages” metric
  • Add “inherited compromised environments” positioning
  • Include specific NIST mappings: SI-2, CM-3, CP-9, SC-7, IR-4

“Career Transition” Article

CHANGE: Remove any “entry-level” or “beginner” language ADD: “Mid-level security professional transitioning to federal sector”

4. GITHUB PROFILE README

UPDATE “About Me” Section:

Cloud Security Professional with proven operational experience managing security for 30+ business clients. 
- 100+ endpoints secured with zero ransomware incidents
- $500K+ ransomware damages prevented
- Inherited and stabilized environments others couldn't

5. RESUME UPDATES

Professional Summary

REMOVE: “Seeking entry-level…” language ADD: “Security professional with 3+ years managing 30+ clients…”

Key Achievements (Top of resume)

  • 30+ business clients secured simultaneously
  • 100+ endpoints, 8+ servers managed
  • $300K+ ransomware damages prevented
  • <2 hour incident response, 24/7
  • Zero ransomware incidents maintained

6. INTERVIEW POSITIONING

Elevator Pitch

FROM: “Entry-level security engineer with MSP background…” TO: “Security professional who managed 30+ business clients simultaneously with zero ransomware incidents, seeking federal sector opportunities…”

STAR Stories Priority

  1. Enterprise Domain Crisis (Cardinal Surveying)
  2. Ransomware Prevention ($300K saved)
  3. “Called when others failed” scenarios

7. APPLICATION STRATEGY

Job Titles to Target

REMOVE FROM SEARCH:

  • “Entry Level Security Engineer”
  • “Junior Cloud Engineer”
  • “Security Engineer I”

ADD TO SEARCH:

  • “Cloud Security Engineer II”
  • “Security Analyst II/III”
  • “Associate Security Architect”
  • “Mid-level Security Engineer”

Salary Negotiation

Opening range: $110-135K (not $95-120K) With clearance (future): $125-160K

8. WEBSITE UPDATES

Homepage

CHANGE: Remove all “transitioning” or “aspiring” language TO: “Cloud Security Professional | 30+ Clients | Zero Ransomware Incidents”

About Page

ADD: Quantified metrics section with all numbers

9. NETWORKING MESSAGES

LinkedIn Connection Requests

FROM: “Transitioning to cloud security…” TO: “Cloud security professional with 30+ client track record exploring federal opportunities…”

Recruiter Conversations

Lead with: “Managed security for 30+ business clients with zero ransomware incidents” Not: “Looking for my first security role”

10. DO NOT PUBLISH

  • The AI analysis article (keep for personal reference)
  • The audit trail document (security clearance records only)
  • Any mention of “entry-level” positioning

IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITY

TODAY:

  1. Update LinkedIn headline and summary with 30+ metric
  2. Remove “entry-level” from all public profiles

THIS WEEK:

  1. Update Medium articles with new metrics
  2. Revise GitHub profile
  3. Update website

BEFORE APPLICATIONS:

  1. Adjust job search parameters
  2. Update resume with metrics
  3. Practice new elevator pitch

KEY MESSAGE CHANGE

OLD: “MSP founder transitioning to entry-level security” NEW: “Security professional who protected 30+ business clients, targeting federal sector”

This positions you appropriately as mid-level (which you are) rather than underselling as entry-level.