From Mixing Drinks to Pentesting: Alexis Cybersecurity Story

Alexis Dieter, working in Offensive Cyber Operations, proves there’s no one “right” way into cyber. After 13 years in bartending, Alexis pivoted careers, went back to school, and is now thriving in penetration testing all while finishing her degree.

Here are her lessons for anyone looking to break in (or breakthrough):

✅ Life Skills More Important than Tech Skills
Bartending taught her resilience, communication, and tough skin — the real keys to thriving in cyber.

✅ Network = Net Worth
Professors, clubs, conferences, and even old colleagues opened doors to her first internship.

✅ Stay Hungry, But Pace Yourself
Cybersecurity is a marathon. Continuous learning is crucial but burnout is real.

✅ Give Back Early
She leads outreach to women and minorities, proving that lifting others lifts the industry.

✅ Future-Proof Your Career
Alexis is already thinking about quantum computing risks and how they’ll change security in the next decade.

And when it comes to AI?

“AI can write scripts and save me time, but it can’t replace intuition. Offensive security is still very human.”

🚀 Whether you’re a student, a career changer, or a cyber veteran, Alexis’s story is a reminder: your past doesn’t define your future — your curiosity does.

#CybersecurityCareers #PenTesting #OffensiveSecurity #CareerPivot #LifeSkills #Networking #QuantumComputing #AI #GenerativeAI #CybersecurityCommunity #WomenInCyber #InclusiveCyber #futureofwork 

Chapters

• 0:00 Alexis - Conversation
• 0:11 Introduction
• 1:23 Alexis Background
• 4:39 Focus has always been Pentesting
• 6:23 Currently in College
• 7:44 Obtained an Internship
• 10:46 Burnout is a real Problem
• 12:03 Network is your Networth
• 12:47 What Skillsets did you bring over from Bartending?
• 15:40 Potentially not connecting to your team
• 16:56 Tips for Students and Transitioning Professionals
• 18:46 Certifications
• 19:57 Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)
• 21:46 Running Simple Script through GenAI
• 24:27 Macro GenAI Perspective
• 26:14 Why Alexis Started a Youtube Channel
• 28:32 President of a Cybersecurity Group in College
• 29:25 Where do you see yourself in 5 Years?
• 30:04 Quick Quantum Discussion
• 31:02 Book or Podcast Recommendations