Former MSSP Analyst Leaves Cybersecurity Sector Due to Burnout and Poor Working Conditions

The author, a former senior analyst at a reputable Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), explains their decision to leave the sector after several years due to a work-life imbalance, insufficient salary ($80,000) for their responsibilities (team management, incident response, threat hunting, client relations), and constant pressure. They also criticize the company’s poor management, including strategic decisions that led to problematic outsourcing and a lack of responsiveness to alerts. Despite the valuable experience gained, they describe professional burnout caused by the relentless pace, endless client demands, and lack of managerial support. However, they acknowledge that MSSPs remain a good starting point for beginners in cybersecurity.