Zachary – Zack – Abrams’ experience working on the defensive and operational side of cyber began long before joining Immersive Labs. Zack’s passion for learning and development in the cybersecurity space was initially ignited when he mentored local college students enrolled in cyber programs. In search of a role focused on learning and development in the cyber industry, Zack discovered Immersive Labs. “I was impressed by the platform and type of content, as it was very different from all the other cybersecurity platforms I’d worked with (and helped procure) in the past.” After exploring the company, Zack leaned into his curiosity and applied for his Cyber Resilience Advisor (CRA) role at Immersive Labs. The rest is history.
Zack’s role at Immersive Labs
Zack describes his responsibilities as a CRA to be focused on “advising customers on how to improve their overall cyber resilience with the Immersive Labs platform.” CRAs do this in a variety of ways, including developing and delivering custom tabletop exercises with Immersive Labs’ interactive and dynamic Crisis Sim product, as well as strategizing and developing upskilling programs for security analysts and application developers utilizing a content library of hands-on labs. During his busier seasons, Zack’s days are typically split into two sections: customer meetings and project work. During customer meetings, he advises and consults our customers to understand their problems and challenges, helping them devise immersive solutions. In doing this, the CRA role offers him the opportunity to work with diverse roles across customer organizations, from junior security analyst to chief information security officer (CISO). When he’s not offering support on customer calls, Zack is typically working on project deliverables, like tabletop exercises or security programs, continuing to play a key role in facilitating customer connections. “I meet with customer success managers, the content team, as well as account managers to ensure we are all aligned on our customers' needs, keeping internal tools up to date to optimize their usage internally and externally.”
Appreciating the people and the platform
For Zack, the platform, product, people, and customers are the primary reasons why he shows up every day. He notes that he’s been “continually astounded by the quality of the content and all the other great products Immersive Labs has to offer.” In addition to the product strengths, Zack values the relationships he has developed with both his teammates at Immersive Labs, as well as with his customers. Zack elaborates on his appreciation of his fellow Immersers: “I’m impressed by the work ethic, skill, and overall friendliness across the entire organization,” says Zack. “Being able to jump in and out of projects and work with such incredibly talented and diverse individuals every day is an absolute pleasure.” He is continuously impressed by the broad skill sets, diverse talents, dedicated work ethics, and overall friendliness that his fellow Immersive Labs employees exude, remarking how it is unlike anything he’s experienced at previous companies. “The fact that everyone is also knowledgeable about the product ensures that our customers know everything they need before purchasing leads to happier customers and better relationships.” In addition to internal connections, Zack’s external connections with his customers have blossomed as he’s become further integrated into their organizations. Zack explains, “When you have a platform that does what organizations need to improve their security posture, it’s easy to work with like-minded individuals keen on achieving cyber resilience solutions that benefit their organization as well as their industry overall.”
Finding fulfilment in his role
One of Zack’s proudest moments throughout his tenure at Immersive has been designing, developing, and delivering the tri-sector CDX event while collaborating with Mastercard in Washington D.C. “Being able to design and deliver an exercise to industry titans is not an experience that you get working anywhere,” Zack explains. “It truly was a joy to play a role in that event, show the value of the Immersive platform, and engage with some of our excellent customers in person.” As a passionate advocate for learning and development in the cybersecurity sphere, Zack has found an ongoing project particularly rewarding. This project has involved working with many universities to further augment their learning with specifically curated and intentionally tailored content from the Immersive Labs platform. This not only ensures students learn the theory and concepts of cybersecurity, but also gets them hands-on experience from labs so that they’re well-equipped to enter the workforce.“ It’s very exciting that I’m directly helping future security professionals find their place in the cybersecurity industry with the help of Immersive Labs.”
Maintaining work-life balance
Zack finds numerous ways to maintain his work-life balance, including the ability to keep firm boundaries around working hours.“ My typical work schedule is 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and I rarely work outside of that timeframe.” Additionally, he expresses his gratitude for the ample rest and relaxation time he has to recharge throughout the year, thanks to Immersive Labs’ generous vacation policy. As for managing his day-to-day workload, Zack explains that work is spread relatively evenly across his team so that no one person is overloaded, ensuring we are comfortable with our workload and not at any risk of burnout. He further explains that his team is very flexible, so if personal issues come up for one of our teammates, we can be confident that someone else can cover as needed. Outside of work, Zack finds relaxation in his off time by cooking, baking, hiking, gaming, and watching anime with his wife. This year, he branched out to start a Japanese sweet potato garden and is looking forward to this year’s yield. Zack and his wife are also cat parents to three lovely cats, Momo, Tsuki, and Kohaku, who often make guest appearances during meetings.
Advice for those considering applying to Immersive Labs
Zack encourages potential applicants to apply to any role that aligns with your skillset. “If you’re interested in working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where you will work reasonable hours on/with products helping improve cyber resilience for the world's largest organizations, apply!” To explore career opportunities at Immersive Labs, visit our website today.