Sophos MDR Team Lead Jordan Carpenter Shares How Onboarding, Training, and Employee Growth is Important at Sophos

Making the jump to a new company can be an anxiety filled decision. Many thoughts come to mind including, ‘Is this the right move?’, ‘Will I fit in?’, or ‘Am I qualified for this position?’. These questions and more often pop up before even hitting the submit button on a job application. My mind was plagued with these questions prior to applying at Sophos, but I could not be happier with the decision I made to join the Managed Detection and Response (MDR) team.

I had a lot of mixed feelings about taking a job in managed detection and response. I had previously worked on IT security teams for various corporations, but I didn’t have experience working in security operations like the Sophos MDR team. I never had to deal with variety of customers with ever-changing needs and issues, and the daily workflow was very different from the dynamics I had grown accustomed to in previous roles. Before joining Sophos, I was an SME for vulnerability management. Leaving that type of role was terrifying because I had spent years becoming an expert in this area, and now it was all going to change.

There are so many things about Sophos as a company that stand out, but the onboarding and training processes are exceptional compared to other places where I have worked. The Recruitment and HR teams at Sophos made every step of the process effortless, from the interviews to my first day. There was constant communication about all details as well as constructive feedback from the interviews, and the recruiter genuinely cared about my recruitment experience. My opinions, questions, and concerns were all recorded and answered in a timely manner. The onboarding process alone made the move to Sophos feel like the right decision.

As my nerves grew, I was given all my equipment along with a detailed schedule of my first week to fully prepare me to start my role. I woke up, filled my brand-new Sophos water bottle, and prepared myself to crush my first day. Within my first week on the job, I was introduced to my team, fellow team leads, and management. It was the first time in my professional career I felt like I was accepted with open arms from day one. I did not come across a single person who was not willing to help me or answer the long list of daily questions I had. There were many times when others spent hours showing me the ropes and carefully going through every detail to guarantee that I was fully prepared before setting out on my own. I quickly built friendships before even completing my training process with co-workers who cared about who I was, my life, and my success with Sophos.

My training was an intense four days filled with information. However, I never once felt overwhelmed. The trainer took so much time to answer questions as well as provide very extensive reference materials. There is not a Sophos MDR process, procedure, or guideline that is not thoroughly documented and easily searchable for best practices in MDR operations.

Overall, my first few months with the Sophos MDR team have been a seamless transition filled with considerable preparation for my role as a Team Lead. I could not be happier with the onboarding, training, and relationships I have built here in such a brief time.

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