Siju Titiloye, our Junior Auditor, came to us via an unconventional path which pretty much sums up our approach to people and hiring.
Our Co-Founder, Gray, first met Siju while she was caring for his father in intensive care.
A chance conversation revealed that alongside her full time nursing job working shifts in the Critical Care Department, Siju was studying cyber security with a determination to build a career in the industry.
So, how did Siju go from intensive care to information security? We caught up with her to hear her story.
Tell us a little about yourself and your background.
I’ve been a nurse for 12 years. I started my career in Nigeria before moving to Abu Dhabi, where I worked in critical care for five years. I then moved to the UK and continued working in intensive care.
About two years ago, I started thinking about a career change. I’d already begun studying cyber security and working towards certifications before I met Gray.
My friends would say “I don’t know what you’re doing in nursing – you should be a data analyst!” But what really appealed to me about cyber security was that I’d still be protecting people. Instead of securing patients, I’d be securing systems.
So how did you end up working at iso360?
It started while I was looking after Gray’s dad in intensive care.
Normally, conversations with relatives are quite brief, mostly updating them on how their loved one is doing. But Gray was really interested in what I did and kept asking questions.
He told me I was great at my job, and I mentioned that I wanted to move into cyber security. He was shocked, like most of my colleagues had been.
We ended up having a proper conversation, and I could tell he understood what I was talking about.
The best piece of advice he gave me was that, with my background and the knowledge I was building, I’d be well suited to becoming an auditor, and I took that advice very seriously.
Balancing nursing, studying and family life can’t have been easy.
It wasn’t. It was really tough, but I had a plan and I had focus. I knew where I was and I knew where I wanted to be, so I worked towards it every single day.
I studied around shifts – before work, during my breaks, whenever I had a spare moment. Even when I was cooking, I’d have cyber security videos playing on YouTube.
It takes commitment and determination.
My husband has been amazing. He’d bring me drinks, make sure I was comfortable and keep encouraging me. My eight-year-old daughter is incredible too. She’d sit beside me while I studied, doing her own work.
Seeing her watching me work hard made me want it even more. I wanted to become a better version of myself.
What happened when Gray and Sharon offered you the job?
When I first met Gray he said he might be able to help me one day and I was just grateful to have him even as a mentor.
Almost a year later Gray and Sharon arranged a call with me, which I thought was just going to be another catch-up, but they offered me a job. I was mind-blown.
It was probably the biggest opportunity of my life because you can study all you want, but eventually someone has to give you that first opportunity to prove yourself and Gray and Sharon gave me that opportunity.
The best part was when I told my daughter. Her first response was, “Does that mean you’re not going to do night shifts anymore?” That made it all worthwhile.
How has life changed since joining iso360?
The biggest difference is the balance and flexibility I have in my life now.
I have my weekends with my family now. Before this, I was often working Friday and Saturday night shifts, so we’d miss out on spending that time together.
It’s brought me much closer to my family and allowed us to spend quality time together.
What surprised you most about moving into cyber security?
In the movies cyber security professionals are often serious people in dark rooms, but my colleagues are actually human! They’re so friendly and very open.
I also realised most of my skills from 12 years in nursing were transferable, like risk management, effective communication, securing systems instead of patients. It’s nice to be able to transfer those skills.
What does your role involve today?
I audit companies to see where their information security stands and where they need improvement, helping them comply with the relevant ISO certifications.
I’m also working with clients in the healthcare sector on compliance with ISO 13485, the standard for Quality Management Systems in the medical device industry.
Before, I was helping secure patients directly. Now I’m helping organisations secure the systems that protect patients.
What does being part of ISO360 mean to you?
It feels like I’ve always been part of the team. Everyone has been so welcoming and collaborative, they’re always willing to help and see what you need.
Right from the start everyone wanted to hear my opinions and asked for my input. My contribution feels valuable.
Gray and Sharon are also very approachable – they’re always available to help.
Finally, what would you say to someone considering a career change?
A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. Have a plan, set yourself targets because otherwise you’ll never know whether you’re making progress. Then you can look at where you are and where you’re going. It gives you a framework.
Mostly, never be afraid to learn and never be scared to move forward.
A note from Gray
Siju was the ICU nurse who helped keep my dad alive. One day, while I was sitting at the end of his bed watching her do her thing, we got chatting and she mentioned that, outside of working as an ICU nurse, she was studying cyber security and working towards her CompTIA Security+ certification. It struck me because nursing is already a hard job, and she was balancing that with a young family and studying in her spare time.
I told her to give me a call and I’d help guide her into the industry. We spoke afterwards, and I gave her some advice on where to focus during her first year and the route I thought would suit her best.
A while later, as Sharon and I were talking about growing the team, we started thinking about finding the right person for a Junior Auditor role. We could have picked anybody, but we kept coming back to Siju.
We liked her, Sharon met her too, and we saw something special. We offered her the job on a call, and it completely changed her life.
She’s moved from nursing into cyber security, now has a 9-5 role with weekends off, gets to pick her daughter up from school, and she’s become part of a team that absolutely loves having her here.
She still says, “I have to pinch myself.”
I’m really proud of what Sharon and I have done with Siju. We want iso360 to be the kind of company that lights somebody else’s candle, gives good people a chance, helps them build an incredible future.
Do you have something to add to our growing team?
Our team is growing. Could you be a good fit?
We look for curiosity, integrity, determination and a willingness to learn just as much as qualifications or experience.
If you’re passionate about cyber security and compliance and you share our values, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch.