soc analyst

security analyst

cybersecurity analyst

software engineer

entry level sales representative

Novacoast, Inc.

Typical day: Log in to your various SIEMs/environments, monitor for alerts, send alert findings to clients and escalate as necessary. Spend downtime studying or learning more about the job.

What I learned: You can learn about everything you need to know within the 3 week training period then there isn't much more to learn. I would recommend shadowing some of the SOC 2s or studying while you have downtime as you can keep learning while here (Management encouraged this). It was great experience getting to learn on various SIEMs. I learned to only do about a third to half of what you typically would do in a real SOC. You offer recommendations for remediation but do not actually have anything to do with it. Your job is to just alert the client and they handle the rest. 

Workplace culture: Very relaxed and laid back. Can wear relaxed clothing and everyone was generally helpful. A lot of downtime and plenty of TVs to watch streaming services on while working. There were some people who took their job seriously and some who obviously did not carry their weight.

Hardest part of the job: Learning on so many different SIEMs/environments at the beginning. It can be a bit overwhelming but is easy to grasp if you put any sort of effort into learning. The job can also be very monotonous as you will see the same alerts repeatedly throughout the day which you have already reported so you just close them. 

Enjoyable part of the job: A lot of downtime to learn and everyone was very helpful if you had questions about a certain alert you have never handled before.


I understand it may be difficult to break into the industry as a security analyst. You may not have studied it in school, you may not have any certifications yet. While Novacoast CAN serve as an entry point, I strongly caution you to avoid it unless there are absolutely no other alternatives. Why?

- Novacoast will grossly underpay you. Every other company I have looked at pays 30-50% more for the same job. 
- They will offer health insurance, but at the rate they pay you, you will qualify for free healthcare from the state.
- They will not let you work remote if you work in the SOC, and there have been numerous COVID outbreaks in their SOCs already.
- The managers are there to tell you "no". They have no actual power; they have to go up the next rung in the ladder to get answers to any questions or requests. Their main function is to insulate upper management from the discontent of the SOC.
- Novacoast is perpetually rolling out new software and new systems of doing things. They are always incomplete and half-functional, and stay that way until the developers get bored of that project and roll out the next one.
- Because of the high attrition rate, there is a strong likelihood that you and all your coworkers will be watching more clients than you can handle. You will be forced into performing subpar work just so the company can keep its clients.

They will pay for your Security+ test--if you pass it--and presumably other certifications, so long as they don't have to pay for any of the training. If you absolutely have no other options, get your Security+ certification and any others you feel could give you a leg up in the industry, get a year of experience, then leverage your position at Novacoast into a better position LITERALLY anywhere else.

Applied and interviewed for a Sr. SOC Analyst/Threat Hunter role. During this time I was asked to go through 6 rounds of interviews with various management and team members from the organization. I did find this odd as I have interviewed and worked for international firms and the most I ever did was 4. All interviewers seemed very nice and I did not see any red flags as far as the work went. 

At the conclusion of my last interview, I spoke with my would be manager and the compensation offered was EXTREMELY low compared to industry standards. In fact its the lowest I've ever been offered for a security position; This includes my entry level roles.  I was shocked but in good faith asked for an additional 15%. The recruiter emailed me the following week to let me know my compensation request was too high. Very disappointed that after putting a candidate through so many interview  rounds that their wasn't any effort to meet in the middle and not even an email from the hiring manager. Having been around the block, I would caution working anywhere the compensation is this low as good quality resources probably aren't in abundance. This means either you're working to pick up slack, or not working at all. Either way, that can't be good. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
There isn't really anything great about working for Novacoast.  My position was fully remote, so there's that

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The most stressful part is that managers there don't tell you if you're doing something wrong so you have no idea if you're doing good or not.  They don't give feedback.  And when they do give you feedback, you're fired the next day due to "poor performance" when you haven't been given help, you're teaching yourself the programming language, and when you've been asking questions.
Another stressful thing about working there is that during the interview they will tell you that you'll be working on a project that aligns with your skills, and then the day they hire you, they switch the project to something you're not familiar with and expect deliverables in 2-3 days when you've never gotten exposure to the language before, and have stated that upfront, even though they "knew it was new for me"

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It was fine.  I was working remotely so there was much of a culture

Working here was quite an enjoyable experience. A typical day as a SOC 1 was interacting with teammates and email creation. As a SOC 2 it was more focused in basic engineering tasks while also being there in case something broke. I have learned so much about the Cybersecurity landscape working here and have gotten to work with some of the best people in my life! The culture is very friendly and they always strive to help you succeed along with having the flexibility of multiple offices. The best part about the job in my opinion is the people you get to work with and the friends you make along the way!

This company is a joke. Management was absolutely terrible and chooses to be kids with no work ethic at all. If you have a decent work ethic, be prepared to be fired because everyone else complains. Workers are permitted to game on their personal laptops and let workflow diminish, but if you say anything about it, you're to blame for over stepping your role.

Pay was also significantly lower than industry standard. I worked with a bunch of college students just looking for a party. Not worth your time if you are looking for a career. 

If you want a job where you screw off and over charge your customers, this is the place for you. Also really good if you like getting trashed on the company dime.

For a whole $16 an hour you'll get to work mandatory third-shift in an unheated building with insect and rat problems!  Apply right now and you'll be able to deal with Ann Arbor middle management who talks about nothing about their love life and other inappropriate topics at every single opportunity!

Don’t work here unless you want to make less than half of what you should be making with a degree.

Extremely high turnover rate
Employees are miserable and looking for a way out
Highly competitive atmosphere - other departments/locations will try to get you fired for a leg up
Management are snakes
Do not join the soc department — I repeat — DO NOT JOIN THE SOC DEPARTMENT

Tldr: underpaid and miserable place to work - move out of Santa Barbara and join a company that doesn’t take advantage of the lack of industry in the area and won’t fire you a few months down the line—It’ll look better on your resume.

I enjoy working here. This is a small and fast growing company and I am eager to see which turn it takes in the future. I worked Helpdesk for several months before being promoted to SOC Analyst. I am allowed a flexible work schedule and I have 24 hr access to a fun, very relaxed work environment. Pet friendly, the office scene is energizing, and they respect your work. They also follow the belief that free time is time earned for getting the job done. There is plenty of opportunity for down time and to pursue outside projects or hobbies.

This company is a great place to learn new things, there are plenty of opportunity for growth! I love the flexibility that Novacoast offers. The people I work with for the most part are awesome! The communication between my boss is awesome and they are always there to help! I would highly recommend Novacoast if you are a hard worker, results driven, passionate about cybersecurity individual! 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Soc analyst 11 salaries reported	$19.00 per hour
Security analyst 4 salaries reported	$18.50 per hour
Cybersecurity analyst 2 salaries reported	$18.00 per hour
Software engineer 9 salaries reported	$81,311 per year
Entry level sales representative 5 salaries reported	$20.00 per hour

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