Deidre Diamond -- The Soft Skills of AppSec

Technical ability can open a door in security, but communication and relationships often determine what happens next. Deidre Diamond, founder of CyberSN, joins Chris and Robert to explain the human skills that developers and security professionals need to work effectively with colleagues and business leaders. She discusses listening, setting expectations, practicing difficult conversations, and building confidence through repeated speaking opportunities. The conversation also explores the application security job market as it looked at the time, the value of developers who understand security, and how companies evaluate candidates making a career transition. Deidre connects these skills to stronger teams and better opportunities, offering concrete first steps for people who want their technical work to have greater influence across an organization.The Application Security Podcast is brought to you by Security Journey.About Security JourneySecurity Journey provides application security education for developers and everyone in the software development lifecycle.→ Learn more about Security JourneyConnect with Deidre Diamond:→ Deidre Diamond on LinkedIn→ CyberSNMentioned in this episode:→ CyberSN→ Toastmasters InternationalFollow the Application Security Podcast:➜ Home➜ X➜ LinkedIn➜ YouTube➜ Instagram➜ FacebookChapters:00:00 The soft skills of AppSec with Deidre Diamond01:50 Deidre’s path into cybersecurity05:26 Defining strong communication and interpersonal skills11:39 Bringing developers into business conversations14:09 Practicing better communication16:24 First steps for developers who want to improve19:15 Toastmasters and speaking outside your comfort zone24:20 The application security job market28:20 Career opportunities for security-minded developers30:47 Security as a business and investment differentiator33:14 Moving into a security role35:11 A call to practice and build relationships