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Hey everyone,
Welcome back to another edition of The Career Compass!
This week, we’re diving deep into one of the biggest workplace conversations of our time - remote vs in-office work. Whether you’re a cybersecurity analyst, compliance professional, or just navigating your next career move, understanding how your work environment affects productivity, visibility, and growth is key.
And as always, we’ve got your Video of the Week, the latest Cyber & Career News, and a Challenge of the Week to help you take real, actionable steps forward.
Let’s jump in!
Remote vs In-Office Work - What’s Best for Your Career?
Pros & Cons
Remote / Work-from-Home (WFH)
Pros:
Flexibility: you can work from home (or anywhere) and often set your own hours.
No commute means less time wasted, reduced stress.
Many workers report improved job satisfaction and work-life balance when remote.
Broader job opportunities: since geography matters less, you may access roles outside your local region.
Cons:
Isolation and fewer informal interactions: less “water-cooler” chats, spontaneous mentoring, or social learning.
For early-career professionals, less visibility and fewer opportunities to be noticed or to pick up tacit knowledge via observing others.
Boundaries between work and home can blur: risk of over-working, burnout.
Some employers worry about collaboration, culture and oversight when teams are fully remote.
In-Office (On-site) Work
Pros:
Face-to-face interaction: quicker feedback, stronger team bonding, better opportunities for networking and mentorship.
Clear separation between “work place” and “home place”, which for many helps in maintaining work-life boundaries.
Easier for younger or newer employees to learn organisational culture, protocols, informal norms.
Possibly stronger visibility for promotions or career progression when you’re physically present.
Cons:
Commute time, cost and stress.
Less flexibility: fixed hours or being office-bound can reduce autonomy.
Potentially higher cost of living if office location is in expensive areas; less control over work environment.
For many roles, being in the office five days a week may not be necessary but still mandated. Some employees push back.
What’s the current trend?
Hybrid models (a mix of remote + in-office) are increasingly common: in a 2025 survey, 88% of US employers offered some hybrid option.
Fully remote roles remain significant, but fully in-office mandates are rising in some organisations, with some employees resigning when remote options are revoked.
A global survey shows hybrid working has solidified in many advanced economies as the dominant model for roles that allow it.
What this means for your career (and especially for early-career / transitioning professionals)
If you’re making a career change (for example into cybersecurity) or you’re relatively early in your profession, being in an environment where you get visibility, mentoring and informal learning can be beneficial, so a hybrid or in-office-heavy arrangement might give you more lift.
If you have solid self-management, an established network, and a role that is outcome-driven rather than presence-driven, remote work gives you freedom and broad access.
Ask potential employers: what is their hybrid policy? How saturated is the remote option? How do they support career development for remote/hybrid employees?
Whatever your preference, ensure your workspace is set up, your communication is proactive, you stay visible and connected especially if remote.
If you’re going fully in-office or hybrid, weigh the commute and cost vs. value of presence.
Bottom line: There isn’t a one-size-fits-all. For many professionals, the hybrid model offers the best of both worlds: flexibility + presence. Choose the arrangement that aligns with your career stage, your learning needs, lifestyle, and the organisational culture of your target employer.
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Video of the week: Top Entry-Level Cybersecurity Jobs in 2025 (and what they really pay)
Want to start a career in cybersecurity but not sure which jobs are hiring, or how much they pay? In this video I break down the top entry-level cyber security jobs in 2025, including what each role does, the average salaries in Australia and the U.S., and how to prepare for them even if you don’t have experience yet.
News & Trends - Cyber & Career Spotlight
The Australian cybersecurity job market in 2025 is under intense pressure but brimming with potential: regulatory shifts, deep digital transformation, and elevated threat landscapes are accelerating demand for cyber professionals.
Entry-level cybersecurity roles in Australia are showing salary benchmarks around AUD $75,000-$90,000 for analysts, with more experienced roles earning AUD $120,000-$150,000+.
Remote and hybrid work continues to gain traction: in the US, 24% of job postings in Q2 2025 were hybrid and 12% fully remote. Also, only 19% of professionals now say their top choice is an in-office job.
However, employers are increasingly mandating returns to office: one UK-based survey found nearly 9% of businesses lost staff because they didn’t offer remote work.
Insight: For those shifting into cybersecurity, being visible (whether in-office or hybrid) plus proactive networking (and using LinkedIn effectively) is becoming essential, the market is competitive and credentials alone no longer guarantee opportunity.
Challenge of the week
Take 15 minutes this week to reflect on how your current work setup supports or hinders your performance.
Ask yourself:
Do I feel more productive working from home or in the office?
How often do I connect with my team or manager face-to-face?
Is my current setup helping me grow professionally, or am I too comfortable?
Then, set one small goal to improve your environment, whether it’s scheduling an office day to network, improving your home office ergonomics, or blocking “focus time” to reduce distractions.
Why this matters: The right environment doesn’t just make you more efficient, it shapes how visible, connected, and fulfilled you feel at work. Small adjustments now can lead to huge gains in motivation and career growth.
Wrap up
As the way we work continues to evolve, there’s no single “right” setup — what matters most is finding what helps you perform at your best.
If you thrive on collaboration and mentorship, being in the office more often could accelerate your growth.
If flexibility and focus fuel your productivity, remote or hybrid work might be your edge.
Whichever path you choose, stay intentional. Keep building genuine relationships, communicate proactively, and make your value visible whether that’s through your work results, your online presence, or the way you show up for your team.
Your career is built one decision at a time, and how you design your work life plays a big part in that.
Stay curious, stay connected, and keep moving forward, your next opportunity could be closer than you think.
Thanks for reading, and as always, keep levelling up your career.
Best wishes
Luke Gough
Recruiter / Career Coach / Founder of The Career Compass
P.S. Remember to share The Career Compass with your network, and let’s work together to empower more careers!
