[PEN-TEST] How to "break into" the Pen-Testing field

["Lashley, Bryan" <bryanl () EACIFS COM>]

I am wondering how did the readers of this list get into the pen-testing
field? What steps did you take to get from where you started in the field to
where your at now? Did employers train you? Did you get promoted into it?
Did you create the position yourself?

Pen testing & security is a very interesting area of the IS field I would
like to break into but many positions posted are requiring years of
pen-testing skills which I just don't have outside of my personal lab at
home (combo of Win95,NT Srv, RH Linux). Would you recommend starting at a
big 5 firm? A small firm? Fortune 500's? Has anybody heard of any
pen-testing firms in St. Louis?



Anything posted will help

Bryan Lashley