Using technical skills, critical thinking, and real-world experience to resolve challenges
Problem-solving is one of the most important skills I have developed through my academic work, military service, and professional experience. In both IT and cybersecurity-related environments, problems often require more than a quick fix. They require patience, attention to detail, technical knowledge, and the ability to work through issues step by step. My experience as a SharePoint Specialist at MARMC and my background in the Marine Corps Reserve have strengthened my ability to identify issues, analyze them, and apply practical solutions that support users and mission success.
Why Problem-Solving Matters to Me
I chose problem-solving as one of my key professional skills because it connects directly to the kind of work I do and the kind of career I want to build in cybersecurity. Whether I am helping manage SharePoint permissions, supporting user access, auditing sites for PII exposure, or assisting with system-related challenges, I am constantly in situations where I have to think critically and respond carefully. Problem-solving is not just about fixing what is broken. It is also about preventing issues, improving processes, and making systems more effective for the people who rely on them.
Artifact 1: SharePoint Monthly Status Reports
What this artifact is
Your monthly status reports document the work you completed as a SharePoint Specialist at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center. These reports reflect your responsibilities in SharePoint site maintenance, permissions management, ticket support, data migration follow-up, Power BI work, and PII audit readiness.
Supporting Document
What I did
In this role, I helped maintain the MARMC SharePoint Home site and subpages by keeping information up to date, making sure the pages functioned correctly, improving page consistency, and managing permissions. I also worked through user issues related to access, site organization, and post-migration questions after the command moved a large amount of data from the share drive to SharePoint. Through these reports, I documented the work I completed and the progress I made each month.
Why this demonstrates problem-solving
This artifact shows problem-solving because it reflects real workplace challenges that required practical solutions. I had to help users regain access, respond to questions caused by the migration, improve site organization, and support the command’s daily information needs. Much of this work required me to evaluate a situation, figure out what was causing the problem, and take action to resolve it in a way that was accurate and efficient.
Artifact 2: PMS Viewer Access Support
What this artifact is
This artifact represents my work helping manage PMS Viewer access requests for users at MARMC and supported commands. This included helping process a high volume of requests while making sure access was granted correctly and efficiently.
Supporting Document
Please see the highlighted content
What I did
In this role, I helped review and support PMS Viewer access requests for users across multiple departments and outside commands. I worked to make sure the right users received the correct access and helped resolve issues when users could not get into the system or needed permissions adjusted. This required accuracy, patience, and the ability to work through both technical and administrative problems while still supporting mission needs.
Why this demonstrates problem-solving
This artifact demonstrates problem-solving because access management is rarely as simple as just approving a request. It often involves reviewing the situation, figuring out what the user actually needs, identifying what is causing the issue, and making sure the final solution is correct. Through this work, I had to solve real access-related problems in a professional environment where security, efficiency, and accuracy all mattered.
Artifact 3: PII Audit Responsibility
What this artifact is
This artifact represents my responsibility for helping conduct MARMC’s recurring 90-day SharePoint PII audit process. These audits are used to make sure sensitive information is not improperly stored or exposed on SharePoint sites.
Supporting Document
Please see the highlighted content
What I did
In this role, I reviewed SharePoint areas such as the Shared Area and PII Site to identify possible issues involving exposed Personally Identifiable Information. I helped make sure sites remained clean, organized, and ready for audit review. This required careful attention to detail and a proactive mindset because I had to look for potential issues before they became larger security problems.
Why this demonstrates problem-solving
This artifact demonstrates problem-solving because it involved identifying risks, evaluating possible vulnerabilities, and taking action to prevent problems before they occurred. Instead of only reacting to issues after the fact, I had to think ahead and help maintain compliance and security across the environment. This experience showed my ability to solve problems in a preventative and security-focused way.