Think About What Kind Of Work Appeals To You
You want to protect businesses from cybercrime but where do you even start?
Before you can begin plotting your cybersecurity career path, you need to understand what working in the field entails and how you hope to specialize. After all, the industry is vast according to the 2018 Aust Cyber Report, the global cybersecurity market is worth roughly $145 billion. It is on track to increase 86 percent to $270 billion by 2026, far outstripping other industries.
This fast-paced growth isnt all that surprising. As systems have become more sophisticated, hackers have redoubled their efforts to reveal vulnerabilities and expose lucrative personal information such as credit card numbers, financial records, and healthcare data.
In the third quarter of 2019, the RiskBased Data Breach Quick View Report noted the occurrence of 5,183 separate data breaches which exposed 7.9 billion records globally. This constitutes a 33.3 percent uptick in total breaches and a more than doubling of exposed records over the previous year.
These numbers illustrate why cybersecurity is such a high priority companies of all sizes and industries need to protect themselves from expensive and confidence-shattering exposure.
As this data demonstrates, being a cybersecurity specialist doesnt limit you to one job description. There are countless roles in the job market so many, in fact, that you may need to limit yourself to a few chosen specialties.
Start Progressing Through Different Roles
Once you have walked your educational path and built a robust repertoire of hard skills, you can begin amassing on-the-job experience. As with most professions, cybersecurity specialists usually start their career with an entry-level job and work their way up to becoming senior experts.
Lets review a few of the roles available at entry-, mid-, and senior-levels.
Discover Your Program In Minutes
Once a specialty only associated with government agencies and defense contractors, cyber security has now entered the mainstream. Industries such as health care, finance, manufacturing and retail all hire cyber security professionals to protect valuable information from cyber breaches. The demand for specialists in the field is high. A report by job analytics firm Burning Glass Technologies found job postings for openings in cyber security have grown three times faster than those for IT job overall, and cyber security professionals are earning 9 percent more than their IT counterparts. Read more to learn how to get started in a cyber security career, from the types of degrees available to the various careers in the field.
Recommended Reading: Us Career Institute Degree Programs
Key Industries For Cybersecurity Jobs
Since organizations of all kinds increasingly rely on computer networks and systems for their everyday operations, cybersecurity graduates can find careers in nearly any industry. However, some industries employ larger numbers of professionals and offer better compensation than others. Cybersecurity job requirements, titles, salaries, and duties may differ considerably between industries. Cybersecurity graduates should research the career and salary expectations typical for different industries prior to accepting a job offer.
The top employing industry for information security analysts is computer systems design and related services. Other major industries for information security analysts include management of companies and enterprises credit intermediation and related activities management, scientific, and technical consulting services and insurance carriers.
Top-paying industries for information security analysts include nonresidential building construction, semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing, legal services, and automotive repair and maintenance. Another top-paying industry for information security analysts is finance. The tables below outline the top industries for information security analysts in further detail.
Annual Mean Wage by Industry for Information Security Analysts
| Top-Paying Industries |
|---|
Security Architect Job Role
- Security architects research and propose the security elements for their organizations. They design robust security structures that are capable of preventing malware attacks.
- A security architect approves the installation of routers, VPN, and firewalls. They formulate company procedures, guidelines, and user guides.
- According to Payscale, security architects in the US make a handsome sum of
$124,000 a year on average, and in India, they make nearly 21,80,000.
Cybersecurity Expert Master’s Program
Recommended Reading: Career Readiness Curriculum For Adults
What Does A Career In Cyber Security Entail
From ethical hackers who probe and exploit security vulnerabilities in web-based applications and networksystems to cryptographers who analyze and decrypt hidden information from cyber-terrorists, cyber security professionalswork hard to ensure data stays out of the wrong hands. Cyber security professionals work in virtually every industry,responding rapidly to real-world threats. While there are cyber security associate degree programs, high-level careersrequire an array of technical IT skills and advanced analysis capabilities found in graduate-level degree programs.
A four-year cyber security degree program focuses on the array of methods used to protect data and information systems. Students receive training in technical and business skills such as database applications, systems administration and data recovery. Coursework combines criminal psychology, digital forensics and policy analysis to provide a complete perspective if IT security. There are hundreds of job titles in cyber security, but some of the top positions include:
- Security Analyst
How To Start A Cyber Security Career
All cybersecurity career paths have almost the same set of requirements: IT skills, analytical skills, experience, certifications. Gain each of these, one by one.
- Gain basic qualifications. If you already have a bachelors degree in computer science, information systems, etc., take up a specialized course in cybersecurity. Else, get a basic qualification in the field through online courses, boot camps, etc.
- Get certified. CompTIA Security+ or Certified Ethical Hacker will help demonstrate your interest/competence in the field.
- Build experience. As a fresh graduate or a beginner, you might not have real-world work experience. In such cases, do your own projects or join hackathons, etc., to strengthen your portfolio.
- Develop interpersonal skills. Cybersecurity roles are often about collaboration. You need impeccable interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, collaborate with diverse teams and implement procedures.
Also Check: What Career Cluster Does Veterinarian Fall Under
Things To Know Before Choosing Cybersecurity As Career
Data is the main thing businesses are trying to keep safe, no matter what kind of business they work in. If you work for a company with different compliance rules or security practices, the controls you have in place are the same. In the end, the goal is to keep data private, secure, and available, experts said in a recent webinar by Analytics India Magazine.Businesses use people, processes, and technology in this way. The job of a cybersecurity professional is to design, set up, and fix a wide range of technologies and processes. These include encryption, firewalls/IPS, advanced malware protection, network analytics, identity access management, and authentication. People also have to follow the rules to protect their data.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Cyber Security Analyst Resume Templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Cyber Security Analyst templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Cyber Security Analyst resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Recommended Reading: Career Opportunities That Involve Digital Technology
What Does A Cyber Security Analyst Do Common Roles And Responsibilities
The answer to What does a cyber security analyst do? is a little complicated.
While most cyber security jobs require a similar suite of skills, you may find that the exact roles and responsibilities for a cyber security analyst vary across organizations. In general, a cyber security analysts primary directive is to keep proprietary, sensitive, and personal information safe, be it for a government agency, nonprofit, or corporation.
A cyber security analyst spends their time examining data and reports to identify potential risks to a companys infrastructure and eliminate vulnerabilities. Analysts work closely with other IT staff to monitor networks and systems for attacks, update software and security measures, and test systems for weak points. Cyber security professionals also serve as advisors to a company, even running training programs to educate staff on how to conform to company security standards.
What Are People In The Cyber Security Industry Called
Cyber security professionals go by many names, but the job titles or descriptions will normally have information security,cyber security, or related terms in them, said Backherms. Examples include:
- Cyber security specialists
- Information security, cyber security or vulnerability analysts
- Penetration testers
- Security or cyber security administrators, engineers, principles and technicians
Youll often also see the words entry,associate or senior accompanying these titles, Backherms said. Once you get to the executive level, cyber roles tend to be categorized by manager, director or officer title types.
Meanwhile, on the government side, cyber security roles might be designated as level I,level II or level III based on the minimum level of knowledge, experience or certification required, according to Royster.
In other words, youll find cyber security career opportunities at all levels from the day-to-day operations and management, up through the senior executive level and even on the board.
Keep in mind, though, that these job titles change, said Royster. I was looking at a job posting the other day for a CISO, but it was for a chief innovation security officer.
You May Like: Business Management & Administration Career Cluster
Cyber Security Career And Average Cyber Security Salary
Now that you have learned about the growth in the number of cyber security jobs and the opportunities the field of cyber security holds, lets take a look at the different job roles available in this field.
There are several cyber security jobs available the nature of these jobs varies mostly. These jobs can be categorized based on the following parameters:
- Your educational qualification
- Professional work experience
- Your area of interest. For example, some candidates are into coding and some others prefer managerial posts
- The cybersecurity certifications you hold
Lets now take a close look at the typical cyber security career path and average cybersecurity salary of a few of the top-paying job roles from the long list of cyber security jobs.
Cybersecurity Bootcamp
Job Requirements For 2022
Now that you know everything about getting started in cybersecurity, how progression works, and the salary you can expect as you progress, the next questions are, how to get to your desired role? and what will you be doing once you get there?.
There are several progression paths in this field, and there is no fixed way to reach your desired role. Generally speaking, being consistently good at your job and staying up to date in terms of knowledge, qualifications, and certifications should be sufficient to get you to almost any position within the cybersecurity domain. However, four of the most high-profile positionsethical hacker, security architect, chief information security officer , and cybersecurity consultantare more difficult to be picked for, especially in the case of larger companies.
Lets look at the job description and requirements for these popular cybersecurity roles in 2022.
You May Like: Career Path Of Business Analyst
Career Path In Cybersecurity: How To Enter Key Skills Salary And Job Description
As more businesses move online, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is now higher than ever before.
Today, any business that wants to thrive in the market needs an online presence. While being connected to the internet brings companies closer to their clients, it also exposes their systems to malevolent actors. As a result, the demand for cybersecurity professionals has become higher than ever before. This article gives an overview of everything you need to know about making a mark in the cybersecurity domain.
Financial And Risk Analysis
Cybercrime threatens any companys financial stability and health, which is why its important to employ skilled professionals who have the business acumen to help mitigate risk and protect a companys financial interests. Accounting, financial analysis, budgeting, risk management, financial reporting and project management are among the skills typically needed for these types of positions.
Recommended Reading: Why Are You Currently Exploring Career Opportunities
How Can Simplilearn Help You
With passion, the right amount of experience, and relevant certifications, you can grow your cybersecurity career. You can check out Simplilearn’s Cyber Security Expert Master’s Program to equip you with the necessary skills to become an expert in this rapidly growing domain. This course will help you learn various methods to protect your infrastructure, secure your data, run risk analysis, achieve compliance, etc.
It doesn’t have any academic pre-requirements, and the introductory module will prepare beginners for the course ahead. Training for highly sought-after certifications like CompTIA Security+, CEH, CISM, and CISSP is at the forefront of this course, preparing you for the industry’s best jobs.
Build your network security skill-set and beat hackers at their own game with the Certified Ethical Hacking Course. Check out the course preview now!
Is Cybersecurity A Good Career
Yes, cybersecurity is a good career. This career path offers good pay, interesting work and is in high demand.
Cybersecurity is a relatively new field compared to other technology careers. This means that it is a more accessible career for a person to pursue. This is because there are a variety of paths a person can take to become a cyber security analyst.
Don’t Miss: Online Masters In Career Counseling
How To Become A Cyber Security Analyst
If you’re interested in becoming a cyber security analyst, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We’ve determined that 61.1% of cyber security analysts have a bachelor’s degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 15.4% of cyber security analysts have master’s degrees. Even though most cyber security analysts have a college degree, it’s possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
How Cybersecurity Testers Fit Into The Organization
When they are outsourced, cybersecurity testers are often part of the consulting services team. This means they are also the most customer- and revenue-focused of traditional security roles. This is a double-edged sword. On the upside, since they are revenue-driven, it is easier to justify their work and receive the necessary resources. The downside is that the healthy competition between engineers and testers can fester into an adversarial relationship. Not only are they outside of the organization, and therefore not part of the team, but their findings can be seen in a revenue-seeking glow and thus distrusted.
When cybersecurity testers are full-time within an organization, they are can be attached to IT like cybersecurity engineers. Although, sometimes due to that healthy competition or even segregation of duties, such as for internal auditors, they can be part of a different department, such as legal or compliance. Application security testers are sometimes linked to quality assurance departments, which puts them under an organizations development arm.
You May Like: Career In Nutrition And Dietetics
Cyber Security Career Path : Security Architect
Security architects, also known as cyber security architects, are senior-level professionals tasked with designing and implementing an organizations computer and network security infrastructure. This role typically requires specialized cyber security work experience and can be a stepping stone for high-performing security analysts or system administrators.
Security architects are typically responsible for supervising a broader security team, including security analysts, security engineers, and more. Often, security architects are in charge of interfacing with executive-level management to ensure that the organization can defend against external attacks.
Security architects can plan, research, and design security solutions prepare budgets and cost estimates for cyber security initiatives and provide technical supervision to an organizations security team. Its vital for security architects to stay up to date with the latest best practices and trends in the security industry, so many architects complete ongoing training or certifications to keep their skills sharp.
Examples Of Cybersecurity Career Paths
There are countless career paths within cybersecurity. Because its a fairly new and constantly evolving industry, you may see different categories and titles depending on the company or resource you read. However, its common to categorize paths in three areas:
1. Management
3. Senior leadership
Management: Security governance and oversight roles
The security management and governance domain is all about the oversight and management of cybersecurity within the organization. Though its important to understand as much as you can about technology and the technical nuances behind cyber risk, this area tends to be less technical than others. Instead of configuring systems or getting deep into operational support, a career path in this space entails using business savviness, organizational management, and soft skills to programmatically manage security. Example opportunities include, but are not limited to:
Technical: Security engineering and operations roles
This path area covers the more technical roles in cybersecurity. Here youll likely be digging into systems, data, tools, and networks a lot more. The aim is to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats. Example opportunities include, but are not limited to:
Senior leadership: Focusing on the people
Like any industry, company culture and leadership plays a critical role in the success of the business. Example opportunities in this space include, but are not limited to:
Read Also: Strange Career Of Jim Crow Sparknotes
Cyber Security Career Path : Security Engineer
Cyber security engineers identify threats and vulnerabilities in computer systems and develop defenses against those threats. Sometimes, cyber security engineers work with other cyber security team members to identify and patch vulnerabilities. For example, a cyber security analyst might uncover an issue in a companys firewall a system that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic to flag and prevent threats. Actually developing and applying a fix for the issue would be the responsibility of a security engineer.
Patching vulnerabilities requires a broad understanding of the computer and network systems at play. Fixes must be deployed in a way that removes the vulnerability without breaking other functionality.
Often, cyber security engineers have a deep understanding of cyber security and computer skills, including software development, cyber security, network administration, and information technology administration. Security engineer positions typically require some previous experience in either cyber security or software engineering, though cyber security experience is preferred.
