{"id":1255,"date":"2020-10-29T13:22:30","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T13:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/?p=1255"},"modified":"2024-05-06T09:21:37","modified_gmt":"2024-05-06T08:21:37","slug":"cybersecurity-careers-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/?p=1255","title":{"rendered":"Cybersecurity Careers Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to cybersecurity,\u00a0one thing is certain:\u00a0things only get more complex over time.\u00a0Therefore, spurred by the global health crisis and\u00a0the business world\u2019s\u00a0increasing reliance\u00a0on IT systems,\u00a0cybercrime is on the rise.\u00a0At the same time, the\u00a0industry\u00a0is facing\u00a0a rapidly widening talent gap that makes\u00a0securing company networks\u00a0and infrastructure\u00a0doubly difficult.\u00a0Moreover, the leading cybersecurity professional organization\u00a0<a class=\"has-text-color\" href=\"https:\/\/www.isc2.org\/Insights\/2023\/10\/ISC2-Reveals-Workforce-Growth-But-Record-Breaking-Gap-4-Million-Cybersecurity-Professionals\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>(ISC)\u00b2 <\/strong><\/a>estimates\u00a0that\u00a0the global cybersecurity workforce\u00a0needs to grow by 145%\u00a0to meet the demand\u00a0for skilled\u00a0cybersec\u00a0talent.\u00a0Message received about cybersecurity careers: it\u2019s\u00a0the perfect time to be a cybersecurity professional<\/p>\n<p>But it&#8217;s not always easy to\u00a0identify\u00a0the right career path in this\u00a0ever-changing and all-encompassing area of IT. Here are\u00a0a\u00a0few guidelines to help you\u00a0navigate the field.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2><strong>T<\/strong><strong>h<\/strong><strong>ree levels<\/strong><strong>\u00a0of roles<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>All cybersecurity job titles fall within three levels or categories: entry-level, mid-level and advanced.\u00a0Examples of\u00a0jobs at the various jobs available depending on the level of experience include:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Entry-level: <\/strong>System Engineer, System Administrator, Network Engineer, Security Specialist <\/li>\n<li><strong>Mid-level: <\/strong>Security Technician, Security Analyst, Incident Responder, IT Auditor, Cybersecurity Consultant, Penetration Tester  <\/li>\n<li><strong>Advanced:<\/strong> Cybersecurity Manager, Cybersecurity Architect, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Cybersecurity careers : How to get a job <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Although the previous\u00a0distinction seems obvious at first glance\u2014most careers have the same three levels\u2014it is\u00a0important to note that these don\u2019t necessarily imply a linear progression, especially when looking to access mid-level cybersecurity roles.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That is due to the fact that a large proportion of security experts started out as experienced IT professionals with deep technical expertise, only moving into cybersecurity after mastering the ins and outs of networking, cloud and other core areas related to the security practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While accessing the cybersecurity industry through an entry-level role is possible and\u00a0quite\u00a0common\u2014companies like to hire recent\u00a0tech\u00a0graduates who can quickly learn\u00a0the basics\u00a0and adapt to their\u00a0particular workplace\u00a0culture\u2014most\u00a0cybersec\u00a0professionals are\u00a0more on the senior side.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>According to\u00a0(ISC)\u00b2, the average\u00a0cybersec\u00a0pro\u00a0has worked for 9 years in IT roles,\u00a0having spent 5 of those working on cybersecurity-related projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Top skills for\u00a0<\/strong><strong>cybersec<\/strong><strong>\u00a0pros<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>Since cybersecurity has many specialisation fields,\u00a0there is not a unique set of skills\u00a0that\u00a0applies to all positions.\u00a0Those interested in more technical tracks will have to gain full proficiency of the protocols, environments, devices and applications\u00a0that are important for\u00a0their specific\u00a0niche.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some of these\u00a0technologies\u00a0include:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Operating\u00a0systems &amp;\u00a0databases (Windows, Unix, Linux, SQL&#8230;)\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Programming\u00a0(C, Python, shell, assembly languages&#8230;)\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Networking (configuration, TCP\/IP, Proxy servers, firewall protection, VPNs&#8230;)\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once that is\u00a0covered, security pros tend to go onto focus on a particular field or family of technologies, including:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cisco\u00a0and Microsoft\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Cloud computing\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Wireless\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Database\u00a0modelling\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Cryptography\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition, managerial\u00a0roles\u00a0will require the ability to plan and conduct\u00a0training,\u00a0write\u00a0technical\u00a0specifications,\u00a0evaluate\u00a0risk\u00a0and the compliance with legal regulations.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"has-text-color\" href=\"https:\/\/mindquest.io\/en\/blog\/news\/345\/the-5-most-sought-after-soft-skills-in-it-consulting\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Soft-skills are also critical<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0for a successful career in cybersecurity. Team building and collaboration, a curious mind with a passion for solving puzzles, the business\u00a0acumen\u00a0to navigate corporate environments.\u00a0All of these\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Cybersecurity careers: certify yourself<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>Finally, and as it is often the case with technical careers, certifications are\u00a0absolutely vital.\u00a0There are several world-renowned organisations\u00a0and companies\u00a0offering certifications based on the area of focus:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>CompTIA\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>EC Council\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>(ISC)\u00b2\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>ISACA\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Cisco Systems\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Microsoft\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Besides validating your expertise within the industry and justifying, for instance, a career change into cybersecurity, certifications will often allow you to earn more money.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>According to\u00a0(ISC)\u00b2 estimates, the average salary for cybersecurity experts holding\u00a0a\u00a0security certification\u00a0is\u00a0\u20ac60,000, way more than that of those who don\u2019t\u00a0\u2014about\u00a0\u20ac7,000 on average.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/visit.mindquest.io\/subscription-newsletter\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"367\" alt=\"Connect with Mindquest Newsletter\" class=\"wp-image-6908\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.club-freelance.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test_MQ-New-Blog-CTA-Banner-2-43-1024x367.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test_MQ-New-Blog-CTA-Banner-2-43-1024x367.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test_MQ-New-Blog-CTA-Banner-2-43-300x108.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test_MQ-New-Blog-CTA-Banner-2-43-768x276.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test_MQ-New-Blog-CTA-Banner-2-43-1536x551.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test_MQ-New-Blog-CTA-Banner-2-43-1200x431.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test_MQ-New-Blog-CTA-Banner-2-43.jpg 1700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to cybersecurity, one thing is certain: things only get more complex over time. Spurred by the global health crisis and the business world\u2019s increasing reliance on IT systems, cybercrime is on the rise.   <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[776,755],"tags":[382,344,47,568,58,359,381],"class_list":["post-1255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cybersecurity","category-tech-magazine","tag-career-guidance","tag-cybersec","tag-cybersecurity","tag-cybersecurity-careers","tag-it-careers","tag-technology-careers","tag-tips-and-tricks"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1255"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1255\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9603,"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1255\/revisions\/9603"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-uk.mindquest.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}