In the wake of widespread cyber attacks, and the world turning virtual, cybersecurity experts are in high demand as private, public, and government sectors scramble to secure their systems.
COVID-19 accelerated the current digital transformation, and the year 2020 witnessed several data breaches. By the year 2030, the number of cybersecurity jobs is expected to increase by 33 percent, and the pandemic has only accelerated this demand.
Pursuing a career and learning cybersecurity means joining a booming industry where available jobs outnumber qualified candidates. Due to the high demand and the many perks that are being offered to professionals with the right combination of training and experience, there has never been a better time to start a career in cybersecurity. Since technology has currently become more intertwined with our daily life, the need for skilled professionals has increased.
Growing Demand for Cybersecurity Specialists: Why Choose Cybersecurity?
While the career is enticing on the surface, the technical proficiency and experience required have proved a formidable barrier to those looking to enter.
Cybersecurity is a sector with job titles consistently ranked high on the lists of the best careers with average salaries hovering at an all-time high, meaning the reward is well worth the effort to build your foundation. From low unemployment to financial profits, here are some reasons why it is a great idea to choose cyber security as a career:
High employment rates:
The foundation for any career in cyber security is strong IT networking fundamentals, experience working within IT & Networking, coupled with more focused security qualifications.
Throughout different industries, there is still a high demand for cybersecurity positions as everyone is trying to battle the continuous rise of data breaches. All you need to know is ‘how to learn hacking’, and prepare for this career, which will provide you with a skill set that will enable you to find work easily and consistently.
Various career opportunities:
There are versatile career paths, and you can choose according to whatever aligns with your interests. For instance, you can think of the path of a cyber security architect as you enjoy problem-solving and strategic thinking, or becoming a chief information security officer would be ideal for you if you desire to lead others and help with a secure system.
There are many job titles to choose from depending on your experience and interests, that is security analyst, consultant, security software developer, and much more. As each role contributes to cyber security through unique career paths, the basic training remains the same.
Job satisfaction:
As we know by now, cybersecurity professionals today are invaluable assets to any business. So when it comes to financial profits and compensation, their salaries are higher than most professionals.
Apart from financial profits, cyber security job positions also offer job satisfaction as they are at the level in their career they expected to be considering their experience and skills.
Note that: Whatever path you choose, education and training are the keys. One of the many reasons for unfilled jobs is that employers continue to have trouble finding talented professionals with the education and next-level skills and certifications they need. Whether you are a current or aspiring cybersecurity professional, training will take your skill to the next level without the time, expense, and unreality of conventional training.
How to start your career in Cybersecurity?
When you search the internet for this question you will find that there is not one single path you must follow to have a successful career in cybersecurity. Plus, the number of unfilled positions is staggering and is only projected to grow as cyber criminals become more sophisticated in their attacks and business operations suffer as companies struggle to find experts with the skills and knowledge needed to mitigate such attacks.
Some people start preparing early and pursue undergraduate cyber security degrees, while others transition from other IT roles. So, what’s the correct way to get into cybersecurity learning? In such a desperate landscape where so many jobs remain unfilled due to lack of training and knowledge, those with certifications have a great advantage.
Not only are job options vast for information security certification holders, salaries are also high because of the lack of supply and urgent demand.
Before you start, ask yourself these questions below:
- Do you have the important certifications, including the certified ethical hacker and offensive security certified professional in the field?
- How do you start with cybersecurity learning?
- What basic skills do you need for a career in computer security?
- How will you get experience in this field?
- What are the career advancement opportunities?
Here are the essential steps an average cybersecurity job aspirant follows:
Get a degree:
When pursuing a job in cybersecurity the most common path people take is getting a degree. Usually, people enroll in an undergraduate program for cyber security. However, this is not necessary for entry-level security jobs as they don’t require a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.
On the other hand, when chasing a higher position, most advanced jobs require a master’s degree or at least a bachelor’s in some cases.
Enroll in online courses:
To become a cybersecurity expert, you should get an understanding of the basics in a fun way with real-world challenges. With online platforms, you won’t have to limit yourself to single target boxes others offer.
Simply find the best training tool online, get a grip of the cybersecurity landscape, and get an overview of what you find interesting. Once you get hands-on skills and get certifications, you can hop onto matching the job openings.
Simply put, if you are not interested in pursuing formal education in cybersecurity, an excellent solution is to enroll in an online course. Such programs are designed by the hackers for the hackers, including first-time students and those changing their major or career.
All in all, online courses with real-world stimulation are a great alternative. They are more affordable than most options while still equipping you with the basic skills required for the job. Plus, the cybersecurity certification you get can be of big help in your professional journey.