The areas of knowledge covered by the cyber security field are so vast. There are many roles and positions with different duties.
How to get into cybersecurity? What skills and knowledge do you need to prepare for this domain? What career paths can you consider?
All the answers you are looking for are available in this post. Keep reading to see!
How To Get Into Cyber Security?
You must build a solid educational background to advance in this career path. It will help you prepare the essential skills for different roles in cyber security. This extensive guide will bring you more insights.
1. Do You Need A Degree?
Obtaining a bachelor’s degree is recommended, but not required, if you want to pursue this profession. Most of the positions in this field require this certificate. It will help verify your capacity and knowledge to the recruiters.
Therefore, the first step is to find a college course in cyber security. You should choose institutions that are reputable for this type of training.
Then, you need to move on to research the courses’ curriculums. Ensure that they provide both practical skills and basic knowledge. Pay attention to the core domains like networking and IT analysis.
Most courses will take up to four years to complete. Suppose you are already working and don’t have time for this curriculum. Then, you can consider a boot camp or online training course.
These courses will narrow the training time to only a few months. Many courses also grant a cyber security degree after you finish them.
2. Learn The Basics
Most roles in this field revolve around networks and digital assets. In the courses, you will learn about these subjects in detail. You also study methods to analyze the risks and protect the systems.
These details and knowledge are extremely important in your future job. Thus, work hard to master the basics first before you move to more advanced domains.
In addition, you will have to use many IT tools and programs to perform security tasks. Thus, a firm background in computer science is very beneficial. Besides, consider mastering a coding language even if it’s not covered by your course.
3. Gain Practical Experience
It’s impossible to advance to higher roles without experience. Typically, you will have to work at a starting position to gain more work experience. It will take a lot of time before the company assigns you larger projects.
You should devote your school years or training time to developing your experience. You also consider joining an internship near the end of your course. It will help you familiarize yourself with the work environment and basic tasks.
If the internship is not available, consider taking solo cybersecurity projects. They will help hone your skills and give you more motivation. Also, they will serve as excellent additions to make your portfolio more impressive.
4. Obtain Certifications
The bachelor’s degree only helps you build the fundamentals of cyber security. You will need to acquire extra certificates to expand your skills. They also make your profile more impressive and increase your job prospects.
Some popular examples are CISA and CISM. They are designed for experienced individuals who want to expand their knowledge.
5. What Areas Do You Want To Specialize In?
The domains of cyber security are very vast and diverse. They range from networking to security analysis. Without deep expertise, you won’t be able to compete with the other candidates in the future job market.
So, you should determine your career path early. Choose a specific area that interests you the most. It also must suit your working style, goals, and skill sets.
6. Build A Professional Network
You can join an online community that gathers experts in the industry. It gives you a chance to learn from other competent individuals. Plus, you can make more friends and expand your professional network.
7. Keep Improving Your Skills
There are new threats and hacking methods developed every day. The tools and knowledge you learn today might become obsolete soon. Therefore, you must constantly update your knowledge and skills.
Consider following the industry’s publications and tech journals. Also, follow the blogs of popular experts in the field to catch up with the latest trends.
What Does a Cybersecurity Analyst Do?
These experts specialize in systems and networks. They will utilize their knowledge to protect these subjects from attacks.
This job also requires a deep understanding of the company’s system. The experts have to monitor and protect the company’s information at all times.
Also, they will evaluate the system’s capacity via detailed reports. The companies will later use these documents to improve their systems.
Job Outlook
The number of experts in this field is far from meeting the real demands. According to Fortune, this industry had around 3,5 million experts in 2021.
Due to this lack of human resources, companies are willing to offer competitive wages to attract new talents.
So, this industry brings a very promising job outlook with opportunities. With high competency, you can easily seek a rewarding and successful career path.
Salaries
Our report shows that experts in this domain earn an average salary of $110,823 per year. The high-level roles’ salary can go up to $299,500.
Plus, you should note that the incomes vary based on positions and skill levels. The number will increase when you reach the higher roles. Some examples are the senior security consultant or engineer.
Final Thoughts
Cyber security brings competitive wages and many opportunities for growth. Despite the high demand, this field demands technical ability and experience.
Therefore, you must start early by pursuing suitable certificates. Work hard to train your skills and expand your experience.
With high effort, you will finally achieve your target and thrive in this field. Thank you for reading!