7 Tips To Start Your Cybersecurity Career

Currently, data protection is vital in every sector which demands the work of cybersecurity experts. With the rapid growth in digitization, companies can rely on these professionals for various benefits, which helps boost their growth. However, these companies and organizations risk unauthorized access and misuse of their data.

Cybersecurity threats are risky for a company because when sensitive information lands in the wrong hands, it can lead to company losses and compromise national security. Knowing the best tips to join and start your cybersecurity career is essential as they can increase your chances of being in your dream job.

Start Your Cybersecurity Career

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that the number of cybersecurity jobs will increase by 33% between 2020 and 2030.

Therefore, if you’re pursuing a career in cybersecurity, you’re joining a growing and appealing industry where available jobs outnumber qualified workers.

As this field grows in importance, more specialized jobs arise. However, people still wonder how to start a career in cybersecurity.

Here are the 7 tips to start your cybersecurity career today:

#1 Research Different Roles

Cybersecurity offers many roles, each with its own set of responsibilities and required skills. Some of the most common roles include:

● Security analyst: Monitors systems, detects suspicious activities, and responds to incidents, maintaining the integrity of digital assets.
● Ethical hacker (penetration tester): Evaluate systems by attempting to exploit vulnerabilities to identify weaknesses before malicious hackers can do so.
● Incident responder: Investigate and mitigate security breaches or cyber-attacks.
● Security engineer: Engineers design and implement security measures, ranging from firewalls to encryption protocols, ensuring that systems are built with security in mind.
● Security consultant: Advise organizations on best practices, risk assessment, and compliance.

Knowing these roles lets you pinpoint your interests and strengths to make a more informed decision about your career path.

#2 Identify Your Interest

Whether you’re inclined towards ethical hacking, security analysis, engineering, or consultation, your journey in cyber security begins with a clear sense of direction. Enhancing your networking and network security skills is vital if you have used them for years. However, if you have a more diverse background, you can acquaint yourself with what happens inside computers: the operating systems they use and how they communicate.

#3 Take a Security Course

Employers may need you to provide educational qualifications to prove that you are a cyber security specialist. Invest your time and resources in a course in which you will acquire certifications. If you are a beginner who wants flexibility, you can enroll in an online program and get a Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security. Thankfully, this program is available at a cost you can offer.

Acquiring a cybersecurity certification such as the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), CompTIA Security+, or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) also showcases your expertise and assures potential employers of your capacity to safeguard their entities against cyber threats.

Learn: What Are The Best CyberSecurity Certifications and How Would They Help You?

#4 Focus On Self-Education

Apart from obtaining certifications, it is also crucial to work on your self-education. Lacking credentials should not deter you from running personal projects or pursuing further learning. Check various online videos and forums that deal with the profession and get more knowledge from established experts worldwide to add to the skills you got from other courses. Engaging in self-education makes it easier to assess your current abilities, connect with experts worldwide, and enhance your resume.

#5 Stay Up to Date with Current Trends

Technology changes and innovations happen daily as new tools and software crop up to simplify tasks and make others outdated. Regularly read cybersecurity blogs, follow industry news, and participate in online forums to stay current. Your prospective employers might learn that you have value to add to their companies, increasing your chances of employment. Employers view valuable employees as assets and will not hesitate to place them at the forefront of important projects.

#6 Enroll for an Internship

Most people gain industry experience by enrolling in an internship. It lets you learn corporate standards and needs in a typical cybersecurity setting. Nevertheless, an internship helps you to commit the common beginner mistakes and learn from them, thus allowing you to avoid the same mistakes when you get your first official job.

Learn: How to get into cybersecurity with no experience.

#7 Develop Hard and Soft Skills for Cybersecurity

Possessing certain soft and hard skills is vital for potential employers apart from fulfilling the educational requirements. However, the demands for the skills vary for different employers. While you may have some of these skills as natural traits, you must enhance them and others through formal education and training. Some of the skills can include:

● Problem-solving
● Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced setting
● Attention to detail
● Network security control
● Leadership

Regular practice is the perfect way of enhancing the skills needed to work in cybersecurity. A cybersecurity specialist who wants to show companies how they can add value to them should know the best ways to help companies protect their data.

Conclusion

No matter the background or experience, you can join the field of cyber security if you endeavor to learn the right things. Before beginning a career in this exciting field, you should note that employers are not only looking for educational qualifications but also soft, hard skills and hands-on experience. Carefully work on your resume and portfolio to ensure it reflects the combination of these three aspects.

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-Charbel Nemnom-