What Does It Take to Be a Cybersecurity Professional?

When my nephew was having dinner at a July 4th barbecue last weekend, he described why he had so many career opportunities as a pilot:

• There is a shortage of pilots and many existing pilots will soon be retiring.
• Other current pilots need retraining because they have been lagging behind in various ways during the pandemic.
• New people want to get into the field, but there are many tough requirements that cannot be faked, such as flying lessons or unique experiences with certain aircraft.
• There are many vacancies and everyone is hiring.

My answer? Sounds a lot like our current job field, cybersecurity. Cyber ​​professionals see almost exactly the same things.

And yes, there are many, maybe thousands, of articles on the same subject that say different things. All of them focus on the shortage of cyber professionals and the talent issues we are currently facing. But how difficult is it to embark on a cyber career in the long term? How can someone embark on a fulfilling career that extends well beyond their current role?

One reason I like comparing pilot training is that it takes time and dedication to become an excellent cyber professional. If there are “quick wins” (with minimal preparation or training) in cybersecurity careers, they are unlikely to last very long – just as flying large aircraft takes years of experience.

When I got home that night, I saw this article from TechRepublic that said, “You don’t have to be a tech professional to be a cybersecurity professional.” Here is an excerpt:

“Ning Wang: I think we are in pretty bad shape. Whichever source you look at, there are far more cybersecurity jobs out there than there are qualified people available to do. And before Offensive Security I worked for other security companies and I know from my own experience that it is really difficult to hire such people. …

“You may think that you have to have this much technology background to be safe. And again, I know firsthand that that’s not the case. What does it take to be a great cybersecurity professional? And I think from my observation and working with people and interacting with people, they need a creative mind, a curious mind, you have to be curious about things. …

“And even when you have all of that, there are no shortcuts. If you look at all the great people in cybersecurity, like everything else, the 10,000 hour rule applies here. “

My answer?

I surely agree that no advanced degrees and formal certifications are required (although they help). Still, the 10,000 hour rule and determination is a must to hold up in the long run. This is what I wrote for CSO Magazine a decade ago on the subject of “Are You a Security Professional?”:

“Many experts and organizations define a security professional based on whether or not they have a CISSP, CISM, Masters degree in Information Assurance, or other qualifications. Or are you in an organization or business unit with “Security” in your title? While these properties are certainly helpful, my definition is much broader.

“Why? I’ve seen people come and go in security. For example: Adam Shostack started his career as a UNIX system administrator. Likewise, you probably know people who started and left security, or who have another job title, but read blogs like this because their job involves less than 50% information security (i.e. they wear multiple hats), others will go against theirs Willing to be assigned to a security role or, despite their love of the field, leave a security office (when an attractive opportunity arises. Some come back, others never will. “

WHY BECOME A CYBER PRO?

This CompTIA article describes some of the top jobs in cybersecurity with average salaries:

1. Cybersecurity Analyst $ 95,000
2. Cybersecurity Advisor $ 91,000
3. Cyber ​​Security Manager / Administrator $ 105,000
4. Software Developer / Engineer $ 110,140 *
5. Systems engineer $ 90,920
6. Network Engineer / Architect $ 83,510 *
7. Vulnerability Analyst / Penetration Tester $ 103,000
8. Cyber ​​security specialist / technician $ 92,000
9. Incident Analyst / Responder $ 89,000

* Salaries marked with an asterisk

came from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The article also goes through many of the steps related to education, certifications, and skills.

Of course, there are many other good reasons to pursue a cyber career beyond pay and benefits, including the support of society, the fascinating changes that grow with the use of new technologies, an enormous need, the ability to (often) work remotely , and the potential for a variety of relationships and, if desired, worldwide travel.

Becoming a CISO (or CSO) is another important role, with CISO salaries being all over the card but averaging $ 173,740, according to Glassdoor.

MORE USEFUL ARTICLES TO BECOME THE CYBER PRO

Yes, I have written many times on this topic of cybersecurity careers for the past decade. Here are some of those articles:

FINAL THOUGHTS

Many people are now considering a career change now that the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us. Cyber ​​security is one of the hottest fields that has been around for decades. At the same time, Bloomberg reports that US job vacancies are at record levels.

Business Insider also offers a template to revise your resume and get a remote job anywhere in the world.

While the roadblocks seem daunting, a career in cybersecurity may be exactly the long-term change you’re looking for.

source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/what-does-it-take-to-be-a-cybersecurity-professional/