Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as more businesses collect, share, and use more and more data as part of their practices. The news headlines have been dominated by security incidents affecting the personal data of millions of people around the world. The importance of cybersecurity is underscored by the cost of a breach, with IBM estimating the average cost of a data breach in the United States being $8.19 million.
Zero unemployment is not a dream!
The cybersecurity industry has a zero percent unemployment, which make it an attractive statistic. It certainly is a great reason for everyone, either IT professionals or students graduating from Universities, to choose cybersecurity as a career. But this is not the only factor to consider. There are more compelling reasons to pursue a career in cybersecurity.
You do not need to be a cybersecurity expert to understand that this is a booming industry. Security has become critical to the fabric of any modern business. As breach after breach hits the headlines, it is clear to everyone that organizations need more professionals focused on cybersecurity.
While all other technology sectors are driven by reducing inefficiencies and increasing productivity, cybersecurity is driven by cybercrime. The growing cybercriminal activity is generating more and more spending on security. Worldwide spending on information security is on the rise each year, with products and services exceeding $114 billion in 2018, while it is forecasted to grow to $170.4 billion in 2022.
On the other hand, the job opportunities in the cybersecurity sector seem unlimited. Organizations from technology and manufacturing to retailers, airlines, and shipping, to financial services and healthcare, government and federal sectors are all seeking skilled security staff. Every role within IT has a cybersecurity aspect. Focusing on security as your primary role opens up a world of options. From security operations to risk assessments to application security to investigations to compliance to educator, there as many roles within cybersecurity as lines of code running in your browser.
And do not let those security incidents headlines disappoint you. For every data breach that makes it to the news headlines, there are hundreds of millions of successful transactions made online. We are making progress as a profession.
Unlimited career growth for everyone!
With an ever-expanding scope, cybersecurity presents the ultimate growth potential, both in your career path and for learning opportunities.
The abundance and versatility of job opportunities mean that you don’t need to have technology or security experience to join the industry. If your mindset is to have a career in cybersecurity, you can start at the bottom, learn, get qualified and climb the steps up in the hierarchy. All you need is to be interested and set goals; this is an opportunity to fill your career for the next 40 years.
Although many believe that security is a siloed discipline, the truth is quite the opposite. Cybersecurity is interdisciplinary and relates to all IT skill sets. A good cybersecurity professional works to understand as much as possible about how technologies and organizations work. A great cybersecurity professional realizes that the learning never stops.
That is a massive opportunity to stay engaged and challenged. Considering all the technological advances, their application in all aspects of life and their inherent security and privacy challenges, the professional wishing to enter the cybersecurity sector is presented with endless options; they may choose to become generalists or specialists, work in a specific industry or be employed as consultants. The choice is yours.
Whether you are looking to work your way towards a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) role or to work with brand new technologies, the only thing that will restrict your growth is your desire.
Cybersecurity is not boring!
All of the opportunities for growth are tied to the variety of technologies and situations security professionals have to deal with. If it uses ones and zeros, it has a cybersecurity component (and some roles even extend to physical security!).
Security professionals get the chance to work directly with teams on technologies and systems they never dreamed of. From robots to cars to websites serving millions and millions of users, the variety is near infinite. Just consider the variety of technologies used by companies to support their digital transformation initiatives to increase productivity and enhance collaboration while minimizing costs.
- With more than 75 million connected devices projected by 2025, the proliferation of IoT has changed the way we interact with the physical world and we deliver critical services, such as healthcare or weather forecasting.
- AI-driven autonomous, self-learning solutions are already being used by organizations to take advantage of the big data generated by sensors or by customers.
- Cloud-based services offer a scalable and reliable IT infrastructure that is designed to streamline business performance and support development and growth
That is an exciting career prospect. Bored is not a word you will be using often.
This variety has an interesting offshoot: Because of the broad skill set required to properly understand modern security challenges, cybersecurity professionals come from a diverse set of backgrounds. In fact, the more variety you have in your background, the better a security professional you can be!
Do you like solving puzzles?
Cybersecurity professionals deal with numerous problems daily. If you add together the growth of technology and its variety, you will have a glimpse of the different types of puzzles that cybersecurity professionals can deal with.
Although cybersecurity relies on some well-tried principles and best practices, the tactics can change day-to-day. And there's always a new puzzle that needs to be solved.
With each new wave of technology, new challenges and risks are created. These emerging technologies have created new complexities, interconnections, and vulnerabilities which cyber criminals have quickly learned to exploit. Cyber criminals are leveraging these technologies to launch their malicious actions, which are more sophisticated than ever and harder to detect.
When businesses fail to mitigate and manage these risks, they evolve into security incidents which impact and disrupt businesses severely. It is no wonder that the World Economic Forum, in their annual Global Risks report, have ranked cyber related risks as one of the top ten business risks, second only to environmental ones.
It is the job of security professionals to identify, understand, and then help address these risks. That changes significantly when you are considering how to defend a website running in the cloud compared to defending a pacemaker in an elderly patient. Each situation is a unique puzzle and a new opportunity to rise to the challenge.
You can make an impact!
Although the cyberspace seems abstract, cybersecurity can have real life implications. The use case of defending a pacemaker in an elderly patient can have deadly effects if not mitigated effectively. The same devastating effects can happen to critical national infrastructure, such as the electric or the water grid. Data breaches can impact the lives of millions of people and might even lead to the bankruptcy of businesses.
Cybersecurity matters. It has impacts that extend beyond the digital world and into the physical one. That is a terrifying and exciting prospect and one that highlights its importance.
If you want to work on IT issues that have real-world impact, cybersecurity might be the discipline for you.
But be careful. The life of cybersecurity professional is not like the one shown by Hollywood. The vast majority of roles in cybersecurity don't require you to jet around the world dodging bullets or getting scan results in milliseconds. CSI: Cyber is an excellent TV series but it is not the reality.
That does not mean that these roles aren't rewarding. They are. They just might not be so glamorous.
Start learning! Get certified!
Whether you are a university graduate developing your career and want to specialize in cybersecurity or kickstarting a second career (such as a retired veteran), being able to demonstrate your knowledge and skills can make you stand out from the competition. Hiring managers want to see a token of proof of your practical experience. Therefore, having a security certification can be one of the most essential qualifications when applying for a vacant cybersecurity position.
(ISC)² is the leader in security certifications and is acknowledged by companies worldwide. (ISC)² can help you discover the right path, create your plan, and thrive throughout your career. And the best way to start building your career in cybersecurity is by earning the (ISC)² Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) certification.
SSCP certification covers everything you need to know about security controls, therefore is ideal for IT administrators, managers, directors and network security professionals responsible for the hands-on operational security of their organization’s critical assets. The certification shows you have the technical skills and knowledge to implement, monitor and administer IT infrastructure using security best practices, policies, and procedures.
Earning SSCP certification helps you build your self-confidence and showcase a solid cybersecurity foundation, strong and versatile skillset, which will become a valuable asset to anyone seeking to make an impact and advance a career in the cybersecurity sector.
Download our white paper, How You Can Become a Cybersecurity Hero, to learn more.