If you are looking for some of the highest paying jobs and a better future with job security then you ought to be in the cybersecurity, searching for your future in there. As cybercrime continues to increase and wreak havoc globally, the need for professionals that can ascertain the picture of security and yet fight the malice that is data and security breaches happening on the internet. As cyber-attacks continue to increase in tenacity and become more and more complicated to tackle the need for cyber-professionals continues to increase at a steady pace.
But as it happens there is a serious shortage or scarcity of the talent in the IT market and anyone with the best-managed skills and aptitude for scaling up is always welcome to join various roles that still need to be fulfilled. Following is a list of the best cybersecurity jobs that you can get your hands on, not only the pay here is great but the roles are also very challenging, to begin with;
Information security analyst
It is the best-listed job, having an overall ranking of number 4 and the expected mean salary is about $95-98K. The main job role that you will be executing here is to protect the sensitive information that is stored within the servers of the organization. You will be creating the plans and developing strategies to prevent the attack, instill further policies along the line to protect the organization against such vicious attacks, ensure the compliance of the policies, monitor the data access, and at the same time training of the other employees.
Lead software security engineer
The main task of this professional is to design and develop software systems that will render the whole networking or otherwise operating system of the company secure and free afro any vulnerabilities. These professionals are also in charge of rolling out updates in a timely fashion so that if any vulnerability exists then it would automatically be sorted out within the update. The official salary of these professionals last around $125k-140k.
CISO
CISO or otherwise known as the chief information security officer is a professional who is in charge of developing, implementing, and maintaining the security processes that protect the company from added threats and risks. Salaries of these professionals on a yearly basis range from $140-300k.
Security architect
This professional is responsible for analyzing the security threats as soon as these come in and recommending solutions or making overall infrastructure based changes to ensure that the same threats don't emerge or happen again. You might require various skills such as the management of the hardware, configuration of the security software, and educating the personnel or the working staff about the importance of organizational security. Not only this but you will have to fill them in about how installing security systems, using VPN, and not falling prey to phishing or security engineering traps can actually help the company in being a secure enterprise.
The average salary of these professionals might range from $120k-190k.
Penetration testing
Penetration testers are the most acknowledged workforce for the software systems and tools that are about to get launched. These professionals are in charge of developing specific digital simulations in which the security of a particular app, software, or tool is checked by vicious attempts made to develop a breach. These professionals seek out vulnerabilities that exist within a system and measuring the extent to which the attack could get successful, it allows them to develop a list of the settings that need to be changed and elements that need to be installed to protect the security of the package for a longer time.
Many website based applications and software systems are being discharged to be used by the public without doing necessary penetration testing on them and that is why new data breaches and cyber-clashes continue to emerge every day and the notion of trust from the customer's point of view for these tools seems to fade away.
The average salary of these professionals might range from $80k-130k.
Read more: CEH vs. CISA certification – Which one is best for you?
How to get hired?
Now moving onto the important aspects of this article which is how you can possibly get hired given the competition is fierce and the doors would only open for the professional who is the best of the best? But at the same time the number of jobs and vacancies is dwelling up like never before, there is a serious shortage of professionals who can fill in the vacancies that exist within the cybersecurity landscape. It only means one thing and that is if you want to land yourself a dedicated job as listed above then you would require a mix of experience, education, and the industry certification to begin with.
Following are some of the things that you need to make sure of that you have before you can begin to apply for serious jobs developing out there;
Certifications
While many professionals believe that earning a certification is a hoax and it is only the skills that matter the most, but in reality, if you can't prove or validate the skills that you have before an employer then chances are that you will not get the job at all. Therefore having such certifications is a must-have if you want to make an impact out there and land a serious job among the landscape of cybersecurity. Following are some of the certifications that you must include in your research;
CISSP; it is among one of the leading cybersecurity certifications out there, CISSP will help you to open the doors for higher-level positions including an increase in the pay as well. If you are interested in building defenses of the security organizations then it one of the best certifications that you must consider.
CISM; this certification focuses on governance, compliance, and risk assessment.
CISA; the certification actually focuses on auditing, controlling, monitoring, and then assessing the information systems and adds a significant pay boost to the annual salary of the cybersecurity professional.
CEH; CEH or otherwise known as the certified ethical hacker, if you are wishing to get instated as an entry-level professional or simply want to make an entry to the world of cybersecurity.
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Experience
Experience matters as much as having earned a certification does. If you only have the knowledge but no way of demonstrating it then you are clearly not ready and thus can't begin your career within the IT world. Without the efficient experience of the skills and knowledge that you have earned, it would become extremely difficult to land even an entry-level job. That is why it is important that you consider internship opportunities during your bachelor's or masters so that you get some practical influence of the IT industry before you are graduated and be ready for the real world out there.
Talking about a higher-level job you would potentially require years of experience, to begin with, additionally, within this constantly changing environment, it is imperative that you continue to stay up to date with the latest things that are taking place, which technology is being introduced and which new processes have taken over which old ones so you have a complete narrative of everything that lies in front of you.
Education
Without having any prior education you can’t do anything, you can’t get recognized for any cybersecurity certification, you can’t gain experience under your belt and you most definitely can’t apply for any job. So, having some prior understanding or education of the IT world wouldn’t go amiss. While a bachelor’s degree is enough to land an entry-level job but if you are after high end IT and cybersecurity jobs that require complex skillset then it is better if you have a master's degree at hand.
These master programs are designed to present the students with additional theoretical and practical knowledge of things including networking, programming, and designing security architect for the companies. There are a lot of institutions out there who offer these degree programs in different domains of IT and cybersecurity. But if you can’t afford to go to school or university to earn those degrees then you can also check out various boot camps providing instant access to the latest elements being adapted in the tech world and making you able to practice essentials skills that can help you to land a decent job.
If you want to land a decent job within the realm of cybersecurity that pays significantly then you must go about completing a particular cybersecurity certification. There are plenty of cyber security certifications out there to choose from.
Talk to our experts and get yourself on track to become a knwoledgeable information security expert.