Before choosing cybersecurity as a career, you need to know something about this field, such as how to get into this career, how many skills you need, what are the most important certifications you should have, and all the guidelines you should know. Cybersecurity is actually a skill for preventing accidental theft or misuse of your data. As we all know, hackers are very fast and agile these days, and they steal valuable data from big companies and organizations. Large companies and organizations hire cybersecurity officers to protect their valuable data from hackers.

In the past one to two years, Americans have complained more than 60 %of the time that their data has been hacked or stolen, with more than half of those being organizations whose data has been stolen repeatedly.

In the US alone, it can cost around $8 million to protect data from falling into the wrong hands, which gives an idea of the importance of cybersecurity.

Don’t delay before you start thinking about boosting your career in cybersecurity, and the competition becomes more intense.

What exactly is cyber security?

Cybersecurity is the process of preventing online data from falling into unsafe hands or protecting large amounts of data or any other data from hackers or unauthorized access to a computer.

A person with a cybersecurity background is expected to play a role in securing the online data of any person, organization, or company from unauthorized access.

This valuable data may include sensitive documents such as passwords, valuable national and international information, medical records, and other confidential data etc.

Cybersecurity has excellent career opportunities

Hackers can destroy, misuse, or steal the data of any company, organization, or individual, so companies and institutions hire cybersecurity experts to protect themselves from such cyber attacks.

Therefore, the more skills you have in cybersecurity, the more attractive jobs you can get.

Cybersecurity is actually the name of a profession, but it has further branches, including IT engineering, IT architecture, response to any hacking, management of any data, consulting, and testing.

You can choose a specific field before getting a job in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity offers jobs at different levels, including entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level positions, and you have to choose your job.

Cyber security job and salary Detail

According to Australian and US government figures, the Cybersecurity sector is expected to account for 40% of the total workforce by 2030.

Jobs are offered in cybersecurity at various levels, from newly skilled people to experts, such as: Entry-level Cyber Security jobs, mid-level Cybersecurity, and senior cyber Security jobs.

How to get into cybersecurity: 7 steps

If you have the skills in cyber security, then to pursue a career in it, head to countries where there are many opportunities in this field and adopt the following procedure:

1.     Research cyber security thoroughly

Before moving towards cyber security, check its criteria on some factors that we have given above, from entry level to the last position.

Relate your skills to jobs. If you are at a beginner level, move towards an entry-level job. If you are at a mid-level or have some experience, then move towards a good job.

You must relate the degree you have to your profession because you may have an engineering degree and you want to become a cyber security engineer, so find people who can help you in this field.

See first what qualifications you have. Do you have a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree, or have you just obtained a specific certification?

2.  Keep developing your skills with the changes in innovation

It is important to look into many fields of cyber security, where you can see if you are interested in that particular field and if you have something to do with it, then further improve this skill.

To enter this field, you must have these skills:

• Network and systems administration: Understanding the consequences of networking and connecting you with other systems to enter security can lay the foundation for a better job.

• Familiarity with operating systems: Since you have to work with Windows, Linux, and Mac OS all the time, you should have a good knowledge of these things and also be patient and know about security-related research, analysis, and forensic reports.

• Become better acquainted with tools that are used for cybersecurity all the time, such as AWS, Azure and Google Cloud etc., and continue to use them.

• Must have a general understanding of coding languages such as C++, R, Python, JavaScript, and SQL.
• Timely response to potential risks

Cybersecurity is a team effort, and a cyber officer often has to work with different professionals.

So an expert security officer should be soft-spoken, have excellent leadership skills, be good at speaking, be fluent in as many international languages as possible, and have the ability to tolerate all kinds of attitudes.

3.    The importance of cybersecurity certification

Having a certification in your possession is a good desire to secure a good cybersecurity position.

Because certification is enough to prove that you are skilled in the job, if you have a CompTIA Security+ Certification, it is great proof that you can enter any field with better confidence.

Also, you have a Certified Information Systems Auditor certification. In that case, it will give you a much greater advantage in the job because its purpose is to help you assess security vulnerabilities and fix them in the best possible way.

Google’s Cybersecurity or IT Support Professional certification can play an excellent role in providing basic knowledge and introduction to cybersecurity.

4.     Learn the uses of tools and software used in cybersecurity

Cyber security operates through the use of tools and software, so you must become familiar with the important tools, software, and hardware systems related to it and learn how to use them better.

As always, you should be fast on Azure, AWS and Google Cloud. There are some companies and institutions that teach you how to use tools and software while providing vocational training, so you should learn that you may have to take a test in any scenario.

5.    Do some work to gain experience

No organization or company can offer you a job without cybersecurity knowledge, so you must have a genuine passion for working on cybersecurity projects.

So, to gain experience in cybersecurity, whether you have to work on an internship or work for very low wages, you must do it and gain relevant experience from there.

6.    Expand your professional contacts

Effective connections and references can always get you the jobs you never thought possible, and connecting and networking will distinguish you from other potential candidates and help you get ahead.

Always stay in touch with people who are relevant to your field. If you or they get a job in a good firm, when there is a vacancy or when you apply to the same company, that person can definitely help you.

7.   Keep upgrading your experience and expertise according to time and situation

No matter what sector or scale, it does not always remain static. Rather, new changes occur over time. Therefore, you, too, have been adapting the cybersecurity profession to the innovations of the times and new experiences.

Keep upgrading your resume, CV, and cover letter over time and always keep your profile fresh.

This salary chart is for the last two years and only the salary has been mentioned in it, it does not include extra commission or bonus or other allowances.

Pro Tip

How to get into cybersecurity with no experience

Lack of experience is a major stressor at the beginning of any career because no one can gain experience on the first day, while companies and firms often demand that they hire only experienced people.

If you are completely new but have a cybersecurity certificate and a good understanding of IT, then you can provide your service as a volunteer or offer it on a freelance platform for very little money.