Are you ready for a career change? Sometimes we reach a point in our careers where we feel our current path is meeting its natural end. Maybe we want to be challenged, have a better work-life balance, and have more growth opportunities, or we simply feel bored and undervalued where we are. If you’re considering a career change, there are few industries more promising right now than cybersecurity. Read more for how to get a job in cybersecurity.
Why Switch Careers to Cybersecurity?
Here’s the bottom line. Data breaches are a booming, complex criminal enterprise, and they’re increasing in both severity and volume every year. We live in a world where 74% of IT decision-makers now believe ransomware should be considered a matter of national security[1]. Perhaps more alarming, there’s a cyberattack every 39 seconds[2]. And that’s just on the business side. Cyberspace has become the new battleground in modern conflicts; what used to be cyber war is now just war.
In an increasingly dangerous cyber threat landscape, the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals has never been higher. However, many companies are struggling to fill these roles due to the cybersecurity skills gap. This worrying staffing shortage places organizations at risk of attack, and worse, it’s showing no signs of abating. The only way for companies to combat this situation is by hiring talented professionals with transferable skills and certifications from outside the sector.
Transferable skills you can leverage to pivot into cybersecurity:
- Problem-solving: Problem-solving skills are key in many professions, but they are vital in cybersecurity. Things go wrong, and cyber professionals need to find out why so they can find a solution.
- Technical aptitude: Being tech-savvy and having a mind for how computers work behind the scenes is more important for most cybersecurity roles than having intimate knowledge of specific coding languages and systems.
- Attention to detail: To effectively detect vulnerabilities and risks, you must be vigilant and detail oriented.
- Communication: Cybersecurity specialists work closely with people in other roles, so it’s crucial they can effectively explain their findings, concerns, and solutions to others.
What Kind of Cybersecurity Jobs Can You Do Remotely?
https://aag-it.com/how-often-do-cyber-attacks-occur/
So, you’re tempted to make the jump, but what kinds of roles are waiting on the other side? Let’s get into it.
Cybersecurity Analyst
Security analysts safeguard computer networks from cyberattacks and unauthorized access. Typically, tasks in this role include:
- Monitoring network traffic for security incidents.
- Investigating incidents and responding to them in real time.
- Writing detailed incident reports.
- Installing and operating firewalls and encryption programs.
- Patching vulnerabilities.
- Performing risk assessments and penetration tests.
Cybersecurity Technical Writer
If you have one of those rare brains that is both highly technical and creative, then being a cybersecurity technical writer could be a good fit for you. Technical writers commonly work for software companies and communicate information about cybersecurity and related topics. For example, they might produce manuals, guides, articles, and other communications to support the security function.
Digital Forensic Analyst
Much like a forensic investigator captures evidence from the scene of a crime, digital forensic analysts capture evidence found on digital devices like computers and mobile phones. Typical activities include retrieving data from virtual and physical devices, collecting and analyzing network intrusion artifacts, and reconstructing the series of events leading to a compromise or breach. Digital forensics jobs exist in both the public and private sectors, with law enforcement, banks, accounting firms, and software development companies being key employers here.
Penetration Tester
Pen testers are ethical hackers. They’re tasked with trying to hack the organization in various ways. Put simply, pen testers defend the organization by thinking like a hacker and finding weaknesses to exploit. Once they find these security gaps, they report their findings to the organization so they can make their systems more robust.
Security Engineer
Security engineers keep a company’s security systems up and running. This may include building new security features, designing comprehensive cybersecurity architecture, planning network upgrades, troubleshooting, and responding to security incidents. Since this is an engineering role, candidates typically need technical knowledge of networking, computer security systems, and databases.
Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
CISOs are senior business leaders that oversee all aspects of data privacy, compliance, and security for an organization. They work alongside security teams and the wider business to maintain and guide the organization’s applications, databases, computers, and websites.
Incident Manager
Incident managers respond to and solve security incidents. For example, they may oversee the incident lifecycle and perform triage to prioritize security incident tickets.
Where to Find Remote Cybersecurity Jobs
You can find work-online cybersecurity jobs listed on all major job listing websites, but it’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the big employers in the space. For example, Citizens Bank, CrowdStrike, Datadog, Kforce, Optiv, Oracle, and SAP regularly post work-from-home cybersecurity jobs.
Wrapping Up
Cybersecurity is a thriving field and will keep growing as threat actors increasingly leverage more sophisticated techniques. As a result, the industry offers excellent job security and high pay. There’s never been a better time to pivot into a career in cybersecurity, so why not start today?
This post was written by Fiverr writer Jackalnapes. She’s a cyber security writer freelancing on Fiverr. We hire Fiverr writers for their expertise in the subjects so that we can all learn more. Subscribe for more business, sales, and investing posts. Have a lovely day.
