Have you ever asked yourself, “What do I need to do next?” in your career? You may be a cybersecurity professional looking for new opportunities or ways to advance your current role. Or you’re an IT pro who’s realized there’s more to cybersecurity than patching servers and installing antivirus software.
Whatever the case, this comprehensive guide will help steer you toward advancement in this constantly evolving field. For a basic idea, you should know that the industry has a market volume of $37.95 billion in the current year, 2023. This guide will cover everything from understanding your current role at work to developing skills and knowledge that will make you more valuable.
Table of Contents
Understanding Your Current Cybersecurity Role
Once you’ve determined the role you want to be in, it’s essential to understand what skills are needed for that position. This way, when discussing advancement opportunities later in this guide, you’ll better understand what positions might be right for you based on your current skill set and experience level.
There are many roles you can select from in the dynamic cybersecurity field. For instance, you can become a security analyst, vulnerability assessor, security operations center (SOC) manager, etc. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 163,000 jobs in 2021 for the Information Security Analyst role alone.
Gaining Practical Experience
The best way to gain practical experience is by working in the field. You can do this through an internship or a part-time job at a cybersecurity company. If you seek an entry-level position, try volunteering at your local community college or university.
If none of these options are available, consider starting your own business with friends or family members who share similar interests. This will allow everyone involved access to real-world experience without having any money invested until it’s time for launch.
Developing Your Skills and Knowledge
Keeping up with the latest technologies and methods is important as you advance your career. It was recently reported that 50% more cyberattack attempts per week on corporate networks occurred in 2021 compared to 2020. So, updating oneself is more important now than ever before.
You should learn new skills every year or two, even if they aren’t directly related to your current position. This can help you stay ahead of the curve and make you more attractive as an employee when opportunities arise.
You can also take a cybersecurity course to upgrade your skills and expertise. For instance, if you have a Bachelor’s degree, you can go for a Master’s. Getting a Master’s in cybersecurity can help you learn advanced skills and knowledge that can help accelerate your career.
There are many online universities nowadays that offer a Master of Science in Cybersecurity program. You can review their websites to get the required course information.
Networking With Peers and Professionals
Networking is one of the essential skills to learn in your cybersecurity career, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. When people hear “networking,” they think about going to events and shaking hands with strangers or sending emails asking for help with a project. That kind of networking isn’t effective because it doesn’t build real relationships, and real relationships are what make you successful and happy in life.
Here’s how to network effectively:
- Connect with peers who share your interests and passions. You’ll find that these connections can lead directly to job opportunities.
- Help others whenever possible by sharing information on social media or offering advice when someone asks for it. This allows them to see what kind of person they are outside of work environments where everyone tries hard not to say anything negative about anyone else. It also shows employers that their employees care about each other even if there isn’t anything specific within their job descriptions outlining those behaviors, which means everyone wins.
Pursuing Advancement Opportunities
There are many ways to advance your career. The best option for you depends on your interests and skills. Here are some common strategies:
- Pursue opportunities that match your skills and interests. If you’re interested in cybersecurity but don’t want to work at a startup, don’t apply for jobs with startups. Instead, look at other companies where there might be opportunities for growth within the security team or elsewhere in IT operations.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, but do it politely. You can ask about advancement opportunities directly from current employers. Many companies have employee referral programs where they’ll give bonuses if someone refers someone who gets hired into a job higher than their current position.
- You can also look up information about internal promotions or salary increases by searching LinkedIn profiles of people who have held similar positions before. For instance, the average salary of a cybersecurity analyst in the US is around $82,199 annually.
Create a Personal Brand
Creating a personal brand is an essential part of advancing your cybersecurity career. A strong, recognizable personal brand can help you stand out and make it easier for employers to find you.
Here’s how:
- Identify the skills and experience that set you apart from other candidates. For example, if you have advanced technical knowledge in one area, highlight this in job postings or social media profiles where others can see it.
- Use these unique selling points when writing cover letters or resumes and tailor them according to each opportunity. Showcase how those skills match what they’re looking for at the company by highlighting keywords from their job description in the cover letter.
Overcoming Common Challenges
The world of cybersecurity is a competitive one. But you can use that to your advantage by advancing your career and building a network of contacts who will support you.
- Have a support network: Having someone to talk through challenges with can be invaluable in the face of adversity, so surround yourself with supportive and understanding people who won’t judge if things don’t always go as planned.
- Join clubs, attend conferences, and reach out on LinkedIn or other social media platforms whenever possible. Use these opportunities to learn about new technologies or techniques from other professionals and try asking questions and volunteering answers when others need help.
- Build a personal brand: If there’s one thing employers look for above all else when hiring candidates for cybersecurity positions, it’s that person’s ability. By developing strong connections within his/her community while demonstrating leadership qualities through volunteer work at local organizations.
Conclusion
You’re already on a path to success in cybersecurity, but there are many ways to continue your journey. Whether you want to advance your career or start one from scratch, there are plenty of opportunities for people with the right skills and attitude. Building up these qualities takes time and effort but will pay off in the long run. So don’t give up.
