Unlocking the Path to Cyber Security: A Comprehensive Guide

Cyber security is a highly rewarding career, especially for justice-minded professionals who want to make the world a safer place. From combating criminal activity online to safeguarding essential systems and sensitive information, the job is constantly evolving one day to the next.

It also doesn’t hurt that demand for cyber security talent is at an all time high. In addition to today’s global shortage of nearly 4 million cyber professionals, the US alone projects a 33% increase in cyber security jobs through 2032. Clearly, there’s plenty of room for advancement.

So what does it take to break into cyber security? Read on for a walkthrough and helpful ideas.

How to get into cyber security: A step-by-step guide

Cyber security professionals_{Tech Jobs for Good: Why Cyber Security Matters} are on the front lines of protecting the world’s digital infrastructure. As such, they need specialized knowledge and soft skills that help them build a safer, more secure future. It all starts with building the right career foundation following these four steps.

Step 1: Choose the right educational path

There are two main options_{College vs. Bootcamp: Which Learning Model to Choose} for acquiring the right experience to work in cyber security — a college degree_{What Degree Do You Need to Become a Software Engineer?} or a professional bootcamp_{Are Coding Bootcamps Worth It in 2024? Part 1: The Bigger Picture}. Both are excellent choices, but they are very different from each other, and ultimately, only you can decide which one is right for you.

Whichever program you choose needs to equip you with the capabilities and expertise you’ll need for an entry level cyber security role. This includes network security and management, risk management skills, vulnerability management, incident investigations, and preparation for taking the COMPTIA Security+ certification exam, a key credential in the cyber security field.

Step 2: Gain practical experience

Whether you go the college path or the professional bootcamp path, a high quality program will offer externships to help you train with real-world experience, practical assignments that help you build up a portfolio for the job application process, and career coaching.

These are important because they help you put your new skills to the test. Learning by doing is truly the best teacher in tech, which is why it’s important to gain practical experience that shows prospective employers you’ve spent time hands-on solving cyber security challenges. It can also be helpful to find online challenges or volunteer opportunities that supplement this extra work.

Step 3: Obtain certifications

Certifications in any tech field validate skills, increase your credibility as a professional, and help improve your desirability as a candidate. In fact, 91% of employers prefer to hire candidates with relevant cyber security certifications, making them worth the initial investment.

Some certifications are baseline requirements to work in the cyber security field (like COMPTIA Security+), while others are for specializations that some employers may even pay for their employees to take. For example, Certified Ethical Hacker for ethical hackers or Certified Information Systems Security Professional for security engineers.

Step 4: Stay up-to-date on industry trends

Cyber security is a fast-changing field, and criminals are only too happy to take advantage of organizations’ weak spots. Even as technologies like AI make cyber security more responsive and effective, bad actors are using it to conduct sophisticated social engineering attacks.

And with only 22% of companies worldwide rating their cyber security efforts to protect data and other sensitive information as completely satisfactory, it’s critical that every cyber security professional — aspiring, new, or experienced — stays up-to-date on the latest trends. Building a professional network_{How to Network (and Stay Sane)}, following leaders in the space, and attending industry events can all help.

What you can expect from a career in cyber security

As a cyber security professional, you can expect to spend your days detecting and responding to threats using a wide range of skills, including ethical hacking, network security, incident investigation, and forensic analysis, as well as sharing your expertise with other teams.

Examples of cyber security job responsibilities include:

• Checking for vulnerabilities in computer and network systems
• Fixing these security vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them
• Developing security standards and best practices for an organization
• Using and maintaining software such as firewalls and data encryption programs to protect sensitive information
• Recommending security enhancements to management or senior IT staff
• Preparing reports that document general metrics, attempted attacks, and security breaches

Types of cyber security roles

‍As for pay, cyber security professionals make an average salary of $120,360 per year. Note that this number can vary depending on industry, geography, and seniority level. Another positive is that the job outlook is very strong at 33% projected growth from 2023 to 2032.

Beyond compensation and job responsibilities, becoming a cyber security professional also comes with the knowledge that the work you do contributes to the greater good. No wonder job satisfaction among the profession is high at 78% — compared to the national average of 62%.

See what career is right for you

If you’re confident that your future is in cyber security, we recommend checking out our Cyber Security Bootcamp. Not only to learn more about our program (as much as we’d love for you to join us), but more to look at the curriculum halfway down to understand what you need to learn.

And if you’re less sure after reading this guide that cyber security is for you, we get it! Breaking into tech comes with lots of options and decisions, which is why we put together this two-minute quiz. Take it today to get a tailored suggestion based on your interests and strengths.