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How to start your career in cyber security [2021]

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There is a huge demand for cyber security experts in the public, private and public sectors. Because they want to protect their important information and systems from cyber attacks.

Cyber ​​security experts predict that cybercrime is likely to cost about tr trillion dollars annually in 2021. We can estimate the demand for cyber security from US News & World Report.

Which ranks cyber security as the fifth best job in 2019 based on growth pressures, work-life balance, employment rates, salaries and job prospects. For this reason, it is not surprising that an information security analyst receives a median salary of $ 98,350.

This is the best time to start a career in cyber security due to the high demand and many benefits offered by cyber security professionals.

How to start career in cyber security..? 

To start a career in cyber security you need to understand the prerequisites of cyber security. General cyber security prerequisites are:

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science or similar field of computer science.
  • You must have knowledge of various aspects of firewall and endpoint security.
  • Knowledge of various programming languages ​​like Java, C ++, Python and Nodes.
  • You should have enough ability to work under pressure and deliver at the right time.
  • Knowledge about the latest trends in cyber security and problem solving skills.
  • The latest knowledge about cyber security and hacker tactics.Invest in Your Education

    Invest your education 

    Generally, the first step in starting a career in cyber security is to get a degree in cyber security. If you have a degree and some experience in cyber security, you will have plenty of options.

    Most cyber security experts and leaders start with a bachelor’s degree in information technology computer science and information systems.

    The next step in pursuing a bachelor's degree in cyber security is to pursue a master's degree in cyber security or information technology. This will increase your career opportunities and recruitment opportunities to higher positions.

    So, you should start the path of cyber security engineering with a bachelor's degree in engineering and then you should start gaining special experience in the field of cyber security.

    You can either get direct experience in cyber security or get a postgraduate degree that focuses only on cyber security engineering.

    Education is always important, no matter which path you choose. Education is considered as one of the reasons for a large number of cyber security jobs. According to an estimate, there will be around 1.5 million cyber security jobs worldwide in 2021 as employers struggle to find some talented professionals with some advanced education and high level of skills.

    The number of unrecognized cyber security jobs is increasing as cyber criminals are becoming more sophisticated in their attacks day by day and companies are scrambling to find cyber security experts so that they can prevent such cyber attacks.

    In a frustrating situation where there are many job opportunities in the absence of qualified candidates, people with cyber security degrees have many advantages over others.

    You will not only get a huge job option but also higher salaries due to urgent demand and lack of supplies.

    Get Certified 

    If you want to get a job in cyber security then you have to consider getting certification in a specific field of cyber security. Below is one of the most famous certificates of cyber security:
    • CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor
    • CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
    • CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker
    • GIAC: Global Information Security Manager
    • CISM: Certified Information Security
    In addition, there are a large number of certifications and the ones offered by RSA, Cisco and Symantec are very attractive to employers. Of course, what you need and what employers need depends on the roles you are looking for.

    Networking 

    In almost every case networking is very important and cyber security is no exception. If you are looking for networking opportunities in cyber security, there are multiple ways available.

    You can join local cyber security companies like the San Diego Cyber ​​Center of Excellence. Most cities have their own cyber security associations and these associations can be great places for both learning and networking.

    From this platform, you will have the opportunity to network with industry professionals. You can volunteer with a cyber security organization. You will find a number of different organizations that try to spread the word about cyber security and attract as many people as possible.

    You can increase your resume by joining such organizations.
    Getting a bachelor's degree is one of the best ways to network with professors and employers in cyber security.
    The most reputable or famous cyber security schools will have a career center that will be close to employers. This type of career center in school can help you identify potential employers.

    You will never have a better time to start a career in cyber security. Most organizations around the world need experts who know how to build and protect systems to move an ongoing cyber threat.

    If you have enough experience in data protection with some experience and education, there are opportunities for some instant cyber security work all over the world and across all industries and sectors.

    For students interested in cyber security, the University of San Diego has also created a masters degree platform in cyber security. In addition, they offer master's degrees in leadership and cyber security operations.

    These programs are quite rigorous and focus entirely on modern cyber security and teach students to be lifelong effective students. It is one of the most important and developed skills in the world of cybercrime and security.

    Learn about system 

    You should learn the basics of operating your computer system. There are two most common systems: Windows and Linux.

    Once the resources are available, we recommend that you start with Linux first and then learn how to manage Linux with a command line interface rather than a graphical user interface.

    Managing a Linux system from the command line to include scripting is a powerful skill and will help you figure out which path to take.

    Learn coding 

    You need to learn the basics of coding because they will help you understand the markup language to create web pages and web applications.

    You can start with programming languages ​​like Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Python and JavaScript.

    If you are not sure how and where to start you can consider some online training platforms like Khan Academy, Code Academy or you can learn from any type of beginner book.

    Learn about application 

    You should learn how to run, maintain and configure the most common applications such as database, DNS server, and Web server.

    Learn from others

    Learning from others is also one of the most important elements of starting a career in cyber security. You should try to attend a cyber security conference in your area.

    In every big city, there are a number of incidents related to cyber security every year. Some cities also hold monthly meetings of the cyber security community.

    Opportunities and networks will develop automatically when you only attend one conference. The option to attend an online community is also available, but we recommend attending real and face-to-face events.

    That way, you can build your connections faster. In addition, there are a good number of cyber security professionals to follow online and learn from them.

    When you start learning and know which fields are most of interest to you, you will find experts in that particular field.

    Build a Lab OR Learning Environment for hands on Experience

    Sitting on your lap at home is one of the best ways to learn all the things you need to become a cyber security expert. This is not very difficult because you can easily create a virtual operating system on your physical computer.

    You can set up an online lab in the cloud using Microsoft's Azure or Amazon's AWS. You can search about it on YouTube or Google. You will find many sites that can teach you how to set up your lab in the right way.

    There is another option to detect all devices on your Wi-Fi network. After setting up a map of your home network and calls you can start interacting with different devices or computers and learn what you want.

    Connect the browser on one of your computers to a server that you have set up on another computer. You can get network traffic from your home thermostat and then decode the information you send over the Internet.

    There are endless possibilities. But you should not start hacking and breaking different things until you fully understand the basics of this technology.

    Invest a personal teaching and self-teaching

    Since you are going to do a top level certification it is important for you to take the time and teach yourself. If you don’t have a certificate, it doesn’t stop you from getting projects or learning more than a certificate.

    There are many videos, content and forums related to your profession that you can explore. You can get the latest knowledge from industry experts around the world. There are some great software development platforms like GitHub that allow aspiring security experts to continue some open source projects.

    It’s an effective way to test your skills when you connect with industry professionals around the world and improve your resume to impress potential employers. It is also important to invest in your soft skills along with technical skills.

    Because it can help you reach out to other students in your course and communicate with others online. Increasing your social media and marketing skills will help you during the job hunting process.

    Doing an Internship

    After you get your first qualification you need to prepare yourself for the staff. If you are lucky then maybe after finishing your training you will get a full time job directly. If you want to gain more experience in your industry, you need to do an internship.

    On the other hand, internships are the best opportunity to put your classroom skills into practice. An internship can benefit entry-level exports in many ways. It is not to be expected that you will gain the mature knowledge of long-term industry professionals.

    But you will be immersed in professional responsibilities and learn about the necessary behaviours in a formal workplace. In this way, you will learn the values ​​and requirements in the field of cyber security and you will be trained as a full time professional.

    In addition, you have the opportunity to collaborate with some more aspiring experts who can help you understand the dynamics of the workplace and improve your communication skills.

    In the end, you have to face some common mistakes and you will learn from them.

    Start your frist job

    You should not expect a big opportunity when you are looking for your first job. Instead of looking for a high-paying six-figure job, you should focus on the issues and experiences you will focus on from your first job.

    You will learn some new and exciting skills with great knowledge from industry experts and professionals. Among modern-day security experts, employers will have the opportunity to know and understand exactly what they value.

    According to experts, the main skills include learning ability and critical thinking. Technology can be taught to anyone but some essential skills such as critical thinking and problem solving are quite difficult.

    For this reason, it is important to develop an open and growth-centered mindset of unfamiliar discoveries. We welcome new approaches to building on your current knowledge base and progress in your career journey.

    Start a cuber security course 

    To begin a career in cyber security, you must enroll in any of the free or paid courses listed below: There are many cyber security courses that you can attend.  

    Some of these courses are free and some of them are paid which is why you also have to pay some amount.

    But here are some popular courses below :
    • Introduction to Information Security
    • Introduction to cyber security
    • Ethical Hacking
    • Introduction to ethical hacking
    • Advancers Cyber Security

    Stanford Advanced Cyber Security Programme 

    You can be certified by a globally recognized organizations like Stanford to accelerate your career in cyber security. 

    Their cyber security course will help aspiring professionals to improve their skills and learn from cyber security industry leaders.

    Coursera

    For those who are already in the field of cyber security, you will get an advance cyber security course from scratch. But you have to pay from $ 39 / month to 49 / month.

    Udemy 

    Lots of cyber security courses are available here. These courses range in price from $ 9 to $ 300. If so, you can start searching on Google and YouTube, wherever you start with any of the fields listed.

    There is no resource or website where you will learn everything which means you will use different resources over time. You should start with the basics and then increase over time.

    But the skills you will now develop in learning and researching from other resources will be an important part of your entire career, not just for beginners.

    Importance of cyber security 

    Different sectors of cyber security such as government agencies, medium and large enterprises, startups, and even personal use are of great importance. But why is cyber security so important?

    Gone are the days when there were only common antivirus software and firewalls for security. Your organizations may be exposed to cyber threats at any level.

    So, it is important to educate your employees about common scams like phishing, ransom ware attacks, or other malware designed to steal intellectual property or even personal data.

    Cyber ​​security risks are increasing day by day and your organizations cannot protect itself against data breach campaigns.

    All of these factors are among the reasons for increasing job opportunities in cyber security.

    Cyber security career paths

    Before embarking on a career in cyber security, you need to decide which career path is right for you. Basically, there are two career paths in cyber security from which you have to make a decision before you start investing your time and money in education and training. There are a huge number of different career options and different jobs but you have to choose one of them according to your interests and skills.

    Leadership and Operations Route

    The first way is to take the path of operation and leadership so that you need to have different kinds of skills and tendency to learn for a long time.

    You must have strong leadership skills and advanced knowledge about information technology and its processes and skills with cyber security skills.

    Top job options for cyber security experts who have ample education and experience in this field are :

    • Cyber Security Engineer
    • Penetration Tester
    • Network Administrator
    • Auditor of Security
    • Security Engineer Lead Software
    • Global Information Security Director
    • Analyst of Information Security
    • Consultant of Cyber Security

    Engineering Route

    The second way of cyber security is engineering route. This is the best route for those who have engineering experience and interest. In this way of engineering, you will learn how to create multiple security measures for migration threats.

    Once you understand what building a secure system means, cyber security engineers can find a job of :

    • Cyber Security Engineer
    • Lead Software Security Engineer
    • Cyber Security Architect.
    You can also read our article about how to become a game developer.

    Frequently asked question (FAQ)

    Q. Where do you start your career in cyber security?

    You can gain some professional experience by doing internships, volunteering, and working on various projects on your own. This will make it much easier for you to get your first cyber security job. This is a great job for anyone who values ​​rewarding work.

    Q. How do you start cyber security without experience 

    Various certifications and IT courses can help those who do not have experience. First, you need to look at your background and job role. Uses networking and LinkedIn with other industry-related people. Thinking a little differently or out of the box. Follow cyber security related technologies closely.

    Q. Should you start career in cyber security? 

    It depends on your interests and your future career. There are several steps you can take to begin your career in cyber security.

    But a degree is not required to become a cyber security expert. But if you want to study, it will be great because it will not hurt you but you are more likely to get a higher salary.

    Conclusion 

    Following a career in cyber security is pretty amazing. Because it has high demand and you will be paid more for cyber security job. But first, you have to get started and get into this case.

    For this, you need to have a bachelor's degree in any computer science-related course. But a degree is not mandatory to start a career in cyber security.