If you’re thinking about a career in cybersecurity, you’ll be pleased to know that the cybersecurity job outlook is as strong as ever. In fact, this industry has the highest number of expected growth among other industries.
There are many reasons why pursuing a career in cybersecurity is a great move. For instance, there is a 0% unemployment rate in the field. Furthermore, the average salary for a Chief Information Security Officer is around $240,000.
Every Industry Needs Qualified Cybersecurity Experts
Our reliance on technology has never been stronger due to almost everyone doing their business remotely. Thus, this has given hackers more opportunities than ever to steal your data. Companies must prioritize the development and implementation of cybersecurity strategies.
Yet, most companies still have data lying around. Moreover, their poor cybersecurity practices give culprits open doors to hack data.
Many are fooled by the myth that hackers only attack small and medium enterprises. However, all businesses are targets regardless of their size, industry, and reputation. Experiencing data breaches entail huge financial and reputational data.
For instance, American bank holding company Capital One made the headlines in 2019 after suffering from a data breach. The hacker stole around 100 million records and sensitive information. Furthermore, this affected the company’s long-held reputation for digital prowess.
According to investigations, the hacker used Capital One’s data on Amazon Cloud Service to get through the firewall. The accused hacker was a former employee of Amazon Web Services, Inc.
This incident just shows how much damage a cyberattack can inflict on companies. Fighting malicious cyber intent begins with professional expertise.
The Cybersecurity Skills Gap
As mentioned, the opportunities for cybersecurity professionals are huge. However, that poses a big problem. There are simply not enough trained professionals equipped with the right technical skills. That explains why the number of unfilled cybersecurity positions is around 3.5 million, according to New York Times.
Having a massive skills gap also presents a huge problem to current cybersecurity employees as they don’t have enough colleagues to solve problems. A recent study reported that around 78% of employees in a security operations center said that working in the industry is “very painful”.
Furthermore, 74% of companies said that the skills gap has a negative impact on their cybersecurity. Additionally, 58% of CISOs fear that the skills gap will worsen in 2021.
In fact, the need is so great that many companies are willing to hire employees with degrees not relevant to cybersecurity – or no degree at all. All you need is some experience, training, and certain certifications. It’s safe to say that the cybersecurity job outlook will remain strong for a really long time.
Is Cybersecurity A Good Career?
By now your answer might be yes. Yet, remember that a career in this field is challenging yet well-rewarding. Things move quickly and every day is a new day in the job. Hence, you must be a problem solver, a fast learner, and a strong willingness to learn.
Full-time cybersecurity positions demand a standard 40-hour workweek. That said, it is not uncommon for those working in the field to put in a few extra hours. According to some sources, upwards of 88% of people working in the field admit they put in more than 8 hours a day.
