The cybersecurity job market is booming. At present, there are over 460,000 cybersecurity job openings in the United States. Thirty-six thousand of these unfilled cybersecurity jobs are in the public sector (in various government agencies), while the rest are in the private sector. Cyber attacks are becoming more and more common, and the demand for cybersecurity talent is increasing. Companies are scrambling for employees that can help them combat these security threats. Ready to become one of them? Contact CIBR Warriors for the fastest way to boost your IT career!

If you’re interested in getting a higher position in your career in cybersecurity, then the qualifications for such work should be of great interest to you. This blog post will discuss what’s required for this type of position – what skills and training you could benefit from – and how a staffing agency can help!

Cybersecurity Job Titles

In the United States, employers are looking for IT professionals in these cybersecurity roles:

• Cybersecurity Analyst
• Cybersecurity Consultant
• Cybersecurity Administrator / Manager
• Software Engineer / Developer
• Network Engineer / Architect
• Systems Engineer
• Penetration Tester / Vulnerability Analyst
• Incident Responder / Analyst
• Cybersecurity Specialist / Technician

If you wish to advance in any cybersecurity field, it is essential to familiarize yourself with what you could be doing. Most cybersecurity workers perform the following job duties:

• Operate and maintain: supporting, administrating, and maintaining IT system performances and security. Ensure an efficient and effective flow of data and device operation. Common positions with this responsibility: systems security analyst, system administrator, network operations specialist, data analyst.
• Securely provision: conceptualizing, designing, and building security systems. Common positions with this responsibility: software developer, security architect, systems developer, security control assessor, information systems security developer.
• Oversee and govern: leading, managing, and directing cybersecurity work within an organization. Potentially also developing and advocating for effective cybersecurity solutions. Common positions with this responsibility: IT program auditor, cyber policy and strategy planner, information systems security manager, cyber legal advisor, cyber instructor.
• Protect and defend: identifying, analyzing, and eliminating cyber threats to internal IT systems or networks. Common positions with this responsibility: vulnerability assessment analyst, cyber defense infrastructure support specialist, cyber defense incident responder, a cyber defense analyst.
• Analyze: evaluating and reviewing cybersecurity information to gauge the level of its usefulness in terms of intelligence. Common positions with this responsibility: threat/warning analyst, exploitation analyst, mission assessment specialist.
• Collect and operate: performing specialized deception and denial operations to collect cybersecurity information. Common positions with this responsibility: all source-collection manager, partner integration planner, cyber operator, cyber ops planner, cyber intel planner.
• Investigate: investigating cybercrime or cyber events related to networks, IT systems, and digital evidence. (Common positions with this responsibility: counterintelligence forensics analyst, cyber defense forensics analyst, cybercrime investigator.)

Cybersecurity Certifications

Because the tech industry is advancing at a breakneck speed, IT employees cannot afford to stay in one place if they want better employment opportunities. The cybersecurity industry is not immune to this, and professionals are constantly updating their qualifications.

A challenging way to upgrade your resume is through traditional education. Acquiring a college degree is expensive, requires a lot of time, and the knowledge you gain in these classes may not be too relevant by the time you graduate.

But a cybersecurity staffing agency can help you to quickly and effectively learn new skills through cybersecurity certs.

A cybersecurity recruitment firm will know the most up-to-date information about trends in the industry and what certification exam sets are needed for positions that aren’t yet on the market.

For example, the top IT certifications currently required in the cybersecurity industry are:

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC)
• CompTIA Security+
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP)

Out of all of these credentials listed, the CISSP is the most in-demand one, and yet there aren’t enough certification holders in the job market. In contrast, there are approximately four times more Security+ certification holders than there are job openings requesting this cert.

An Elevated IT Career Pathway

There is no clear path to advancement in the cybersecurity field, so choosing which higher position one wants depends on which career they want to have. Almost any entry-level job in cybersecurity is good enough to get your foot in the door, but where you advance will determine what type of cybersecurity professional you become.

The qualified staff in a cybersecurity staffing agency will have the experience and knowledge to guide individuals through this process by matching their skill sets with the demands for these positions.

Here is a list of key mid-level job roles you could consider:

• Cybersecurity Analyst – Analysts need to be able to find and fix cybersecurity issues and potential vulnerabilities across a business network.
• Cybersecurity Consultant – Consultants are able to advise an organization on security policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Penetration and Vulnerability Tester – Pentesters are in charge of finding cybersecurity vulnerabilities in a system. They do this by simulating a hacker breaching the system in a controlled, planned manner in what is called ethical hacking.

If you’re after advanced-level IT positions, these are the most common options:

• Cybersecurity Administrator / Manager – Administrators and managers are in charge of cybersecurity policy design, cyber defense systems, and other hands-on security tasks.
• Cybersecurity Engineer – Engineers are cybersecurity experts who design and build systems or tools.
• Cybersecurity Architect – Architects design the IT infrastructure of organizations, as well as their cybersecurity policies and plans.

Each of these positions calls for a different set of requirements in terms of education, previous experience, and certifications. They also have different annual salary ranges – all of that should factor into your decision.

If you’re still unsure, a cybersecurity staffing agency can get the inside scoop on annual wages, and titles for IT jobs in a wide range of organizations across the country. You’ll also have access to job listings from companies searching for candidates with this type of experience and knowledge base.

Most Requested Skills

Cybersecurity employers are looking for experience, certifications, and possibly relevant degrees. Here is a list of the most sought-after skills in the industry:

• Information Security – Securing data is the cornerstone of cybersecurity. Knowledge in this field is required to reduce the risks associated with hacking, viruses, and other malware.
• Information Systems – Information systems are organized systems for collecting, organizing, and storing data. Understanding and implementing these systems is a necessity for cybersecurity.
• Linux – In cybersecurity, Linux operating systems are a common and essential tool. Because Linux offers a level of access and control that is unsurpassed by any other OS, it is a must-have skill for a security expert.
• Network Security – A network security professional is responsible for designing and implementing policies, procedures, and other standards that prevent unauthorized access to a company’s data and assets.
• Threat Analysis – Cybersecurity professionals need to identify threats and security incidents, assess their impact, and develop or acquire safeguards against them.
• Surveillance – Surveillance is an emerging security technology that allows IT security professionals to monitor and analyze all activity on the network that could threaten an organization’s information, assets, or brand reputation.
• Oracle – Oracle security products for securing data and applications have permeated almost every segment of enterprise cybersecurity.
• Project Management – Even though project management doesn’t have much to do with coding, advanced-level security employees should be able to manage projects and timelines and oversee entire IT security teams.
• Python – A coding language, Python is useful for writing scripts to automate IT security tasks and create audit trails.
• Java – Some cybersecurity workers also require knowledge of Java. This is a programming language that you can use to build security tools.
• Penetration Testing – Pentesters need to be skilled in penetration testing. This includes the ability to infiltrate a network, identify vulnerabilities, and create an exploit.
• Cryptography – Cryptography is crucial for cybersecurity architects. They need to be able to build secure systems and design encryption algorithms.

Conclusion

Currently, there are hundreds of thousands of open cybersecurity positions in the United States. To obtain a higher IT position, you need to have the right technical skills and knowledge and the proper industry certifications. When considering an advanced position, take into account the direction you want your career to take.

Many cybersecurity staffing agencies can help you with this process.

A cybersecurity staffing agency is an organization or service which provides professionals to organizations when they need them and then supplies other employees as the work needs arise. Cybersecurity staffing agencies offer various resources, such as recruiters who specialize in searching for the right job positions, negotiating wages, and making sure that all the necessary documentation is in order.

The main advantage of using a cybersecurity staffing agency is that it allows you to focus on your work while they handle everything else to find a better job for you.

They can also provide you with some of the knowledge and training options necessary to get a higher position on your own, such as how to build up your skills and resume or where to find cybersecurity articles that will help inform you about this aspect of IT. If you’d like to know more about this, please contact CIBR Warriors. We’d love to help you realize your cybersecurity potential!