5 Reasons To Consider A Career In Cyber Security

With cyber security attacks becoming more common, impacting the lives of millions careers in cyber security are more important than ever. Below are five reasons why cyber security might be your dream job.

Living in a digital age increases the IT security threat level for everyone with an online presence. Although not good for the average consumer, these continually developing threats are excellent news for cyber security experts who want to keep users safe.

The career market in this sector has never been more diverse, with job titles including:

Cyber security is becoming an increasing concern for companies, with Microsoft warning that 87% of companies could be vulnerable to a cyber attack in the near future. This also applies to governments and public bodies as well, with the UK government warning that catastrophic ransomware attacks could become the norm if more investment isn’t put into cyber security.

Cyber security specialists are never short of new job opportunities in the digital age, especially for businesses based in cities like London.

Cyber security jobs can be lucrative, with entry-level cyber security jobs all the way up to roles for experienced professionals who command high salaries. For those working in the public sector, a Cyber Intelligence Officer can expect to earn a higher-than-average salary of £50,000 a year, with the potential to earn more outside of the UK.

The location and company you work for will ultimately decide the size of your cyber security salary, with those working in London likely to earn substantially more than those working for a small tech start-up. 

Your cyber security training and experience level will also determine your salary, with senior cyber security professionals earning substantially more. This said, the ability to work part-time and freelance is also an enticing option for those looking to get started in cyber security.

Cyber security jobs have a social impact, as the work done by those working in this area have a measurable impact on the safety of those around them. After completing cyber security training, you can work on projects that are designed to keep people’s data safe. 

Furthermore, taking on a role within the Government means that you can apply your skills in an environment that is designed to protect citizens and vital infrastructure from being attacked. 

Applying cyber security essentials in a practical environment can have an immediate impact on the public’s safety. Ethical hacking courses, for example, can put you in the shoes of would-be cybercriminals and help you to expose vulnerabilities and risks to malware companies or bodies may have in their IT systems.

As new technology continues to emerge, cyber security threats become more frequent. Security specialists and security engineers are needed more than ever for fast incident response and rapidly developing updated security solutions.

When you consider cyber security as a career, this style of work can be challenging but also fulfilling. The type of puzzle-solving you’ll be completing depends entirely on the route into cyber security you choose to take, your level of cyber security skill, as well as the job type given to you. 

For example, a cyber security analyst will work to find threats and analyse ways they can be combated, and a cyber security engineer or security architect will focus on developing the cyber security software. Each threat is unique, and so those who thrive under pressure will be at home in a security team.

Many cyber security experts are self-taught. With hundreds of part-time online courses and certifications on offer, getting started in a cyber security career is easier than ever. The more certified you become, the more attractive you’ll become to recruiters, and the easier it will be to work your way through the ranks, pushing towards those higher salaries.

The world of cyber security isn’t just for technology experts, those who specialise in law, business, or recruitment are also sought after for cyber security entry level jobs. All in all, anyone with an interest in cyber security has the possibility to make a career out of it.

Starting a career path in this area and searching for career opportunities can be a rewarding journey, with cybersecurity roles being in high demand. Technical skills in this area can also be applied in ethical hacker roles, penetration testing and network security roles or a more in-depth career in preventing cybercrime. This skillset can make you a jack-of-all-trades in the tech industry and can allow you to enter an exciting career with high job satisfaction.

So, is cybersecurity a good career? There are plenty of options and avenues you can specialise in within the industry, and the potential for a sky-high salary is also a benefit. You could help thousands, if not millions, of people by fighting cyber security risks, with plenty of room for puzzle-solving security operations as you work.

Now you know how to get into cyber security, why not check out our courses and get started?