Nothing is completely secure. Do you know what this statement means? It’s the first rule in the world of cyber security.
This field of IT is becoming more and more important every day, because the importance of information security is increasing exponentially. So, if you’re interested in this field and want to start cyber security as a career, but you’re afraid because of a lack of experience, you’re in the right place.
In this article, we will guide you through the first steps you need to take in order to build a professional career in cyber security.
Key Skills for Starting a Career in Cyber security
There are so many important skills in this field, but we will discuss some of the most important skills in this part of the article. These skills include:
- Technical Expertise: This includes a strong understanding of different operating systems, network protocols, and system architecture.
- Coding Proficiency: While you don’t need them all the time, knowledge in some high-level programming languages like Python, C++, or Java will make you more comfortable working with scripts and understanding code semantics.
- Cyber Threat and Security Principle Awareness: This includes understanding basic terms like firewalls, encryption, and many more security measures. You also need to know different types of attacks and cyber threats, as well as how they can be prevented.
- Problem-Solving Abilities: This specific skill will enable you to find the most effective solution to a problem, not just any available solution. Cybersecurity specialists need to think like a hacker in order to prevent them from stealing information or causing harm, so having strong problem-solving skills can make this mission much easier.
- Detail Orientation: As we said before, sometimes you need to think like a hacker in order to prevent them. So, if you want to protect your system or program, you absolutely need to pay attention to small and often forgotten details, because that’s what the hacker will be looking for.
- Communication Skills: In most cases, cybersecurity specialists work as part of a team or with clients from outside the IT field, so you need to be able to explain complex technical problems in informal or non-technical language. Having strong communication skills can also help you in finding job opportunities and many more things in your professional career.
- Ethical Understanding: When you work in a sensitive role like a cybersecurity professional, you absolutely need to have a solid understanding of the ethical and legal aspects of your work. You need to know privacy law and data protection, along with ethical hacking principles. This can make your mission easier and help you stay under the umbrella of white hat hackers.
- Lifelong Learning: As we said at the beginning of this article, nothing is completely secure, and let’s add another idea here, which is that nothing will always be secure. Cybersecurity is a rapidly changing field, and you need to keep your skills and knowledge up-to-date with all new technical and theoretical knowledge, because that’s what a professional hacker will do, and you need to stay ahead of them.
Navigating the Cybersecurity Job Market
Even with all the necessary skills and knowledge, finding a good job in a challenging economy can be difficult without a strategic approach. So, how can you maximize your chances? In this section, we will provide a step-by-step guide to help you navigate towards your potential job in cybersecurity.
- Acquiring Knowledge: Begin by learning about networks, protocols, and computer systems. Familiarity with programming languages such as Python or R can also be very useful. You can start with online courses. Many successful programmers and cybersecurity professionals began their learning journey with free courses and earned free certificates.
- Gaining Certifications: There are well-known certifications in the cybersecurity field that you can start with, such as CompTIA Security+ and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).
- Building a Strong Resume: Ensure to include all your skills and experiences in your resume. Don’t forget to list your certifications and projects to demonstrate your practical knowledge.
- Active Job Search: In this step, you need to be proactive. Use platforms like LinkedIn to find job opportunities. Don’t overlook other methods like networking events, and expanding your social circle with people in the same field who share similar goals.
FAQ
Can you start cyber security with no experience?
Yes, you don’t need to have previous experience to start. What you really need is the trait of consistency and continuous learning to understand every basic required topic before applying to a job.
Can I learn cybersecurity in 3 months?
No, you can’t and you shouldn’t think in days, instead think in the number of topics and micro-skills that you can improve or build.
Should I learn C or C++ for cybersecurity?
It is up to you, both C/C++ are considered good starting points to develop a secure system.
What pays more cybersecurity or coding?
Your salary depends on your skills and experience, as well as the industry and company you work for. However, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics as of July 2023, the median annual salary for cybersecurity in the US is $102,600, while the median annual salary for software engineering is $120,730. As mentioned before, this depends on many factors, so don’t solely focus on it.
Is cyber security math heavy?
Those pursuing a career in cybersecurity often require a solid foundation in mathematics. This is particularly true for those with a focus on computer science, where knowledge in areas such as calculus, discrete mathematics, and statistics is often necessary.
This is the end of our article. We hope you found this information helpful and it encourages you to start cyber security as a career. Don’t forget to keep learning and improving your skills on both the technical and social fronts. If you have any questions about how to start cyber security as a career or any other topic, feel free to ask in the comments section below.