The first steps
Author: Stefan Waldvogel
Editor: Shana Wejuli -reserved-
Editor: Shana Wejuli -reserved-
How can you start your Cybersecurity career?
There are many ways, the next picture shows one path.
There are many ways, the next picture shows one path.
The start: Why do you want to work in Cybersecurity?
You saw an ad, and it sounds fantastic, you saw the possible high salary or something else. Most likely, it has something to do with the hype. You know many positive things, but not so much about the opposing side. It would be best if you learned more about the negative side, so you are prepared to jump over obstacles.
Research: If you want to work in this field, know more than “Cybersecurity is cool.” You need to know the big picture to understand what companies need. Later you have to set a goal but to do this, you need knowledge about different cybersecurity fields. Cybersecurity is really huge. You probably know what a pen tester or a SOC Analyst is, but there are hundreds of other options.
Goal setting: Think about your strengths, weaknesses, and things you like. You spend 8 hours a day in a job, pick something you love to do. Find a matching subtopic, maybe “Security Monitoring.”
Read job descriptions & ask the right people: Now, you have a goal, and the job title could be “Security Analyst.” Find job ads and see what companies want. Additionally, talk to people in the field and start networking. You want to understand the job and their tasks before you spend money.
Add knowledge: At this point, you have a particular goal, and therefore you can select the needed courses, certifications or add a degree. Find the lowest price for a piece of knowledge. Most people start with this step, wasting time and money. For example, a degree is costly, and you should not spend $50,000 without having a realistic and specific goal. Keep the costs in terms of time and money for your path as low as possible.
According to Ricki Burke, the most straight forward path to get a Cybersecurity role is:
This guide includes all steps in detail and more.
You saw an ad, and it sounds fantastic, you saw the possible high salary or something else. Most likely, it has something to do with the hype. You know many positive things, but not so much about the opposing side. It would be best if you learned more about the negative side, so you are prepared to jump over obstacles.
Research: If you want to work in this field, know more than “Cybersecurity is cool.” You need to know the big picture to understand what companies need. Later you have to set a goal but to do this, you need knowledge about different cybersecurity fields. Cybersecurity is really huge. You probably know what a pen tester or a SOC Analyst is, but there are hundreds of other options.
Goal setting: Think about your strengths, weaknesses, and things you like. You spend 8 hours a day in a job, pick something you love to do. Find a matching subtopic, maybe “Security Monitoring.”
Read job descriptions & ask the right people: Now, you have a goal, and the job title could be “Security Analyst.” Find job ads and see what companies want. Additionally, talk to people in the field and start networking. You want to understand the job and their tasks before you spend money.
Add knowledge: At this point, you have a particular goal, and therefore you can select the needed courses, certifications or add a degree. Find the lowest price for a piece of knowledge. Most people start with this step, wasting time and money. For example, a degree is costly, and you should not spend $50,000 without having a realistic and specific goal. Keep the costs in terms of time and money for your path as low as possible.
According to Ricki Burke, the most straight forward path to get a Cybersecurity role is:
- Decided which area of security you want to work in, e.g., GRC, penetration testing, Incident Response, Application Security, etc. Each requires a different skill set.
- Through research and speaking with people who perform those roles, determine the skills required. What do they do on a day-to-day basis?
- Learn those skills. Some might come in the way of a certification, but there are plenty of free or reasonably priced options.
- During this time, build relationships. Get to know people who can help you with knowledge and might even refer you to a job.
- Keep trying
This guide includes all steps in detail and more.
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