A recent survey conducted by the World Economic Forum shows that cybersecurity is the number one concern of CEOs at the helm of US-based companies. One part of the concern is that there just aren’t enough people with the necessary skills to hire for all of the available cybersecurity openings.
Unlike other jobs or professions, unfilled cybersecurity jobs translate to digital infrastructure threats, increased attacks and vulnerabilities on data/information networks, and ultimately a bad user experience across the entire internet.
Luckily, cybersecurity professional organizations — and even the federal government — are recognizing the danger inherent in a shortage of cybersecurity professionals. The result is a funnel of opportunity for people looking for careers in the industry.
And these opportunities are not just limited to entry-level cybersecurity work. Companies and organizations are hiring across all levels for cybersecurity professionals. Another trend is that companies (like in retail, for example) who have not traditionally hired for cybersecurity jobs are now creating positions and teams focused on keeping customer data safe and secure.
What that means, in real terms, is an extended growth period that is expected to last well into the future. According to a report by the career website, Indeed, the number of cybersecurity job openings in the United States grew by 7 percent last year.
According to the same report, the top ten most popular (and growing) careers in the cybersecurity field all make over $100,000 a year. Here is a list of in-demand cybersecurity careers:
- Chief information security officer: This is an executive-level position tasked with developing and overseeing a company’s cybersecurity architecture, policy/planning, and execution. This position requires technical chops and management acumen. LEARN MORE
- Computer forensics: Computer forensics are detectives that work with company officials or law enforcement after a data, network, or security breach to paint a picture of how a computer or computer system was compromised. LEARN MORE
- Computer security incident responder: The responsibilities for this job are very much aligned with the job title itself. Incident responders are usually the first call within an organization or company if a data breach or hack is detected. The role requires documenting the attack and developing a response. LEARN MORE
- Cryptanalysts: Today’s codebreakers, cryptanalysts use mathematics, computer science, and engineering to analyze different methods of concealing data. This career name is sometimes used synonymously with cryptographer, but there is a distinction within the industry. LEARN MORE
- Cryptographer: A cryptographer working in cybersecurity is a modern spin on an ancient discipline. Cryptographers use algorithms and computer code to create (and decipher) encrypted software and related services. LEARN MORE
- Cybercrime investigator: Digital crimes are unique in that they are undertaken remotely, or that they can happen in virtual realms, or require sophisticated coordination among many nodes or hubs. Cybercrime investigators act as digital detectives to help bring cybercriminals to justice after a hack or cyberattack. LEARN MORE
- Data protection officer: The data protection officer (DPO) is a relatively new position created to meet the requirements set by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. Since the regulation affects all companies doing business in Europe, a DPO helps develop and implement data privacy strategies within a company or organization. LEARN MORE
- Digital forensics: These professionals are like the sleuths of the digital world. Often they are tasked with figuring out what happened after a security incident and being able to reverse engineer hacks and attacks. As the number of digital attack surfaces continues to grow, so too does the need for professionals with digital forensic skills. LEARN MORE
- Ethical hacker: An ethical hacker, also known as a penetration tester, is tasked with trying to find vulnerabilities in a computer system or network. The goal is to find these vulnerabilities and suggest fixes or defenses before cybercriminals or black-hat hackers are able to exploit the systems. LEARN MORE
- Malware analyst: An important and rapidly growing role within the cybersecurity hierarchy is that of a malware analyst. Part security engineer, part digital forensics expert, and part programmer, this crucial function provides in-depth intelligence after a cybersecurity event. LEARN MORE
- Penetration tester: Or pen tester, or ethical hacker, is a popular job within cybersecurity. Penetration testers are hired by companies or organizations to look for security issues and vulnerabilities before other hackers do. LEARN MORE
- Security administrator: A security administrator is often an IT-dominant role that can focus or transition into security-related job functions. LEARN MORE
- Security analyst: A security analyst is responsible for monitoring security procedures and making sure that best practices are implemented and followed. The role of a security analyst might vary widely depending on the size and industry of the employing company, but the career is definitely becoming more popular across all sectors. LEARN MORE
- Security architect: Designing computing networks and other infrastructure with an eye towards security and maintaining overall integrity is the job of security architects. Often this job draws on the skills and experience from a variety of backgrounds and is considered a foundational function when creating secure and resilient networks. LEARN MORE
- Security code auditor: This job title is also referred to as a security auditor, source code auditor, or security auditor. This job, which acts as an editor of sensitive security code requires a wide-ranging skillset including programming, an understanding of network and systems infrastructure as well as a familiarity with penetration testing and underlying security protocols. LEARN MORE
- Security consultant: Security consultants often have a depth of experience and knowledge to pull from and are hired when there is a pressing security problem or issue that a company or organization is trying to deal with or eliminate. LEARN MORE
- Security engineer: On average, this is the highest paying cybersecurity job with a reported (averaged) income of $128,128 a year. Security engineers are responsible for building and maintaining security code and systems to safeguard data and infrastructure. LEARN MORE
- Security software developer: A security software developer is tasked with taking software that a company or organization might write for its business or operations and then adding layers of security on top of that software so that it is hardened from an attack perspective. In some ways, this role straddles the worlds of traditional commercial software development with the emerging info security world. LEARN MORE
- Security specialist: A security specialist is someone with a deep understanding of tactics and best practices and that can be tasked with a number of specific security-oriented roles depending on company or organization size and scope. LEARN MORE
Other useful information for finding career opportunities in cybersecurity can be found on the program pages, online education pages, and in the resource section.