IN THIS ARTICLE
- What Does a Cybersecurity Expert Do?
- 9 Entry-Level Cybersecurity Jobs
- How To Land an Entry-Level Cybersecurity Job
- The Path to Cybersecurity: Real-Life Examples and Stories
- Cybersecurity as a Career FAQs
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The demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to outpace the number of qualified applicants. In 2021, there were 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity roles, and that number has only continued to grow, according to a study conducted by Cybersecurity Ventures. So it’s safe to say that, if you have the right qualifications, landing a cybersecurity role isn’t going to be difficult.
The challenge for today’s entry-level cybersecurity professionals is choosing the right specialty. Most cybersecurity jobs are lucrative, but some more so than others, and if you don’t do well under pressure, then there are some cybersecurity specialties that you’ll definitely want to avoid.
Want to know which cybersecurity role is best for you? Then you’re in the right place. Below, we’ll tell you all about nine of the most common entry-level cybersecurity jobs, so that you can pick the career path that’s right for you.
What Does a Cybersecurity Expert Do?
A cybersecurity specialist is responsible for protecting an organization’s digital assets from hackers. They do this by studying cyber threats and their vulnerabilities, then building a digital infrastructure that can repel these attacks. They’re also responsible for instituting security protocols.
9 Entry-Level Cybersecurity Jobs
Here are nine of the most common entry-level cybersecurity jobs:
Information Security Analyst
Information security analysts monitor systems for potential breaches, set up protective measures like firewalls, and document security incidents.
Salary
The median salary for information security analysts is $102,600.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
Information security analysts are usually required to have at least a four-year degree, either in computer science, software engineering, or IT.
Essential Skills
Information security analysts need to be adept at setting up security platforms, and must also be knowledgeable about how to patch vulnerabilities in different operating systems. Networks are key to information security, so analysts are also required to set up network monitoring tools, respond to detected threats, and be able to run maintenance tasks whenever the need arises.
Other Prerequisites
Certifications such as the CompTIA Security+ and Certified Ethical Hacker are advantageous to have if you’re looking to land a job in this field.
Career Prospects
US News currently ranks information security analysts as second on its list of best technology jobs. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the field will grow 35% between 2021 and 2031.
System Administrator
Systems administrators deal with both software and hardware components of workstations at an organizational level. They set up these systems according to project specifications and troubleshoot any issues that might arise with them.
Salary
System administrators make an average salary of $76,861.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
Most companies will require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field as a prerequisite for a job in systems administration. A postgraduate degree is not mandatory but getting a master’s in information technology or computer science can give you a competitive edge in the job market.
Essential Skills
Systems administrators must be adept at setting up individual systems, as well as networked systems. This requires a deep understanding of different operating systems. You should know how to set up and run instances of operating systems such as Linux and Microsoft in different environments and based on different specifications.
Systems administrators must also set up IT infrastructure for networks and deal with any interruptions that occur.
While coding in general is a required skill for system administrators, systems administrators need to be especially good at scripting languages. This allows them to automate tasks and customize operating system environments.
Other Prerequisites
The Red Hat Certified Engineer certification and Cisco Certified Network Associate certification can be useful if you’re looking to work as a systems administrator in those specific areas.
Career Prospects
There were over 333,000 network and computer systems administrator jobs available in the USA in 2021. That number is projected to grow at a 3% rate between 2021 and 2031.
IT Support Specialist
IT support specialists respond to customer-reported incidents and help resolve technical issues that arise with hardware devices or software installations.
Salary
IT support specialists make an average annual salary of $53,221.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
An associate’s degree is all you need for an IT support specialist job. You might, however, have to complete some on-the-job training before you take on live projects.
Essential Skills
To work in IT support, you should possess general technical savvy. That means understanding how to install and configure software, basic hardware knowledge, and the ability to set up and run devices like printers and scanners. Support specialists should also be good problem solvers.
Communication is a key skill in IT support. Professionals in this field spend a lot of their time talking to customers and dealing with their problems. You should be able to communicate effectively and build a rapport with customers quickly.
Other Prerequisites
IT support specialists at most companies are required to learn how to use the customer support software of their choice, such as FreshDesk or SysAid.
Career Prospects
Jobs for IT support specialists are expected to grow at a 6% rate between 2021 and 2031, which translates to about 56,000 new jobs.
Junior Forensic Analyst
Forensic analysts are cybersecurity professionals who use data analysis and other techniques to solve cybercrime cases. They investigate the sources of these incidents and come up with techniques to proactively prevent them.
Salary
The median annual salary of junior forensic analysts in the USA is $67,640.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
You need to have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information technology to work as a junior forensic analyst. You can further boost your chances by completing a diploma or master’s degree in cybersecurity.
Essential Skills
Forensic analysts should be well-versed in digital storage technologies across different operating systems. They also need a deep understanding of storage architectures and file systems management. Ethical hacking techniques and data analysis techniques can be used to conduct their investigations.
Other Prerequisites
Certifications such as the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) and the certification from the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS) can help you gain key skills in the field of forensic analysis.
Career Prospects
Forensic analysis is a growing field within cybersecurity. There are currently over 1,800 jobs listed under “digital forensics” on LinkedIn, including roles such as digital media forensics analyst, forensic imaging specialist, and cyber intel analyst.
Junior Cryptanalyst
Cryptanalysts analyze code bases and encryption systems with the goal of uncovering protected information or identifying security flaws.
Salary
The average salary of cryptanalysts in the USA is $80,171.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
Cryptanalysts are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. A degree in mathematics can also serve as a foundation in this field.
Essential Skills
Cryptanalysts work with sensitive data in law enforcement, government, finance, and academia. Therefore, they need to be adept at sourcing, handling, and processing data of different kinds. This is a job that often requires that you investigate encrypted materials. So you need to have a good understanding of different encryption techniques and any vulnerabilities that you might be able to exploit in them.
Other Prerequisites
The EC-Council Certified Encryption Specialist (ECES) and CompTIA PenTest+ certifications are useful for those looking to land a job in this field.
Career Prospects
There is a demand for cryptanalysts within the world of cybersecurity because of how specialized of a job it is. Websites such as www.clearancejobs.com post open roles in this field, but you need a security clearance to even log on to the site.
Junior Penetration Tester
Penetration testers (also known as ethical hackers) are hired by organizations to hack into their systems to find any vulnerabilities before actual hackers do.
Salary
Junior penetration testers have an average annual salary of $87,117.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field is a prerequisite for most penetration testing jobs. It helps if you have some experience in IT in areas such as networks or security.
Essential Skills
Penetration testers are experts in security systems. They have a strong understanding of threat detection, cracking tools like Hashcat, and working with encrypted volumes. They also know how to create secure physical systems such as doors that restrict access to server rooms and cabling.
Other Prerequisites
The Certified Penetration Testing (CPENT) certification is the go-to for those looking to break into the field of penetration testing.
Career Prospects
Penetration testing is a field that’s gaining prominence across industries. LinkedIn lists over 17,000 penetration jobs at the moment, including at big names like Verizon, GE Healthcare, and Farmers Insurance.
Source Code Auditor
Source code auditors analyze the codebases of companies to determine whether there are any security flaws within them.
Salary
Source code auditors have an average salary of $75,051.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree in information technology or computer science is required for most source code auditing jobs.
Essential Skills
Source code auditors go through code written for different software applications and look for security vulnerabilities. Thus, they need a good understanding of programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, etc.
Other Prerequisites
A background in software engineering is helpful if you want to work as a source code auditor since it gives you an understanding of how software is written.
Career Prospects
Source code auditors are needed across industries since finding security flaws in code is a common requirement.
Security Auditor
Security auditors assess an organization’s overall cybersecurity infrastructure. They provide stakeholders with an overview of the audit process and create reports recommending ways to enhance the security of information systems.
Salary
Security auditors in the USA have an average annual salary of $117,000.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
You need to have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or IT to work as a security auditor.
Essential Skills
Security auditors need to have a good understanding of operating systems, networks, databases, and cloud computing. Auditors also need to be adept at audit planning as well as carrying out security audits.
Other Prerequisites
The Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification is the one that’s most commonly completed by security auditors.
Career Prospects
This is one of the most lucrative subsets of cybersecurity, with salaries reaching up to $172,000 annually.
Junior Security Analyst
Security analysts conduct risk assessments on data encryption software and information infrastructures. This job also involves setting up firewall systems and upgrading these systems when required.
Salary
Junior security analysts make $68,990 per year on average.
How To Land This Job
Educational Qualifications
The education requirements for security analysts vary with the job that you’re applying to. Some accept candidates with an associate degree, while others might require a postgraduate degree in computer science or cybersecurity.
Essential Skills
Security analysts are in charge of incident response and handling, so it can be a high-pressure job. Documenting is vital when responding to cyber incidents, so an eye for detail is key too.
Other Prerequisites
The CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) is the most commonly recommended certification for IT professionals who want a career in security analysis.
Career Prospects
According to Cyberseek, there are about 50,000 unfilled security analyst positions at any one time, which means that there’s a huge demand for these professionals.
How To Land an Entry-Level Cybersecurity Job
Follow these steps to land the cybersecurity job that’s right for you:
Get a Certification
Cybersecurity certifications show recruiters that you have what it takes for a career in cybersecurity. Anyone who works as a cybersecurity professional will usually have a couple of these popular certifications under their belt.
Consider Lateral Moves
If you’ve got a tech background, then consider making a lateral move into cybersecurity. If you’re trying to make this kind of move, then you should consider completing an online cybersecurity bootcamp.
Build Your Network
Start with interacting with others who are passionate about cybersecurity. You can do so by joining online communities that are geared toward cybersecurity geeks. That’s a great way to keep abreast of cybersecurity trends and find out if there are entry-level openings in the field.
You should also connect with recruiters and managers who work with cybersecurity teams. LinkedIn is a great place to do that. You can look up professionals in the industry and build relationships with them by interacting with their posts and making your own posts on cybersecurity topics.
The Path to Cybersecurity: Real-Life Examples and Stories
Day Johnson – Cyberwox
Day Johnson is a security engineer at Datadog and he runs a YouTube channel called Day Cyberwox. The YouTube channel is a treasure trove for anyone looking to break into the cybersecurity industry. It’s chock full of content on technical cybersecurity topics, career advice, and interviews with experienced professionals in the industry.
John Wagnon
John Wagnon is an information security professional with a wealth of experience working in various roles and companies. He started in the software industry at a time when cybersecurity looked very different than it does now. He’s watched new techniques and tools evolve and his main piece of advice for aspirants is to learn to love learning.
Cybersecurity as a Career FAQs
We’ve got the answers to your most frequently asked questions:
Is Cybersecurity a Good Career?
Yes. There is a wealth of jobs available in the cybersecurity industry and the paychecks are some of the most competitive out there.
Can You Learn Cybersecurity on Your Own?
If you’re a complete beginner, then it’s best to learn cybersecurity with some help. You can, of course, invest in a college degree and pick up a broad set of skills that can help you land a cybersecurity job. But the quickest way to go about it would be to complete a cybersecurity bootcamp and then complete a professional certification in an area that you’re passionate about.
Can You Get a Cybersecurity Job With No Experience?
Yes, but you’ll need the right educational background. A combination of certifications and bootcamps is the way to go.
What Is the Easiest Role To Get in Cybersecurity?
There are plenty of entry-level jobs for security architects, security analysts, digital forensic examiners, and penetration testers. The easiest ones to land are the ones that you are interested in and have a working knowledge of.
Do Cybersecurity Experts Get Paid Well?
Yes. Salaries in this field are some of the most lucrative in the software industry.
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