Is it really possible to land a job the cybersecurity without experience? The simple answer is “not really”. This article guides you on how to gain one.
Benefits of Having A Career In Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is one of the most popular career files in the world. Its popularity has gone up even higher due to our increased reliance on technology. Every industry needs cybersecurity professionals that will secure and maintain data.
In fact, the field has a zero percent unemployment rate. Moreover, job vacancies increased by 94%, and that number is expected to increase for years to come. Thus, having a career in the field almost guarantees job security and opens many career growth opportunities.
How To Gain Experience In Cybersecurity
These facts have made many people wonder if it’s possible to enter cybersecurity without experience. As mentioned, the simple answer is “not really”. The reality is you need to gain the necessary skills and experience from somewhere.
Fortunately, there are various ways how to gain those requirements.
Having a technical background in a related area
You might not have any cybersecurity experience. However, knowledge in other related areas such as programming still goes a long way. Most of the technologies in computing are applicable in many areas. Thus, having such a background gives you a headstart in learning cybersecurity.
For instance, experience in programming teaches you how to notice malicious code. Knowledge in networking enables you to better navigate serves and other networked machines. These pieces of knowledge and experience are very useful in the cybersecurity field.
Obtain a degree
This is the most obvious way in obtaining a ticket into the cybersecurity field. However, this may be a challenge as some educational institutions require prior experience.
Fortunately, you’ll still find universities that don’t require experience. Yet, chances are they will require decent high school grades and qualifications related to areas of computing.
Indeed, pursuing a degree may require a huge investment. However, this is an investment worth taking as the payoff can be massive. For instance, many of the best industry jobs are only available to degree holders.
Furthermore, degree holders usually get higher salaries due to their extensive knowledge and skills. Additionally, having a degree gives you a deeper understanding of the subject which you’ll need. It also strengthens your work ethic.
Obtain professional certifications
But what if you’re not in the position to invest in getting a degree? Maybe you’re the main breadwinner in your household. People have different reasons why pursuing a degree is not an option for them.
If you are one of them, this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible for you to enter the field. A fantastic alternative is gaining professional certifications. You can finish obtaining such certifications in a much shorter time. That is because they focus on the key areas of a subject.
Professional certifications are a cheaper alternative to most degree programs. however, there are still many expensive certifications. Consider getting professional funding if your circumstances allow it.
Listed below are the most popular certifications:
- CompTIA Security+
- EC-Council: CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)
- EC-Council: ECSA (Certified Security Analyst)
- (ISC)2: CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
- GXPN (GIAC Exploit Researcher & Advanced Penetration Tester)
