Looking for a job in cybersecurity? The team at Hays examine the latest recruitment trends, top jobs and share their advice for candidates.
Cybersecurity continues to be a profession that is calling out for skills. The industry has had a talent gap for many years now and with the evolution of generative AI and a quantum future coming down the tracks, the need for security professionals in the tech world is only going to skyrocket.
But are there any changes that have occurred within the industry in recent years? Has the way in which cybersecurity employees are working changed?
“I’d say the biggest change post-pandemic has been flexible working in the cybersecurity industry. I think there’s been a lot more acceptance from organisations that that is a key pillar in attracting talent in a shortfall,” said James Walsh, cybersecurity business director of Hays UK and Ireland.
“I think equally in cybersecurity, they’ve tended to be immune from the more focused attempts to get people back into the office. Cyber and technology in general tends to be able to prove that that’s not a necessary requirement.”
Walsh also noted that there has been a definite transition away from traditional education in the cybersecurity space. He said that while degrees are still sought after, there’s a much bigger focus on skills, attributes and tangible experience.
“There are many more apprenticeships programmes out there than there were three or four years ago. There’s also more emphasis on bootcamps as well to get into the industry and to get exposure,” he said.
“Then because of the shortage, we’ve seen a lot more individuals moving from different disciplines within an organisation. For example, they could come from a formal IT background or compliance or data-centric roles that lend themselves nicely to cybersecurity, but also project management, business analyst, stakeholder engagement and risk.”
Advice for cybersecurity jobseekers
While the best advice for jobseekers can vary depending on the level you’re coming in at, Walsh said one important tip is immersing yourself in the cybersecurity community by listening to podcasts and joining online communities like TryHackMe or TrustedSEC.
“Gaining practical experience can be really difficult, but I often suggest that you try and do some kind of networking. If you’re not in an organisation or you’ve not worked yet, that can be difficult. Get onto online communities, get onto forums, get advice and potentially find a mentor, attend free networking events,” he said.
“There’s a wealth of free online content and learning out there which has no cost, which will provide some base level certifications.”
He also said there is an unfair view of cybersecurity where it’s a darkened room and all about deep technologies when in reality, there are a lot of roles that focus on areas like regulation and requirements. “There are a lot of roles where it’s required that you need to understand regulation and requirements, etc, and then you need to translate risk and engage those in the business around you.”
Knowing how the sector has changed and armed with expert advice, jobseekers can go about considering a role in cybersecurity or even a move within the industry. With this in mind, Sybil Van Riper Kleinmichel, managing expert of cybersecurity at Hays in Germany, has compiled a list of the five most in-demand jobs in cybersecurity right now.
5. Security architect
“It’s the security architect’s job to identify potential IT and cyber vulnerabilities within an organisation,” she said.
“They work with other IT professionals within their own team, or even across teams and corporate functions, to identify and address vulnerabilities in order to reduce known cyber risks. As such, it’s important to have strong communication skills and work well as part of a team.”
4. Information security manager
“The primary function of an information security manager is to ensure that their employer’s informational assets – including people, processes, IT and networks but specifically data and other sensitive information – stay safe and secure,” she said.
“This role involves designing and implementing the security policies, measures and tools which protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the company’s informational assets. It requires coordination between several functional areas to ensure that IT systems and key security processes are maintained and optimised at all times.”
3. IT auditor
“An IT auditor identifies ways in which to improve and develop the existing security of a company’s implemented technical architecture. The purpose of an IT audit is to provide best practices, recommendations for improvement and ‘non-conformances’,” she said.
“IT auditors must have a solid understanding of network and operational security, while physical and environmental security knowledge is useful. In addition to this, you’ll need to know the binding rules, regulations and directives for the industry you’ll be working in.”
2. Cybersecurity analyst
“The shortage of cybersecurity analysts today means that anyone able to analyse the maturity of cyber security processes or controls is going to find many opportunities for work,” she said.
“In this role, it’s up to you to protect your employer’s networks from hackers and phishing scams leading to malware attacks. You’ll be analysing the company’s IT systems for any suspicious activity and investigate any data breaches. You’ll also use these insights to plan how to prevent attacks in the future and provide recommendations for continual improvement of the organisations IT architecture.”
1. Cybersecurity engineer
“At number one, it’s cybersecurity engineer. We’re seeing employers looking for engineers at senior and junior levels all the time, so whether you’re starting out in security or you want to take the next step, this is a very good option,” she said.
“Engineers help organisations to keep their networks safe from cyberattacks by designing and implementing resilient IT solutions. This involves penetration testing and conducting assessments to identify IT, hardware, network and software vulnerabilities, as well as troubleshooting and making sure the right security controls are in place.”
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