The Cyber Security Field

Characteristics of the Cyber Security Industry and how they impact employment
Technology is quickly becoming one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. As countries become more developed, they will rely more heavily on the efficiencies and benefits derived from technology solutions. Many industry experts believe that data will become the next frontier as it relates to technology and future applications. Due to the technological innovations the possibilities and applications for large amounts of data are just beginning. Currently, organizations such IBM and Google are using data to predict future weather trends, create self-driving cars, or even automating renewable energy outputs within the grid. These technological innovations are designed to not only benefit corporate America, but also improve the quality of life for individuals around the world. The technology industry offers participants a lucrative, high-paying career along with the satisfaction of dramatically improving the lives of others (Bradford, 2017).
Unfortunately, the advancement of technology has brought with its participants who are looking to do harm to others. Cyber warfare, according to some studies has the potential to become the next battleground for rival countries looking to start a war. As technology has increased its prevalence in society so too has the important of cyber security. To help protect the livelihoods of others and the national security interests of America, I have decided to pursue a career within the cyber security industry.
To begin, most participants in the industry are highly skills workers with knowledge of various computing languages and technology infrastructures. Here, a college degree is not necessarily required to work in the industry. However, the individual most be well-versed with computing terminology, software, programming languages and other. As the industry is in its infancy stages relative to other mature industries, there is no set career path. As such individuals from various backgrounds can be successful within the industry so long as they have a passion for technology. Most HR experts however do recommend beginning a cybersecurity career with an internship or apprenticeship. This will allow the new practitioner to become family with industry fundamentals while also learning the basics of database management, coding and networks. Most importantly, an internship will allow an individual to see real-world applications and IT procedures daily. One an individual determines that they are interested in a career in cybersecurity, they must then identify their area of interest. Areas of interest include email security, network security, forensics, security administrator, web security, security software developer, and others (Sundaram, 2017). My interest is security administration. As it relates to personality characteristics of an ideal candidate, many of them don’t vary much from other professions. The individual must be passionate for technology, have a team-oriented mindset, strong communication skills, a strong sense of integrity, and the ability to synthesize large amounts of information to arrive at a conclusion.
Employment prospects within the industry are very favorable. In fact, due the expertise required, there are more available jobs than candidates qualified to accept them. The 2018 Cyber Security Workforce study estimated that there is nearly a 498,000 shortage of cyber security professional in the United States alone (ISC, 2018). As a result, entry level sales are much higher than the median household income to attract and retain qualified candidates. The typical starting salary for a cyber security expert is roughly $82,000 a year. This figure can quickly rise to above $100,000 depending on the job location. Factors that typically impact salary are years of experience, previous responsibilities, technical expertise, and overall technological knowledge. Likewise, benefits within most organizations are higher than can be found in many other industries. For example, Google offers an 8% 401k match, childcare reimbursement, free health club memberships, options to work remotely full-time, $10k tuition reimbursement per year, and the ability to purchase stock of the company at a reduced price. The issues related to the lack of candidates often relates specifically to the skills required for the job. Most cyber security leaders have a background in information systems, coding, and math. However, it is now uncommon to see individuals with a passion for technology with a degree in history of philosophy become successful within the industry. As such years of study and technical education vary between candidates. An entry level position typically requires a bachelor’s degree or certificate from a reputable technology program. Management positions typically require roughly 10 years or relevant industry experience combined with technical expertise. As it relates to the ability to move up to the management position, the growth potential in the industry is very seamless. Unlike more bureaucratic organizations, cyber security firms tend to be much flatter and more responsive. As such, quality workers tend to outperform and become noticed much more easily (Kuss, 2018).
As mentioned earlier, a career in cybersecurity is not as traditional as other, more established and mature industries. As discussed above the path for a cyber security profession can involve obtainment of bachelor’s degree, an advanced degree, or none. Likewise, an individual could have a background in technology or a background in history to be successful in the industry. Within the cyber security industry, one’s proficiency and expertise in cybersecurity is often determined by their inquisitive nature, problem solving skills, technical aptitude, and their ability to understand the interdependencies of people, systems, and applications (Hack the Gap, 2019). In order to obtain this aptitude cyber security expert must invest heavily in themselves through training, self-study, or higher education (NSA, 2019). As mentioned in the early paragraphs, an apprenticeship or internship is one of the most viable ways to gain practical experience within the industry. Those looking to take the more traditional approach can expect to incur roughly $5,000 in training, fees, and tuition. This include access to labs, software, textbooks, exercise and access to expert instruction. Community Colleges, private training seminars, and colleges typically provided the most robust and reputable forms of training. However, there are also less expensive options such as Cybrary, Udemy and even YouTube. Financing options for these startup costs can range from student loan financing, certain grants, tuition reimbursement or simply saving. The best option would be a grant or saving the funds overtime. Student loans, although we are currently in a low interest rate environment, can be costly long term. However, as job prospect for this industry are favorable, it is likely that the $5,000 initial costs can be easily services through eventual employment. Tuition reimbursement is also attractive, but typically comes with a clause that the employee must stay with the employer for a specified amount of time.
As it relates to the informational interview, I decided to read an interview about a middle manger working in the cyber security field. The interview reaffirmed many of the notions that I had gained by researching the career. First and arguable most importantly, the interview article emphasized the need for a technology passion. The interview noting that a typical day involves large amounts of problem solving, investigating, and drawing conclusions. As a result, a well-rounded team is preferred to help diversify thought and opinions. An interesting element that I didn’t appreciate until reading the interview was the importance of understanding human behavior. The interviewee quickly alluded to the fact that those with psychology degrees often perform well within the industry as they can understand and rationalize human behavior. Most importantly, they can combine the human element with solutions that will prevent them from doing harm to others. During my research I often neglected the human element of cybersecurity and its ability to inform counter strategies. I heavily focused on the more technical components of the process such as how to design a solution or how to properly code. However, an important element is to properly understand how individuals think so that you can predict and counteract their nefarious behavior. Another main takeaway was the idea of continual learning and its importance. Unlike some industries and professions that change processes very slowly, a cyber security profession must constantly learn. In fact, some certification require that the professional engage in continual education credits to keep their certification active. The importance of continual education is paramount to the advancement of the industry and the individual overall. For one, as technology advances so too must the skills and abilities of the cybersecurity profession. If not, the skills of the professional will become obsolete and ineffective at challenging those who would like to harm others. This will have grave implications for our financial system, our healthcare system, and other critical networks that house important information (8 New Horizons, 2018).
When reflecting on the research for this assignment, I thoroughly enjoyed researching the merit of the cybersecurity industry. The research project has only reaffirmed my commitment to the cybersecurity industry and the technology field overall. I believe I possess many of the personality traits and temperament outlined throughout this paper. First, I have a passion for technology and understanding how systems work. I enjoy problem solving and working with others to derive solutions. I also enjoy the fulfillment of knowing that I am helping others through my work, even if they don’t know who I am. However, through this project, I must further develop my interpersonal and psychology skills. Here, I need to better understand how people think and what factors enter their decision-making processes. Overall, through the development of this skill, I believe I will be better prepared for an entry-level position within the industry.
References:
1. NSA. Criteria for Measurement for CAE in Cyber Operations Fundamental. January 15, 2019 [accessed]. https://www.nsa.gov/resources/students-educators/centers-academic-excellence/cae-co-fundamental/ 12
2. Kuss, Lauren. The cybersecurity Veterans Toolkit. Hire Our Heroes. April 18 2018. https://hireourheroes.org/cybersecurity-veterans-toolkit/ 13 Cyber Seek.
3. Hack the Gap: Close the Cybersecurity Talent Gap with Interactive Tools and Data. January 7, 2019 [accessed] https://www.cyberseek.org/index.html
4. Bradford, Laurence. Career in Cybersecurity. Forbes. February 27 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencebradford/2017/02/27/how-to-start-a-lucrative-career-incybersecurity/#7bd253cf1066 20
5. Sundaram, Aurobindo. Security Certifications are Useless, Right? Infosecurity Magazine. March 2017. https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news-features/security-certifications-useless/
6. 8 New Horizons. 4 Cybersecurity Career Paths (And the Training to Get You There). July 19 2018. https://www.newhorizons.com/resources/article/articleid/41/title/4-cybersecurity-career-paths-and-thetraining-to-get-you-there
7. (ISC). Cybersecurity Professionals Focus on Developing New Skills as Workforce Gap Widens. 2018. https://www.isc2.org/-/media/ISC2/Research/2018-ISC2-Cybersecurity-Workforce