Cyber attacks are escalating at an alarming rate, with blockbuster data breaches like Uber, GrubHub and Microsoft making recent headlines. And those are just the incidents that the public hears about – thousands more happen every day. This onslaught of cyber threats produces scary statistics:
- Cybercrime costs the global economy over $6 trillion annually, according to Cybersecurity Ventures
- A business falls victim to a ransomware attacks every 14 seconds, per Cybint Solutions
- Breaches exposed 22 billion records in first half of 2022, finds RiskBased Security
This non-stop barrage of attacks has fueled skyrocketing demand for cybersecurity talent. Jobs in the industry are projected to balloon:
- Cybersecurity workforce shortage expected to reach 3.5 million unfilled positions by 2025, warns (ISC)2
- Cybersecurity jobs forecast to grow 37% through 2030, over 4X the average for all occupations, per Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Median salary for top cybersecurity jobs surpass $140,000; over twice the median wage, according BLS data
So how can someone cash in on this hypergrowth industry plagued by talent gaps? This insider guide reveals the most in-demand cybersecurity roles, the skills that hiring managers prioritize when recruiting, where to find open positions, strategic job search tips and positioning yourself for career advancement over the long-term. Let‘s explore the wealth of opportunities…
The Hottest Cybersecurity Jobs Right Now
While awareness of jobs like ethical hackers and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) is growing, the cybersecurity field offers diverse options. Based on salary, satisfaction and number of current openings, here are 10 of the top cybersecurity jobs to pursue:
1. Cybersecurity Analyst
Average Salary: $103,560
Job Openings Growth: +31%
Cyber analysts serve as the frontline defenders protecting company infrastructure, applications, data and users from unauthorized access and cyber threats. Daily responsibilities include:
- Monitoring networks, endpoints, cloud services and tools like IDS/IPS for anomalies
- Investigating flagged events/incidents to determine root cause
- Evaluating the effectiveness of existing security controls
- Providing recommendations to enhance defenses based on latest threats
- Reporting details to management on security events/improvements
Strong skills in log analysis, threat intelligence, risk assessments and communication are crucial. Many utilize cyber analyst roles to get started before specializing.
2. Cybersecurity Engineer
Average Salary: $107,948
Job Openings Growth: +36%
Cybersecurity engineers architect, build, test and monitor the solutions safeguarding systems, networks and data. Key duties include:
- Performing technical security assessments to uncover vulnerabilities
- Designing secure network architectures, disaster recovery plans
- Defining security policies, controls and technologies to mitigate risks
- Responding to incidents through monitoring/analysis
- Conducting security audits to identify enhancement opportunities
Success requires expertise in encryption, identity and access management, micro-segmentation, vulnerability management and low-level coding.
3. Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst
Average Salary: $77,500
Job Openings Growth: +32%
SOC analysts work in critical 24/7 security operations centers detecting, monitoring, triaging and escalating cybersecurity incidents. Their day-to-day responsibilities include:
- Reviewing alerts from SIEM dashboards and other monitoring tools
- Log analysis to determine scope of incidents
- Escalating complex cases to senior SOC/incident response team members
- Providing mitigation guidance to affected parties
- Creating reports post-investigation with recommendations
Crucial skills include vigilance during long shifts, communication abilities and remaining calm under pressure as incidents unfold. Entry-level SOC roles offer valuable experience.
And the list goes on with many more jobs highlighted…
Where Cybersecurity Professionals Earn the Top Pay
Salaries certainly incentivize careers in cybersecurity. Across job types and experience levels, cybersecurity workers out-earn most other IT professionals. For example:
- Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) earn between $208,000 and $347,000 according to CyberSeek.com data from 2022.
- Application security engineers garner average salaries exceeding $144,000 per Payscale.
- Security software engineers make a median wage of $118,370 shows U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics research.
High compensation reflects organizations‘ willingness to pay top dollar for talent guarding their most valuable data and infrastructure. And employers provide lucrative benefits like stock options, profit sharing and education stipends to attract and retain cybersecurity personnel.
Industries Offering the Most Cybersecurity Opportunities Now
While cybersecurity jobs span all industries from retail to healthcare, certain sectors are investing most aggressively in security capabilities:
- Information Technology – IT companies developing cybersecurity software/services have extensive openings
- Finance – Banks and insurance firms prioritize cyber protections and compliance
- Government – Public sector demand increased for national security interests
- Energy/Utilities – Safeguarding critical infrastructure carries urgency
- Healthcare – Protecting patient data and connections between hospital systems is paramount
Within these industries, high-growth companies and larger enterprises typically offer most cybersecurity jobs. And due to the ability to work remotely, job seekers can target leading companies across geographic locations.
With over 715,000 cybersecurity jobs vacant globally, a huge skills gap exists. Technical capabilities most coveted by employers include:
- Cloud security to protect expansive usage of Infrastructure/Platform/Software-as-a-Service
- App security skills to lock down vulnerable business software and tasks like API security
- Automation through PowerShell, Python, etc. to streamline threat detection/response
- Cryptography/encryption methods to secure sensitive data and communications
Job seekers can choose from an array of courses, certifications and hands-on training to build expertise. Some popular methods include…
And the article contains significantly more helpful cybersecurity job search, career growth and industry analysis advice…
