You’ve likely heard that cyber security is a hot market in the current economy. With near constant advances in technology and exciting opportunities in a wide variety of industries, particularly in the energy market, cyber security professionals seemingly have their pick of high-quality jobs. What’s more, professionals with experience in cyber security are increasingly in demand, which means that jobs are less competitive and compensation is high. If you are interested in breaking into the cyber security scene, here are a few tips to help you land your dream job.
Match your IT Background with the Job Description
This is a common recommendation for job searches no matter what industry you are in. Finding the common ground between your work experience and the job requirements is a standard best practice for a job search. But in the cyber security industry, this is even more important. Be sure to highlight experiences and achievements where you have previously taken part on a cyber project. This will help hiring managers better understand how your resume is relevant to their opportunity, and how you will be able to help them better protect their systems.
Go Get Certified
Cyber security certifications are a requirement for most commercial and all defense-related IT security jobs. There are a range of qualifications and certifications available to IT professionals looking to focus their careers on security. The more basic COMPTIA Security+ certification is a globally recognized credential that is approved by the U.S. Department of Defense and is compliant with the Federal Information Security Management Act. The ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (or CISSP) is on the other side of the spectrum, and provides security professionals with the training they need to design, engineer, implement and manage information security programs.
Additional certifications include programs available from GIAC, ECCouncil and ISACA. There are a number of specific certifications available from vendors such as Cisco, RSA and Symantec as well.
Learn to Analyze Data
This skill is an important one for cyber security applicants to highlight on their application material. As data analysis is becoming more critical for connected industries, including the energy industry, the ability for IT professionals to be able to collect and understand the information that’s needed to fully protect a system. Cyber security professionals need to be very good at finding cracks in the wall or bugs in the system in order to better protect their assets. They are asked to deal with large amounts of data quickly and effectively to pinpoint anomalies that indicate a security breach has occurred.
Network with Other Cyber Security Professionals
Of course the best way to get a job is to know someone who is looking to hire. Making connections with other cyber security pros is therefore an important step to break into the industry. They can mentor you, provide insider tips on upcoming job opportunities and advise on how to better prepare for this career.
Work with a Leader in IT Recruitment
At ESGI, we know the market inside and out due to our more than 30 years of experience. Contact our great team of IT recruiters today as we understand the demands of today’s utility market and will help you take the next step in your career.
