Why You Should Consider a Career in Cybersecurity

In some metropolitan areas, the U.S. is already facing a major IT personnel shortage. That claim may sound odd when you're constantly hearing news about IT job cuts. For example, the Washington Post recently reported that since Q1 2013, the business world announced a 144-percent increase in IT job cuts. However, the U.S. economy produced nearly 10,000 more IT jobs this June than it did in June 2012.

If we need IT professionals so much, then why are we laying them off?The IT job market isn't shrinking, but the in-demand segments have changed. Big data, cloud computing, healthcare IT and mobile are growing while segments like hardware manufacturing are shrinking. To find out more about earning an IT degree that will actually take you places, click here for info. An online cybersecurity bachelor’s degree is one of the best degrees you can get right now.


Why Is Cybersecurity a Growing Field?

The world is facing more cybersecurity threats, which means that demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing. In fact, The Wall Street Journal reports that cybersecurity job demand is growing 12 times faster than the overall job market. Just consider some of these facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources:

• The average cybersecurity salary is $101,000 per year. The average annual salary for a regular IT staffer is $89,000.
• A wide variety of industries are demanding cybersecurity talent. Traditional employers like defense contractors and major IT firms are still demanding talent, but demand for IT professionals has grown over 100 percent in fields like health care, education and public administration.
• Many businesses and agencies in major cities are eager to hire cybersecurity professionals. Top metro areas with cybersecurity job demand include Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Va., Baltimore, Dallas, Chicago, Denver, New York and San Diego.
• Employers are having a tough time retaining the talent that they have. Companies report that they repost or duplicate cybersecurity job openings 35 percent more often than other types of positions. Higher pay is the top reason that cybersecurity professionals ditch their old jobs.

How Much Education is Necessary?

Many entry-level cybersecurity jobs require only a bachelor's degree. If you're a professional that has a basic IT degree, then completing a cybersecurity certification program can add thousands of dollars per year to your current salary. Many universities are rolling out cybersecurity programs and data science majors, and many universities also have cyberdefense teams that compete in national competitions.

Cybersecurity programs contain a wide variety of courses. For example, you may take courses in criminal justice and political science in addition to information technology. You'll also have to learn more about business because one of your main cybersecurity priorities will be maintaining uptime. If your network goes down, then you have to know how to quickly restore critical customer service functions. For realistic experiences, look for programs that allow you to respond to simulated emergencies. For example, classes could include emergency training involving a simulated cyberattack on a bank.

Government is starting to get involved so that it can respond to its own growing demand for public sector cybersecurity professionals. The Department of Homeland Security, which has a task force on cyberskills, is working to create programs that combine junior and community college degrees and certificates with 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. Programs like these could get cybersecurity professionals into the job market more quickly.

Pros and Cons of a Cybersecurity Career

While no career is perfect, cybersecurity careers have many positive factors. According to an InformationWeek salary survey, 63 percent of cybersecurity professionals report that they are either satisfied or very satisfied with their careers. Solving new and evolving cybersecurity problems keeps many cybersecurity workers intellectually challenged. Also, staff members have plenty of opportunities to venture into management positions.

If you work in cybersecurity, then prepare to work long hours on occasion. You may experience 30 days of normalcy and then face a sudden 48-hour DDoS attack. Expect to be on call in case an emergency strikes, particularly if your job involves critical infrastructure like health care or utility services. Still, when you truly enjoy your job, those occasional long hours don't seem quite so long.

About the Author : Shannon Gallagher, Ph.D., teaches cybersecurity seminars at several different universities. She has served as a cybersecurity advisor in the health care, energy and manufacturing sectors.

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