Cybersecurity is one of those fields where the demand outruns the supply. In 2023, there are about 1,000,000 jobs on the market, while the number of people trained for the field currently covers around 40% of the demand. It is expected that the demand will increase with different organizations citing from 10% to 20% raise in the number of vacancies available over the next few years. This makes the field a perfect career choice; if you are a certified cybersecurity specialist, it is almost guaranteed you’ll land yourself a decent job.
Jobs in the field of cyber security
There are numerous jobs in demand that cover different aspects of cybersecurity. The range starts from a cybersecurity architect, who develops solutions to protect data, to a cybersecurity forensics professional, who investigates breaches, looks for the offender and gives legal advice. Some of the high demand jobs will be described further on this page.
The benefits of a career in cyber security
First of all, cyber security in 2023 is growing in response to the challenges companies face. Cybercrime has become more widespread; the attacks are getting more complex, harder to identify and prevent, and the offenders keep looking for more and more sophisticated ways to breach security systems. To balance it out, cybersecurity is also getting more and more branched, specialized, and sophisticated. Therefore, besides virtually endless career opportunities in the field, you are highly unlikely to find yourself with an outdated skillset that nobody wants, because cybercrime is highly unlikely to stop. Furthermore, artificial intelligence is not remotely close to having a vision of a cybersecurity engineer, which is why it definitely is a safe career choice in the long run unlike many other jobs in IT. In fact, maybe you’ll find yourself protecting your organization’s data from a villain AI in some 5-10 years. Who knows what can happen.
What skills do you need to become a cybersecurity professional?
It is evident that the career outlook for cyber security in 2023 is different from what we saw even 5 years ago with the security systems becoming more complex and attacks getting more sophisticated. Therefore cybersecurity has become a field with high intellectual demand, which makes it even more appealing for those who value challenging tasks, going through issues with a fine-tooth comb and finding solutions to complex problems that nobody else would have identified.
However, besides personal qualities, you also need a certification to ensure you are trained and qualified.
There are endless opportunities to be certified in the field of cybersecurity. You’d never see the end of it, really. The advantage, on the other hand, is that you have all the chances in the world to find an area that matches exactly your preferences and interests. Besides, there are plenty of online schools and organizations that offer orientation and training in the field of cybersecurity, after which most of them will also provide you with an opportunity to get certified to showcase your skills to your potential employers.
The most in-demand cybersecurity careers in 2023
Cyber security has a wide array of cyber security career paths you can take, so you’ll definitely find something that makes you thrive. Or at least pays you well. Here are some of the of the most in-demand cyber security jobs on the market.
Cybersecurity analyst
The role entails analyzing the existing cybersecurity systems, identifying potential weaknesses and suggesting strategies to overcome them. To accomplish these goals, cybersecurity analysts carry out regular tests to assess the existing security framework and keep track of all suspicious or straightforward malicious activity that the system may have undergone.
Cybersecurity engineer
A cybersecurity engineer is the person who basically deals with the information provided by analysts and consultants and carries out actual steps to improve cybersecurity. Their responsibility is to protect the data by creating relevant security framework tailored specifically to meet the needs of an organization.
Security consultant
Security consultant is a position that kind of combines several cybersecurity jobs. Security consultants may do both the analysis and the engineering, but they are typically not retained in-house, but contracted when there is an issue that needs addressing.
Information security manager
Information security managers work specifically with computers, networks, and data. Their responsibility is to ensure the networks and the data are safe by protecting them from malicious software and hacker attacks. They also identify the weaknesses and implement solutions to address them, but their scope of practice entails the data stored on an organization’s computers specifically.
Information security analyst
The job entails ongoing analysis of the computer systems of an organizations and identifying potential threats to it. They work closely with information security managers to implement best practices in the field.
Crypto analyst
The main scope of expertise for crypto analysts is data encryption. Crypto analysts can write and analyze encryption codes. Writing the code, or cryptography, makes the data easy to access by breachers, while encryption code analysis may be used to trace the source of attack.
Penetration tester
Penetration testers are cybersecurity professionals who may work with cybersecurity analysts. Their role is to imitate penetration into the company’s system to identify if it is possible at all and if it is, where exactly the weak spot is. They simulate cyberattacks and security breaches to find out if the sensitive data is well protected.
Security architect
Security architects work with the security of networks. They identify risks, run penetration tests, oversee and protect different types of networks such as LAN, WLAN, and VPN. As part of their job, security architects identify the reliability of routers, firewalls, and other related systems.
Blockchain security specialist
Blockchain security specialist is the term sometimes used to refer to individuals who have expertise in Blockchain security, which is obvious by its name. Typically, they are Certified Blockchain Security Professionals (CBSP), who have extensive knowledge of Blockchain technology and, therefore, can identify possible risks and ways to protect Blockchain infrastructure.
Cybersecurity manager
Cybersecurity managers oversee all data exchange of the company. Their task is to monitor the networks used to transfer data and ensure there is no unauthorized access to them. They also maintain the infrastructure that is used for those data transfers to ensure they are secure.
