Do you know that from 2020 to 2030, the jobs of information security engineers are expected to expand by 33%, substantially faster than average for all other job sectors? Yes, you heard it right. The need for cyber security professionals is increasing day by day because of the vulnerable digital world we are living in. Companies have realized how crucial cyber security practitioners are to their company’s safety.  So, every company is actively hiring the best cyber security professionals. Here is the chance for you to prove your skills and land a high-paid job as a Cyber Security Engineer. Check out this IT Security course to get familiar with all the tools and technologies in the cyber security domain. In this blog, I am going to clear all your doubts regarding how to become a cyber security engineer. 

Cyber Security Engineer

A Cyber Security Engineer is someone who protects computer systems, infrastructures, applications, devices, and information from malicious activity using their expert knowledge and practice. They identify various threats that can cause damage to the company and prevent that threat. Based on the damage that can affect the company, they will prepare solutions. They contribute to the planning and implementation of research methods for securing the firm’s digital world. They are also called Information Security Engineers. It is a demanding job with numerous incentives and responsibilities. Let’s take a closer look at the responsibilities that a cyber security engineer needs to know.

Roles and Responsibilities

The responsibility to protect the entire organization’s data and infrastructure is in a Cyber Security engineer’s hands. They have to do the following tasks daily to be efficient in their profession. 

• Identifying the possible threats of the organization and providing appropriate strategies.
• Designing new security solutions to avoid cyber attacks.
• Monitor Cyber Security measures continuously.
• Protecting the data and infrastructure of the organization from malicious attacks.
• Actively engaging in the organizational change management process.
• Solving network security issues immediately.
• Implementing the latest security practices in the organization to protect from cyber-attacks.
• Keeping all security-related software and hardware up to date.
• Updating the systems and practices regularly to avoid getting affected by attackers.
• Acknowledging and handling complex technical problems in a fast-paced corporate world. 
• Collaborating with suppliers to place security solutions. 

Academic Qualification

This might be the first question you would get while entering this field right? So, The answer to this question is any degree that is related to the IT field which helps you to learn the basics easily. If you are from non-tech then it is difficult to learn coding and all networking-related skills. But if you have a degree in Computer Science, IT, Systems Engineering, or a similar field, then it will be easy to cope in this field. So, complete your graduation first. There is no obligation to do a master’s, a bachelor’s degree is fine.

Technical Skills

Then comes the actual thing that is important to get into this domain, Technical skills. You need to build your technical skills such as Firewall/IDS/IPS Skills, Penetration Testing, Network Security Development, SIEM Management, Audit & Compliance, Analytics & Intelligence, Security Issue Handling & Reaction, SIEM Management, Audit & Compliance, Analytics & Intelligence, Security Incident Handling & Response, SIEM Management, Firewall/IDS/IPS Skills, Intrusion Advanced Malware Deterrence, Mobile Device Management, Data Management Security, Digital Forensics, and Identity & Access Management to become a  Cyber Security Engineer. 

Soft Skills

Of course, soft skills are required everywhere including cyber security. So, the main soft skills needed in this career are problem-solving skills, communication skills, desire to learn and should also be able to attend to detail. These skills will mainly help you during your job role where you have to communicate with others and tackle all the issues. 

Scope of a Cyber Security Engineer Career

The scope of a cyber security engineer career depends on their need in this IT industry. Once their demand increases, their scope also effectively increases. Cyber security is something that has always been there but came out popular in recent years only. And this is because of the digital revolution. The day we started using digital platforms for each and everything that is when cyberattacks started. The loss of cyberattacks is unexplainable. Once a company is attacked by any cyber attack then it will lose its data, sensitive information, infrastructure damage, reputation damage and all these affect financially also. Recovering from cyberattacks is impossible and hard. So, for any company, it is imperative to hire cyber professionals. And this need increases their demand drastically. 

According to Statistics, job possibilities in cyber security are expected to expand by 31% by 2029, with near-zero vacancies in the industry. So, there is no doubt that cyber security has a lot of scope in the future. This domain is rated as one of the top areas where jobs are going to increase in the future. When you search for cyber security jobs on LinkedIn, there are more than 45000+ jobs available. Hence, the scope of this domain is huge now and it is only going to grow in the future. 

Certifications

Yes, certifications help you validate your skills and knowledge. It will assist you to stand out. Check out the following certifications to boost your resume. Although there are many certifications available in the market, these are the best ones. 

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) 
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) 
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• Security+ 
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
• GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)

Salary

Cyber security is among the high-paid domains. Here, you not only get to work in a satisfactory role but also get a high wage. According to Payscale, At the start of your career in this field as a cyber security engineer you can expect to receive $76,592 as an annual income. And after 1-4 years your salary will increase to  $82,965. If you have been in this industry for 5-9 years then you can earn up to $103,178. And, a professional who has 10-19 years of experience can easily earn $125,056. Also, the salary range varies with companies and experience. 

How to land a Cyber Security Engineer Job

This is the ultimate question you might want the answer to. The simple answer to this question is just to go through the above-mentioned skills and certifications. Indeed, Cyber Security is not a cup of tea for non-technical IT background people. However, all the technical IT background candidates are welcome to this field. Any graduate with the basic skills of coding and other related software skills will be able to get into this field with a few more skills and practical experience. Also, if you are already in the IT industry then it is much easier. As you will have basic knowledge in networking and data so you can easily cope up. However, cyber security is not a self-learning subject. It requires expert guidance and practice. Enroll in an industry-standard online course and develop your skills to become a future cyber security engineer. 

Summary

I hope we have provided you with what you are looking for. Becoming a cyber security engineer is no magic. Anyone with the proper skills and training can get into this field. Start with graduation then improve your skills while learning from trainers. I suggest you enroll in an online course where you can build all your skills while preparing for the certifications. Then complete your certification. Try to do at least one certification that can boost your resume. And finally, search for vacancies and apply for the job. In your interview, mention the projects you have worked on so that the interviewer can get an idea of your experience. If you succeed in presenting yourself properly, then the job is yours.