5 Tips To Advance In Your Cybersecurity Career

• Read original article here

Law
5 Tips To Advance In Your Cybersecurity Career
Once upon a time, the world was introduced to the internet, and nothing has been the same ever since. Technology and digitization have shifted the world as we know it. While it has made life so much easier, it has also made us incredibly vulnerable online. While you can reap the benefits of being connected to the world, you also have to worry about how your information can get unethically hacked and used. As a result, companies and various big-shot organizations are willing to spend thousands of dollars on online security and putting safety measures into place. So cybersecurity is a lucrative and profitable profession. 
As a cybersecurity professional, you should know that you are part of a trillion-dollar industry. Your skills, understanding of cyberspace, and security expertise make you extremely useful to various clients. However, at the same time, you are also competing with other cybersecurity specialists who may hold the same qualifications, if not more than you. 
So how do you ensure that you stand out as a cybersec pro? Here is what you need to know about advancing your cybersecurity career in 5 simple tips: 
1. Continue Upgrading Your Skills 
You must commit to lifelong learning if you are part of the cybersecurity sector. It is because there is always new information and certifications entering the picture that can give you an edge over others. While your bachelor's degree in cybersecurity may have been helpful at a time, you need to push yourself to learn more than what you know from school. To start with, look at a cybersecurity bootcamp and build your momentum regarding new concepts, acquiring new skills, and getting the opportunity to be more immersed in the cybersecurity industry. 
Once you have gained a substantial understanding, you should seek professional certifications. While the list of certificates you can achieve is exhaustive, you should attempt for a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), or if you want to become a manager, look into Certified Information Security Manager (CISM). These qualifications give you an edge over other experts and look great on your resume. 
2. Become An Active Blogger 
Blogging is a great way to showcase your industry knowledge and inform companies how serious cyber threats run. When you can link how cybersecurity can impact a business, you create the opportunity to provide your services. Your blog should be an informative guide highlighting some of the worst cyberattacks and discussing how specific cybersecurity measures prevent them. 
Try taking it a step further by keeping online cybersecurity sessions, using your platform to educate employees, and providing analysis into cybersecurity issues. Allow businesses to reach out to you and offer them practical solutions to their problems to give them a glimpse of what you are capable of. By putting yourself out there, you showcase your knowledge and skills, which makes it easier for most booming industries to find you and lean on your expertise for their online survival. It paves a path for you to network, build meaningful connections and shortlist the companies you want to work for. 
3. Create A Well Crafted Resume 
When making your resume, let your experience and knowledge do the talking for you. Numerous companies are used to receiving resumes with a list of skills and places the applicant has worked. But they need more than this to judge who to hire. Any industry wants insight into how you practically used and demonstrated your knowledge in your field. Your employer is more intrigued by your accolades and why you got them. So list your work, including successfully discussing how you pulled out your clients from significant cybersecurity issues. 
Paint a picture that can outline your skills and provide your potential employer with a more profound gaze into the skills you hone. Using your resume to tell a story is a unique way to show your soft skills. 
4. Push Yourself To Specialize 
While knowing different cybersecurity fields is good, a specialization can transform you into a leading expert. Industries don't want an employee with a superficial understanding of how diverse concepts work. They want certified experts with a more profound experience in a particular subfield. For instance, you can specialize in penetration testing and become a vulnerability assessment manager. It allows you to identify the areas that need working and where online security needs to be improved in protecting the vast databases. 
Penetration testers specialize in numerous areas, such as networks and infrastructure. Your coursework also includes exploring operating systems like Linux and working on data acquisition. Following recent trends, you should also expect to study cloud systems and the internet of things. Hence, consider what area you should specialize in and pursue that subfield. 
5. Find A Mentor 
It is natural to feel like you hit a roadblock in your career and need to figure out how to progress. You may be unsure what certificate you should pursue or not confident about your skills. In all these cases, you need a mentor to help you out. While selecting your mentor, look for someone with years of industry experience and knowledge from which you can benefit. 
Discuss future career prospects with them, research what the current market asks and use their advice to build your resume further. A mentor can help you identify the gaps that keep you from advancing; they can also inform you on what you need to polish to stand out as an applicant. Experts in the industry also have a vast array of connections you can benefit from. So if you are looking for workshops, resources and information, let your mentor guide you. 
Cybersec Careers Conclusion 
The age of digitization is demanding. Technology has evolved society from its rudimentary stages by advancing every sector. As a result, having first-hand knowledge of the internet, technology, and security issues make you an asset in this tech-savvy era. As a cybersecurity expert, you have an essential role in online databases and protecting confidential data. However, as you provide enterprises and individuals practical solutions to stay safe online, remember to look for ways to help you advance in your career. 
After all, cybersecurity is becoming a mainstream field, and your best way forward is to continue learning, specializing, and leaning on your mentor for help. Remember to use your resume to paint a picture that dives deeper into your cybersec skills and meets market demands. By following these factors to the T, you will progress in your cybersec career smoothly.