Career Goals for The Job of Cyber Security Analysts

Introduction

In the cybersecurity field, Cyber Security Analysts will play an important role in the future because of an estimated job growth of 32% from 2018 to 2028 according to (the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). This is due to the increase in cybercrime and the insecurity of systems for these criminals to hack into and steal information. As advancements in technology increase so does cybercrime, this is aiding hackers to easily penetrate ways to get into systems (JL2977, 2019). A Security Analyst performs a number of duties such as overseeing network traffic and identifying unusual occurrences, protecting against system abnormalities, creating security protocols for systems, and many more tasks (Cyber Degrees, 2020). Pursuing a career as a Cyber Security Analyst aligns with my career goals in cyber security, as I am passionate about protecting organizations and individuals from cyber threats and contributing to the overall security of digital systems. Without security analysts, or lack of them, would create serious problems for businesses, individuals, and government agencies.

The Growing Demand for Cyber Security Analysts

Technology is advancing every year; this is both good and bad. Bad because then it enables hackers to become better at what they do. If one were to think about cyber careers and crime in terms of the food web this would entail not enough security analysts thus resulting in higher crime. Simply stating that there would not be enough good hackers to keep the bad ones in check or deter them. Since there are not enough security analysts an increase of crime would occur, and the possibility of these criminals being able to get away with it. There will always be a crime, but this would be a situation to stay on top of, so it does not spiral out of control. If businesses are constantly getting hacked and have their customer's information stolen, they lose their credibility resulting in a loss of revenue. If individuals get their information stolen this can result in financial costs as well as dealing with their identity being stolen, which can be a great hassle.

An induvial starting a career as a security analyst can either have a college degree, personal experience, or a combination of both. This entirely depends upon the organization they are trying to get a job at. Certifications are a great way to make one more appealing to organizations, and there are various types an individual can get. These include CEH, CompTIA Network+, CPT, CEPT, CWAPT, and CREA according to (INFOSEC, 2020). Certifications are a great way to keep up to date and new developments, test your skills in a certain area, and add possibilities to further your advancement in the cybersecurity field. Some organizations require certain types of certifications for job postings, which can limit what one would be able to apply for. With each certification, the cost of these tests varies. The CompTIA Network+ certification costs about $340 and there are two tests that must be passed to be certified (INFOTEC, 2017). The requirements for each certification vary as well, some require that the individual has 5 years of experience in the TI field before they can even take a certification; the CompTIA Network+ does not have any restrictions on prior experience or prerequisites (Graeme, 2020).

Conclusion

In closing, a career as a security analyst would be beneficial to both the individual seeking out employment as well as organizations since the demand is high; and businesses need to protect themselves against cybercrime which is increasing alongside this employment opportunity. Adding certifications to their career as a security analyst would also be beneficial since it increases wages, marketability, and tests one’s skills. This career field is important in various ways to our society, and globally; without it we would be leaving ourselves completely vulnerable for cybercrime. 

Works Cited

1. Cyber Degrees. (2020). Cyber Security Analyst: Job Description, Salary, Skills, & More. Retrieved from https://www.cyberdegrees.org/jobs/security-analyst/
2. Graeme. (2020). IT Certification Roadmap. Retrieved from https://www.itpro.tv/blog/post/it-certification-roadmap/
3. INFOSEC. (2020). Cybersecurity Certifications. Retrieved from https://www.infosecinstitute.com/courses/
4. INFOTEC. (2017). CompTIA Network+ Certification Cost. Retrieved from https://www.infotec.mx/blog/cuanto-cuesta-la-certificacion-comptia-network
5. JL2977. (2019). Importance of Cyber Security in Modern Internet Age. Retrieved from https://www.cybrary.it/blog/0p3n/importance-of-cyber-security-in-modern-internet-age/
6. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2019). Information Security Analysts, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm