With the exponential rise in cyber attacks on organisations and the ever-growing shortage of skilled workers in cyber security, many IT professionals are looking to fill the gap.
If you’ve been thinking of moving from your IT role into a career in cyber security, there’s never been a better time to do it. We’ve rounded up the top four things you can do to set yourself up for a successful transition from IT to cyber security.
Educate Yourself In Cyber Security And Get Qualified
If the idea of going back to school is putting you off switching from IT to cyber security, you’re in luck. Only 33% of people working in cyber security have a specialist degree, with 30% having a general computer science or IT degree instead. Interestingly, 27% of cyber security employees don’t have any background in online security, so having experience in IT puts you ahead.
As cyber security is a specialist field, it’s a great idea to work towards some qualifications, depending on your current skill level. Short courses, certifications and cyber security boot camps are also great options for helping you transition from general IT into cyber security.
Make Your IT CV Relevant To Cyber Security
Working in IT means you probably have plenty of skills that will set you up for a successful career in cyber security, including:
– Industry understanding
– Knowledge of basic cyber security and data privacy measures
– Network systems and database management experience
– Understanding of technical terminology
– Problem-solving ability
– Presentation confidence
Once you’ve identified what you’re good at (and what future cyber security employers are looking for), you can start collecting evidence of these examples in your current role. If you’re a senior or mid-level IT professional, you’ll unlikely want to move to an entry-level cyber security job, so the more transferable skills you can demonstrate, the better.
Get Hands-On Experience In Cyber Security
You can start gaining experience in cyber security before you’ve even landed your new role; get in touch with your company’s security and privacy departments to see if you can take on some junior-level tasks for them. Alongside learning some new skills and getting hands-on with cyber security, you might even forge a new cyber security career within the organisation you currently work for.
If this isn’t an option, you can always volunteer to help small businesses with their cyber security, or create a side project in your spare time — these are great examples to add to your CV.
Get Involved In The Cyber Security Industry
Demonstrating your passion for cyber security is crucial when you’re meeting potential employers, so show that you’ve put the work in by:
– Reading relevant cyber security news sites and publications
– Sign up for webinars
– Listen to podcasts
– Attend hackathons
When you stay up to date with the latest goings-on in cyber security, interviews become much easier as you’re confident about new innovations and can speak comfortably about the industry.
By arming yourself with knowledge and evidence of your desire to work in cyber security, transitioning from a general IT role becomes a much more achievable prospect to help fill the skills gap and protect organisations from the ever-present cybercrime threat.
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