For the past few years, we have observed multiple high-profile cyber incidents over the headlines, that emphasize the need for strong cybersecurity. Organizations from different industries including healthcare, retail, media, banking, and finance, etc. look for dedicated security professionals to secure their systems. Although the job roles and responsibilities of these experts may vary, the main aim is to protect an organization’s data and assets from malicious attackers. Thus, this career path starts differently for professionals. Sometimes they begin right after graduating or move from one role to another, and often they are promoted to roles after taking up advanced courses. This is how they become experts in delivering penetration testing services to secure systems from malicious hackers.

Let’s have a look at different cybersecurity careers based on their experience and expertise level:

• Entry-Level Cyber Security Roles – IT technicians, systems admins, SOC analysts, security specialists, network admins/engineers, etc.
• Mid-Level Cyber Security Roles – Ethical hackers, incident handlers, incident responders, IT auditors, etc.
• Advanced-Level Cyber Security Roles – Senior penetration testers, security analysts, cyber security engineer/manager/architect, etc.

Why Should You Consider Penetration Testing As A Career Option?

We all know, choosing a career path can be a daunting task. Following are a few points to help you if you are interested in providing penetration testing services:

• Job Vacancies – Research states that by 2021, the number of jobs available for cyber security professionals will be 5 million globally.
• Zero-Percent Unemployment Rate – the cyber security unemployment rate dropped to 0% in 2016, and is expected to remain the same. The talent gap is increasing
• Unlimited Growth Expected – Cyber security has presented unlimited career opportunities. Tech security is considered an important discipline but its branches demand a varied skill set.

According to research the estimated jobs from 2018-2028 for Information Security Analysts or Penetration Testers is expected to grow by 32% against the growth rate for other occupations.

• Variety – Due to the broad skill set requirement, the professionals need to be on their toes. A security professional requires a very sound and diverse network security, database security, etc. It allows them to switch from one domain to another and take the job role with more responsibility.

During penetration testing services, all penetration testers have some methodologies to switch between social engineering penetration testing methodology, web application penetration testing methodology and many others. All these roles require keeping up with the different types of attacks, which is why penetration testing is important as a career. Most of the growth opportunities are tied with a variety of technologies and situations that security professionals have to deal with. Security professionals get chances to work directly with teams on technologies and systems that they do not find on a regular basis. Cyber security has two key advantages for a strong career including low to no unemployment and solid compensation. And if they choose this path, there will always be more room for improvement. They will also be learning new skills and working to understand and adapt to new technologies. New challenges will arise and pen testers will be exposed to a number of threats, opportunities and situations.

Author Bio:

Ray Parker is an entrepreneur and tech enthusiast who loves to incorporate new technologies to get more efficient outcomes. When he’s not marketing his latest venture, he keeps himself busy in writing technical articles to educate peers and professionals.