Before stepping foot into any career field, it is important to realize what the job demands and what will be expected from you on a day to day basis. Before pursuing a career in any domain, people want to know the pros and cons it. The same is the case with cyber-security. It is a growing field with a lot of different job opportunities in various industrial sectors. In this fast-paced world, the importance of cyber-security and I.T solutions is increasing at an exponential rate. As the world keeps on modernizing itself, the demand for exceptional cybersecurity professionals continues to grow. The possibilities and opportunities are limitless if you are planning to pursue a bachelor’s in cyber-security.
According to research conducted by CSO Online, the demand for cyber-security experts is at an all-time high due to a lack of qualified personnel. It is stated in the study that “there will be upwards of 6 million cyber-security-related job openings intended for security pros in 2019 but less than 4.5 million cyber-security experts to occupy those roles.” That is quite a huge loss and deficit, which is very hard to cover for an industry that safeguards critical data. It is not all bad news for a person who is looking to pursue a career in cyber-security. All this means is that if you successfully manage to go through the early stages of your career, you will be earning at an average 10% more than standard I.T staff members with an approximate median salary of $100,000 per annum.
For business companies that have not yet acknowledged the importance of cyber-security even after all the security breaches in recent times should open their eyes. The potential for business growth is endless, and if you are not vigilant, you might become your contender’s future client.
PROS OF CYBER-SECURITY
People searching for cyber-security jobs should keep in mind that no two cyber-security jobs are going to be the same. The difference between different cyber-security jobs is significant. All we can do is make sweeping statements about the good and bad facets of cyber-security careers.
So, without any further ado, here are some of the major pros of working in a cyber-security-oriented field.
1. Above Average Salary Packages
As mentioned previously, the demand for cybersecurity experts is exceptionally high due to a lack of professionals. Once your career as a cyber-security professional is past its early stages, you can expect handsome salary packages. The compensation for cyber pros is way better than other average employees in most organizations. The salary keeps on increasing as you go through various stages of promotion.
2. Always in Demand
If there are any doubts regarding the demand for cyber-security experts, this article should help you clear any doubts. You will be surprised to learn that the unemployment rate in the domain of cyber-security is less than a percent and even zero in some areas. The job to expert ratio is greatly in favor of jobs, which means there are more jobs and fewer people to occupy them. If you do not like working in your current organization, you do not need to worry. Many other cyber-security outlets will be willing to scoop you up. We rest assure you will get re-employed as soon as possible.
3. Learn New Things
One thing that is common with all cyber-security experts is that they all love their work. They love how easily they can support their families by doing work; they find intriguing and engaging. There is never a dull moment in cyber-security. Things keep changing at a rapid pace, and each day you are learning something new and expanding your expertise.
4. Diversity In Jobs
Cyber-security jobs have a place in many, if not all, industries. The workplaces can range from investment firms, military, and banks to schooling systems. I.T organizations and even government contractors. Regardless of which sector the company belongs to, the necessity for exceptional cyber-security experts and professionals is always there.
CONS OF CYBER-SECURITY
The growth of the cyber-security industry has briskly given rise to the demand for highly qualified and skilled professionals in critical and high profile sectors of government and other organizations. However, with this significant growth, several threats put these professionals at a high stake risk and make their job less exciting. Though cyber-security and mass media careers are glamorized often, yet no profession comes with perfection. Thus, in this regard, the cyber-security profession undoubtedly possesses certain downsides as well. The newbies who wish to opt for cyber-security as their career path should go through its negative side as well; therefore, without any further delay, let’s discuss a few of the essential cons.
1. On-standby and Tough Hours
Opting for a cyber-security career, one must know that an attack of cyber-security is a critical and serious problem that can happen unfortunately at any time. Therefore, this creates a situation for many professionals of cyber-security in which they are expected to be available accessible for any situation at any time, whether it is an evening time or a lively weekend. Hence, how many times a cyber-security professional can be contacted greatly varies, which results in a negative and real problem for the professionals.
2. Repetitive and Boring Tasks
Every job in the world probably comes with some boring elements and thus is also the case with the cyber-security profession. Hence, cyber-security professionals have claimed this sign that they encounter most of the repetitive and boring aspect in tasks that involves documentation, attending repetitive meetings, and checking occurring log files. Thus, if you are opting for the career of cyber-security, but you lack patience, then you should think over it twice before making any decision.
3. Job Full Of Pressure
As it was discussed earlier that this job demands an on-call, stand-by, and a tough hour, similarly, jobs of cyber-security possess extreme pressure for the professionals. The reason is that there is always a possibility and a constant pressure of an attack or a hack. Therefore, an individual must possess pressure handling ability.
4. The Learning Treadmill Never Stops
There is no such field in the world that moves at a rapid pace as cyber-security. It can be said that it is both a blessing as well as a curse. As cyber-security provides the opportunity to learn new and interesting things, at the same time, it also weeds out those who do not move with the pace of cyber-security.
CONCLUSION
Every job comes with certain pros and cons, which vary greatly based on environment and job uncertainties. It is not only dependent on the certainties and uncertainties of the profession, but rather, it also depends on an individual that how they go with their job and how they handle it. Hence, go through this crisp work now; you can easily analyze yourself according to the pros and cons of for opting your career in this highly demanding profession.