Making Your Computer Run Faster

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cyber security analysts earn a median income of $95,510 per year. They typically only need a bachelor's degree, and the industry is growing faster than others. If you love technology and are thinking about a cyber security career, you may be wondering what to do. Take a look at these tips.

1. Establish a Well-Rounded Tech Base

To be successful at a cyber security career, you shouldn't exclusively focus on security. Instead, you need a well-rounded tech education. For instance, you may want to understand data networks or know multiple scripting languages. Then, you will have the ability to move into data network security or to fight the "script kiddies" (hackers who steal code or script from other hackers and use it to breach systems).

The more you know, the easier it becomes to market yourself to businesses. Keep in mind that some businesses (especially small companies) may not need a full-time cyber security person, so they may be more willing to hire you if you do a few different things.

2. Keep Studying

With cyber security or any technology career, there is always more to learn, and the criminals are always looking for the newest way to get around security blocks and firewalls. To stay relevant in your field, commit to being a lifelong learner. Enroll in courses, go to seminars, and attend conferences so that you're always learning new things about information technology.

As you develop your resume, add your educational credentials as well as your job experience to it. In particular, you may want to study data analysis. The age of big data is here, and if you can help companies to see trends and protect their data, that will help you gain job prospects.

3. Focus on Well-Paid Niches

To make the most of your career, you may want to focus on a high-paid niche. For instance, cyber security sales engineers tend to earn more than general cyber security workers. On average, they earn about $200,000 annually. Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) tend to earn even more, with annual salaries in the $240,000 range and substantially more in large cities such as New York and San Francisco.

This role may be an especially helpful place to focus, as more and more businesses are hiring CISOs. Approximately half to three quarters of all big businesses have CISOs now, but in the future, that number is expected to rise to 100 percent. If you can land one of these careers, you don't have to worry about freelancing, and you get all the benefits associated with working for a large company.

4. Be Flexible With Part-Time and Consultancy Gigs

That said, you may not want a full-time cyber security career. Instead, you may prefer to focus on consultancy jobs or temporary gigs. That way you can move from business to business and help them test, develop, and refine their security tactics. To do that, you need to spend a lot of time networking to get your name out there. Ideally, you want to know the head IT professionals at businesses throughout your area so they can call you as needed.

You may also want to build a website and market your services just like any other business. However, that can be time consuming. To save some time, you may want to work with a recruiter who can help you find cyber security jobs.

5. Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

When you work in cyber security, you don't have to do it all on your own. Instead get help. Talk with your current boss about doing some security work in your current role. Then, you can build up a resume before you start looking for work. Contact mentors in your industry and see what you can learn from them. Also, contact temp agencies or career specialists who can help you plan your next move.