By Conor Heslin, senior account executive at Eskenzi PR
As someone working at a PR agency who are deeply embedded in the cybersecurity sector, I’ve been provided with a window into an industry which, for the large part is hidden from public view. When the general public think of cybersecurity, a good portion of them still think of unsuspecting companies being targeted by hackers in hoodies in darkened rooms. What they don’t think of are the teams of dedicated security professionals who aren’t stealing credentials, or hacking into networks, but are stopping the bad guys from doing so! So, if you’re a young graduate in a STEM subject reading this, and don’t know a lot about cybersecurity career opportunities, this should help to explain why it’s such an interesting career choice.
1. It’s well paid!
One of the most important things to consider when starting any new job is of course the salary. According to graduate jobs and work experience website Prospects, starting salaries for cybersecurity analysts start between £25-35,000. Within several years, the salary can be expected to rise to £50,000, with leadership and management roles receiving in excess of £75,000. Not half bad!
2. There’s plenty of jobs to go around
As it stands, the cybersecurity industry is desperate for talented employees to fill all of the necessary positions. As more and more companies, organisations and even nations begin to take cybersecurity more seriously, the need for staff continues to go through the roof. An estimated 3.5 million security jobs will be unfilled by 2021 according to one prediction. While this is bad news for employers, it’s good news for potential employees!
3. The industry is incredibly accepting of neurodiversity
While this is not a reason that will apply to everyone, it’s still an incredibly important one. Neurodiverse individuals, particularly those on the autistic spectrum often struggle to find any kind of work, let alone work which celebrates their differences; this is not the case in the cybersecurity world. According to the Disability Horizons website, people with a forensically keen eye for detail (such as those across the autistic spectrum) and those who have the ability for hours of intense focus are perfectly suited to careers in cyber.
4. You’re on the front-line of a brave (and sometimes terrifying) new world
Cybersecurity seems to be gaining more and more influence over our lives by the day. Whether it’s phishing or malware leading to the mega data breaches we’ve seen over the last few years, connected devices expanding at an alarming rate, or hostile governments engaging in campaigns of fake news, cybersecurity exerts a significant amount of influence on life in 2018. Working in the sector allows you for a chance to be at the coal face of this seismically important industry!
For more information on some of the fantastic companies who operate in the cybersecurity space, please visit www.eskenzipr.com
