Nowadays, every company is investing more and more money into IT security than in previous years. Such a trend will not slow down anytime soon. However, this shouldn’t come as a surprise given how smart a modern-day hacker is and the amount of data at stake if a company takes cybersecurity lightly. Cybersecurity is an evolving science and is not something that a business should direct its resources towards half-heartedly. It is always vital to know that a company will prefer an individual for a cybersecurity position with more than the average security skills. A lot of questions will pop into your mind when considering a job in cybersecurity. These include ‘what other skills I need than technical skills’ or ‘do I need to know about computer coding.’
Most aspiring individuals know that to succeed in cybersecurity, they need to have a broad skill set with the right amount of knowledge about security tools. However, not all of us are master hackers. We will have to start somewhere to take the first step into the world of cybersecurity. Today, in this article, we will look at the skills you need to succeed in cybersecurity. Keep on reading this article till the end to know what they are.
- Solid Technical Knowledge
Everybody points towards technical skills when talking about the skills needed to succeed in cybersecurity. Of course, whether you like it or not, technical skills are only a single part of the cybersecurity puzzle. Still, they are the basis for being successful as a cybersecurity professional. We can look at technical skills in two different subcategories-Hands-on technical skills and technical knowledge.
Hands-on technical skills involve practical knowledge that includes configuring a network or performing penetration tests on a firewall. Sure, you might argue that completing a masters in cyber security online or at a campus-based university will teach you such skills. However, nothing beats good old, fashioned hands-on training.
With the help of conceptual, technical knowledge, you will have something supporting your practical hand and incorporates things such as knowing how to subnet, the OSI model layers, and various other networking protocols. These allow you to perform your job as a cybersecurity professional but would otherwise bore anyone when you tried to explain to them, for instance, how a networking switch works. The best way to acquire this conceptual and practical technical knowledge is to gather new information on the cybersecurity world’s goings-on, whether through an online course or self-study.
- Troubleshooting And Logical Reasoning
The ability to find an issue and solve it via troubleshooting is the most coveted skill an employer seeks. Still, it is one of the hardest to search for as well. Plus, troubleshooting abilities take a lot of time to develop. It is why, in addition to technical skills, finding the best possible solution will turn you into successful cybersecurity professional.
To develop your troubleshooting and logical thinking skills to the max, you will have to gain tons of hands-on practice. It will allow you to use your experience to develop rational cybersecurity solutions whenever an issue arises.
- Research Skills
Being resourceful and learning every day will be vital to your success as a cybersecurity professional. You will have to continuously onboard knowledge. Such a thing is the case because cybersecurity is continually evolving, and technology is becoming outdated with every passing day. Without any doubt, you have to learn about new technological development if you want to remain relevant. If you do not have the answer to something, you should know where to find it.
The best way to work on your research skills is to consider learning new things every day. It would do you right if you increase your curiosity levels. When you do so, you will naturally look for solutions whenever a cybersecurity problem comes your way. Such curiosity will encourage you to take up life-long learning, and it will be great for your cybersecurity career.
- Communication Skills
People who go for a cybersecurity career hate communicating with other people. However, little do they know that talking with people is a crucial part of their work. If you feel the same, you have to keep a few things in mind:
- Don’t apply for a cybersecurity job if you think you will not have to communicate with people
- You will rarely have to speak with a group of people unless you are the owner
- In the scenarios where you will have to share with people, it will only be about cybersecurity
Also, you will have to write down your findings and convey them to the higher-ups or coworkers. By doing so, you can easily keep track of your completed tasks and achievements. Fortunately, you don’t need to have an English language degree to develop verbal and written communication skills. The best way to do both is with directness, detail, and clarity so that other people can understand your topic of discussion.
- Leadership Skills
Your employer will ask you to head a project at some point in your career, installing new security protocols inside the company or upgrading existing computer hardware. Your ability to manage resources and lead a team of individuals will play a vital role in your success. Most cybersecurity positions don’t require you to spend hours in meetings giving speeches. However, to be successful in any career, leadership skills are a must. Owning up to your decisions and taking blame whenever it is your fault will let you grow personally and professionally in the cybersecurity world.
And since such an effort is all about individual decision-making, you need to work or becoming a self-starter. The last thing your boss would want to see is you asking for help from everybody. So, suppose you can work independently and lead a team of cybersecurity professionals on your own. In that case, you are on your way to success in the cybersecurity field.
Conclusion Cybersecurity experts need to visualize the bigger picture and know about potential threats leading to data theft and privacy issues. Most cybersecurity jobs require that you have a formal education and some working experience in the field. The skills you should have to succeed in a cybersecurity role vary from company to company and job title to job title. However, having the ones mentioned in this article will provide you with a kick start to take your cybersecurity career to new heights.
