<\/span>Tools & Resources for Beginning Your Career<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re considering launching a career in security, first evaluate all the resources you currently have. These include free courses, potential certifications, and connections with professionals within the industry. The following list is a set of resources, some mentioned above, that you can consider when starting or changing your career:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Free EC-Council courses<\/a> for beginners<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Courses and certificates<\/a> gathered by edX <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Compiled courses from Udemy <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- CompTIA Security+ Certificate<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional<\/a> certificate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re considering using multiple resources, choose the ones that will best support your career goals. For example, if you\u2019re interested in cloud security, check out ISC2\u2019s cloud security professional certification. It\u2019s also valuable to take courses on a couple different security topics so your knowledge is more well-rounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhat Are Some Reasons to Start a Cybersecurity Career?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The security industry is an incredibly important one because of the role it plays in defending IT environments. A security job requires quick thinking, analytical and predictive skills, and the desire to protect critical data and systems. A huge part of overall global operations, from corporations to individual homes, depends on safe networking, endpoint connections, and telecommunications. The entire industry is in high demand, and so are skilled employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aside from high demand and a potentially lucrative career, security is an easy world to become passionate about because it involves protecting important assets. Sometimes that just means IT systems; but in certain cases, it can extend much further, like working in the healthcare field and protecting patient data and medical devices. If you\u2019re looking for a meaningful career path, this is a great place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where Should Beginners Start in Cybersecurity?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a complete beginner with no technical experience, I recommend doing some reading and watching demos to make sure you understand the basic reasons security is so important. Gain a general understanding of attackers\u2019 methods and preventative tactics. Understand the differences between network, endpoint, and application security, as well as the ways they connect to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reading will only take you so far, however. If you can apprentice with an IT or security expert or find an internship with a vendor, you\u2019ll get more practical experience. Then you\u2019ll better be able to visualize preventative and detective processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is It Hard to Enter the Cybersecurity Industry?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It doesn\u2019t have to be difficult to learn about security technologies, especially if you already have a somewhat technical background. But getting the role you want, especially a high-paying or management role, could be more challenging. This also depends on your skill sets, the companies you\u2019re looking at, what they\u2019re looking for in employees, and the area you live in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In general, gaining experience, interning with experts, and learning technologies and tricks can be a matter of reaching out to people and taking advantage of free opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Bottom Line: Starting a Cybersecurity Career Requires Identifying Your Strengths<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nTo begin a career in a new field, you must understand the basics of the industry and why it\u2019s so important, but you also need to identify how your own abilities can best help the industry. Then you market yourself to companies based on those strengths. In cybersecurity, finances, data, and occasionally people\u2019s health are affected by how successful cyberattacks and protective measures are. If you\u2019re passionate about protecting those, you can succeed in the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next, read about protecting business networks<\/a> and what that task involves, including network security controls and different network layers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n