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Navigating a career in technical cyber security
If you are just starting your career in cyber security, it can be a confusing journey. There are countless certifications, training organisations and ‘must have requirements’, and it’s not easy to navigate which path to take – even if you already have a formal academic qualification in cyber security.
The Cyber Scheme are committed to aiding those who have chosen this career path in gaining their first job – whether straight out of education, or reskilling from another vocation. Read on to discover how to identify the best choices for you.
Be prepared for constant learning, and constant change.
In order to succeed in a career in cyber security, you must love to learn – your career will be demanding, ever changing and constantly developing as new threats evolve. It’s what makes a job in cyber security so rewarding – but you do need to commit time and effort and be prepared to self-learn and self-assess every step of the way.
You’ll need to stand out if you want to gain a foothold at entry level; the first step is making sure you have what employers are looking for. Don’t rely on Google to help you – instead research, find mentors in industry, ask questions, and above all gain practical experience. Then you’ll be on your way.
Steps to Success
Determine which area of cyber security you want to enter.
Different specialisms require very different skill sets, and it’s vital that you choose an area which fits yours, and stick to it. Being single minded at this point will help you stay focused when choosing learning pathways and certifications. Aim for fewer, higher quality certifications, and get independent, objective advice before you buy any.
Conduct your own research into which field of cyber security you wish to enter. This signifies to a would-be employer that you have the required curiosity, research capability and independent thought that is needed. Candidates who can say they have identified a specialism that meets their skills – whether it’s technical capabilities, or an interest in ethics and law – will stand out at application and interview.
So your first step on this journey is to conduct self analysis of your own skills and interests, including an honest appraisal of how technical you are or wish to be, and map your skills against recognised cyber specialisms and job roles.
The following are recognised as the 15 specialisms within cyber by the UK Cyber Security Council.
You can use these specialisms to plan out a possible career; bear in mind that a job may include parts, or the whole, of one or more of the specialisms outlined here.
Read on to discover how to build both technical and soft skills
Inclusion and Accessibility
The Cyber Scheme believe everyone should have access to a career in security testing. We are available to discuss any concerns you have and are more than happy to make reasonable adjustments for any candidate who requires them during examinations.
These reasonable adjustments are to ensure you are given an equal opportunity to demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours required. We recognise that not all disabilities are visible.
We have a range of reasonable adjustments we can offer depending on what difficulty you might face. If you request an adjustment which we are unable to offer, we will give you a reason why we cannot offer it. This might be because it maps to a key Knowledge, Skill or Behaviour that we have to assess against within the certification. If that is the case, we will tell you which aspect we think would not be properly assessed.
There may be background noise during an assessment. Please bring (or ask for) ear plugs / ear defenders or listen to music if background noise is likely to affect your concentration.
Mobility
Access to all of our facilities is suitable for people with mobility issues. Should any other special facilities be required please get in touch at time of booking. For some reasonable adjustments, such as access to a disabled parking space, we will need to see supporting documentation around the condition to allow us to apply for this access for you. No information will be retained or stored once the request is validated.