The need for security specialists rose to protect business networks from evolving cyberthreats. A personnel security specialist is responsible for conducting background checks and collecting requirements for security clearance. Personnel security specialists write background check reports, coordinate with other institutions for further investigations, and determining the eligibility of candidates for clearance. They must have excellent communication and researching skills to identify and gather data suitable for employment purposes.

• You protect your home with locks or alarm systems; you protect your car with insurance, and you protect your health by going to the doctor.
• Most security professionals work a full-time, 40-hour weekly schedule.
• “Mathematics is becoming more and more a part of almost every career,” said Michael Allen, who chairs the math department at Tennessee Technological University.
• These specialists apply programming languages and ingenuity to create solutions for complex issues.
• Companies hire these professionals to prevent security breaches by analyzing current systems, researching ever-evolving risks, suggesting improvements, and implementing changes.
• Developing security systems often involves the collaboration of many specialized professionals.
• These specialists collaborate with other computer personnel to bolster technology systems.

An undergraduate degree in cybersecurity or general computer science may qualify applicants for some positions. However, internships and IT work experience can help recent graduates stand out in the job market. IT security specialists can opt for a degree in computer science, cyber security and information assurance, or network operations and security. There’s also the option to go the extra mile and attain a master’s degree in categories such as information technology management. Choosing a reputable online degree program can make earning your bachelor’s or master’s more accessible by granting you freedom and flexibility in managing your course load. Physical security specialists in entry-level positions make the least in the field, averaging $40,000 per year.

Average security specialist salary

Due to the industry’s evolving nature, security specialists’ responsibilities are complex and ever-changing. Though certification is not required to work in this role, formal credentials can boost your job opportunities and cybersecurity specialist salary. Certifications demonstrate expertise in cybersecurity to potential employers, and they indicate a dedication to the field. Keep in mind that most certification exams require significant preparation, and some include experience requirements.

CISA is a national organization that seeks to understand, manage, and reduce risk to cyber and physical infrastructure. They offer industry resources, analyses, and tools to help build cyber communications. Threats to online security closely shadow the history and development of the internet itself. Starting as early as the 1990s, simple antivirus software like the Reaper, created by Ray Tomlinson, became necessary to protect user’s online activity. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at Rio Grande City Port of Entry earlier this month discovered a significant rare pest, a first in the port pest interception on a shipment of coconuts. In Massachusetts, employers are anticipating a shortage over the next five years of 11,000 workers in the life sciences alone.

Job Description for Security Specialist

Adding certifications like CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) can validate your skills in the cybersecurity field and prepare you for a more advanced role within your organization. Users can search for cybersecurity positions and browse listings from high-profile companies. Students can attend university job fairs, ask professors about internship opportunities, and join IT security organizations. Groups like the Information Systems Security Association International host conferences and seminars that provide ample networking opportunities. Internships can help security specialist hopefuls gain the experience needed for certification and high-level positions.

Look for study programs to help you understand key concepts and practice exams to prepare you for certification tests. With training and experience, candidates can also pursue other security specialties, such as computer forensics, penetration testing, and governance, risk, and compliance. Security specialists thrive in high-stress situations, utilizing quick thinking and decision-making skills to tackle various challenges. Their heightened sense of awareness and attention to detail extends beyond their professional life, allowing them to better navigate the intricacies of daily life. CSIA offers an environment for an exchange of ideas between national security thought leaders. CSIA focuses on intelligence issues related to cybersecurity, military, and space.

How do I become a cybersecurity specialist?

This guide offers information on how to become a cybersecurity analyst, along with details on other cybersecurity roles such as information security specialist. If you’re wondering how to get into cybersecurity, read on to explore salaries, job outlooks and available certifications in the field. Cybersecurity specialists work on IT teams that are dedicated to protecting the integrity of the business’s network and data. Traditionally, network operations and IT technology supplemented the core business.

The responsibility of safeguarding people and assets instills a strong sense of purpose, making their work both rewarding and fulfilling. The Defense Department has called for a major initiative to support education in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. It says there are eight times as many college graduates in these disciplines in China and four times as many engineers in Russia as in the United States. That often means that continuing education is required how to become a security specialist — both in the form of formal, industry-recognized certifications —  and in the form of informal learning and tracking industry developments. The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification is also considered a more advanced cert because it generally requires that applicants have multiple years of work experience. The goal of an ethical hacker certification is to be able to understand how cyber attacks unfold in order to improve threat assessment and mitigation skills.

For example, Mississippi employed 440 information security analysts as of 2020. On the other hand, security specialists in Virginia and California — states with high demand for the profession — earned average annual salaries of $116,920 and $125,990, respectively. Although security specialists do not always need certification, most employers prefer certified candidates. Keep in mind that certificate programs and technology bootcamps do not provide certification. Individuals must apply for certification through organizations like (ISC)², Cisco, and CompTIA. Personnel security specialists safeguard an organization’s most valuable assets, making their work both challenging and rewarding.

• However, to become an expert in the field, you may need certification and years of experience.
• Cybersecurity careers can lead to advanced opportunities as workers gain experience.
• Further educational certification may help professionals get a job in cybersecurity.
• They offer industry resources, analyses, and tools to help build cyber communications.
• If you’re wondering how to get into cybersecurity, read on to explore salaries, job outlooks and available certifications in the field.

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