So you decided to pursue a cybersecurity career path and are curious about what your career may look like in a few years?
Or, maybe, you're still deciding if a cybersecurity career path is the right track for you.
Either way, we've got you covered! In this article, we'll be sharing:
- Cybersecurity Careers To Pursue
- The Cybersecurity Career Path: Roles, Skills, & Progression
- Cybersecurity Salaries (Entry-Level, Mid-Level, & Senior Level)
- Level-Up Your Game: How To Step Into A New Cybersecurity Role
Cybersecurity Careers To Pursue
There are several different career opportunities you can explore in the cybersecurity field. However, different industries might require more expertise in specific areas.
For example:
- A cybersecurity role at a tech startup might focus heavily on cloud security, vulnerability assessments, and endpoint protection to safeguard the company's data and operations.
- A cybersecurity role at a healthcare company could emphasize HIPAA compliance, securing patient data, and incident response to protect sensitive information.
- A cybersecurity role at a financial firm could offer opportunities in fraud prevention, risk management, and encryption technologies to secure financial transactions and data.
Not all companies will demand every specialty, but every specialty has a place within many different companies!
So, if you're thinking about which cybersecurity career you should pursue, it might be a good idea to first consider what kind of company you would like to work for.
Maybe you'd like to work for a company in big tech.
Maybe you're aiming for a recognized brand in healthcare.
Or, maybe, you'd like to join a startup.
You will find different cybersecurity opportunities with different scopes and setups. Having clarity about where you'd like to be within a certain time frame is key to deciding which path is right for you.
Most skills you need for a cybersecurity career are transferable across different roles, industries, and companies. The purpose of the exercise is so you can look at the opportunities on your horizon and decide where you'd like to be in the short term and eventually down the road!
💡 Pro Tip:
If you're struggling to find out where you'd like to be, check out the article “What Should I Do With My Life? A Step-By-Step Guide” and read it from top to bottom. If “cybersecurity” still feels like the right path, head back here and continue reading!
Once you've set your mind on your career path, it's time to understand what roles might be a good fit for you.
The Cybersecurity Career Path: Roles, Skills, & Progression
We've selected the most common cybersecurity roles for each level and their job descriptions. Take a look below!
Entry-Level Cybersecurity Roles
Most people begin their cybersecurity careers in roles such as:
Security Analyst
This role offers broad exposure to different cybersecurity activities and doesn't usually require extensive experience.
📝 Security Analyst Job Description: Responsible for monitoring network systems, identifying potential vulnerabilities, and responding to security breaches or incidents.
✅ Skills Required: Knowledge of network protocols, security tools like firewalls and antivirus software, and basic scripting.
⬆️ Possible progression: Security Analysts can progress into roles like Senior Security Analyst or Security Engineer.
Incident Responder
This role generally involves responding to cyber threats and breaches, requiring strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
📝 Incident Responder Job Description: Responsible for investigating and managing security incidents, including containment, eradication, and recovery.
✅ Requirements: Knowledge of digital forensics, network analysis, and security tools like SIEM systems.
⬆️ Possible progression: Incident Responders can progress into Cybersecurity Engineer or Security Operations Center (SOC) Manager roles.
Mid-Level Cybersecurity Roles
As you gain experience, mid-level roles often involve more responsibility and the opportunity to lead projects or teams. Some common mid-level cybersecurity roles include:
Senior Security Analyst
At this level, professionals are responsible for overseeing more complex security projects and guiding junior analysts.
📝 Senior Security Analyst Job Description: Responsible for managing security incidents, performing vulnerability assessments, and advising on security best practices.
✅ Skills Required: Advanced knowledge of network security, threat analysis, and security compliance frameworks.
⬆️ Possible progression: Senior Security Analysts can move into Security Manager roles.
Cybersecurity Engineer
This role focuses on implementing security solutions and ensuring that an organization's infrastructure is protected from cyber threats.
📝 Cybersecurity Engineer Job Description: Responsible for designing and implementing secure network architectures, deploying security tools, and monitoring systems for security vulnerabilities.
✅ Skills Required: Strong knowledge of security tools, scripting, cloud security, and incident management.
⬆️ Possible progression: Cybersecurity Engineers can advance to roles like Senior Security Engineer or Cybersecurity Architect.
Security Operations Center (SOC) Manager
This role involves overseeing the SOC team and ensuring the organization's security posture is constantly monitored and improved.
📝 SOC Manager Job Description: Responsible for leading the SOC team, monitoring security alerts, and coordinating responses to cyber threats.
✅ Skills Required: Leadership, incident management, threat intelligence, and SIEM system proficiency.
⬆️ Possible progression: SOC Managers can progress to roles like Director of Security Operations or Cybersecurity Manager.
Senior-Level Cybersecurity Roles
Senior-level roles involve greater strategic oversight and leadership, often requiring professionals to guide larger teams and make high-level decisions.
Security Manager
Security Managers are responsible for developing and enforcing the physical and digital security policies of an organization. They ensure that both physical and cybersecurity measures are effectively implemented to protect against threats.
📝 Security Manager Job Description: Responsible for overseeing the protection of company assets, managing security personnel, developing security protocols, and coordinating with other departments to ensure the organization's safety and compliance with security regulations.
✅ Skills Required: Leadership, incident management, physical and cyber risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and crisis management.
⬆️ Possible progression: Security Managers can advance to positions such as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).
Cybersecurity Architect
This role requires deep expertise in designing secure systems and networks and ensuring they are resilient against cyber threats.
📝 Cybersecurity Architect Job Description: Responsible for creating and implementing security solutions, ensuring network and infrastructure protection, and evaluating new technologies for potential risks.
✅ Skills Required: Advanced knowledge of network architecture, cryptography, security protocols, and emerging cyber threats.
⬆️ Possible progression: Cybersecurity Architects can advance to roles like Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).
Cybersecurity Salaries (Entry-Level, Mid-Level, & Senior Level)
Now that we’ve covered the most common cybersecurity career paths, you might be asking yourself what the pay range is for each role.
To answer this question, let’s head over to one of our favorite tools for salary research: Glassdoor.
Glassdoor is one of the world’s top job and recruiting websites, where users can anonymously provide information about their companies – including their current salary. Glassdoor provides an average salary range for various roles based on the information sent by its users.
According to Glassdoor, the base salary for the most common cybersecurity roles in 2024 are:
- Incident Responder: $45K – $76K / year base pay
- Security Analyst: $88K – $144K / year base pay
- Senior Security Analyst: $115K – $167K / year base pay
- Cybersecurity Engineer: $90K – $140K / year base pay
- Security Operations Center (SOC) Manager: $72k – 118K / year base pay
- Cybersecurity Architect: $111K – $165K / year base pay
Level-Up Your Game: How To Step Into A New Cybersecurity Role
Whether you're looking for an entry-level job in cybersecurity or aiming to advance in your cybersecurity career, it's important to know that you don't necessarily need a graduate degree or specialization to move up the cybersecurity career ladder. Your unique experience and skills can go a long way, as long as you learn how to sell them!
Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you land your next cybersecurity role.
1. Run A Resume Scan To Find Out Skill Gaps In Your Target Role
Wondering if you are the right fit for that target role you've been eyeing?
We've got you covered.
Here's a simple, step-by-step guide to find out if you have the skills to land a job in cybersecurity:
- Copy the job description of the cybersecurity role that sparked your interest
- Head over to ResyMatch.io (or use our shortcut below)
- Grab a copy of your most updated resume
- Upload your resume on the left side
- Paste the job description on the right side
- Hit “Start Resume Scan”
Boom! ResyMatch will compare and score your resume against the job's description and identify missing skill gaps, such as:
ResyMatch will also make sure your resume is ATS compatible (ATS is a software that recruiters often use to track candidates through the hiring process). And of course, ResyMatch will provide suggestions and outline best practices you can use to edit and improve your resume!
Use our shortcut below to get started:
Scanning...
2. Update Your Resume With Compelling Resume Bullets
After you've compared your resume against your target job description, you will likely find yourself in one of two scenarios:
1. You have some missing skills that you'll need to master before taking on a new role — if that's the case, you can take action and start building those skills through online courses and a portfolio strategy.
OR…
2. You have already mastered most of the skills — if that's the case, all you need to do is update your resume with compelling resume bullets, leveraging the keywords found in your resume and job description scan.
To get started, you'll want your resume bullets to have just the right amount of hard and soft skills, action words, measurable results, and common words.
This means a compelling resume bullet for someone applying for a cybersecurity role might look something like this:
Secured network infrastructure by reducing vulnerabilities by 30% through advanced threat detection systems, leading to a 20% reduction in security incidents.
This bullet focuses on hard and soft skills specific to cybersecurity, while also showcasing measurable results!
To help you write the perfect resume bullet, we've created ResyBullet.io, a free resume bullet analyzer that helps you write your resume in a way that grabs attention and illustrates value. Simply copy and paste your resume bullet below to begin your analysis:
ResyBullet will analyze and score your resume bullet and give you actionable insights for improvement.
Here's how our resume bullet scored on ResyBullet:
If you're a visual learner, check out our video that walks you through the step-by-step of writing a crazy-effective resume bullet:
3. Build A Visually Appealing, ATS-Friendly Resume
Now that you've updated the content on your resume, it's time to transfer it over to an awesome layout that's also ATS-friendly.
We recommend using a resume template so you can save the time you'd normally spend designing your resume and instead allocate it to your job search.
You can use ResyBuild.io, a free AI resume builder, to easily build and customize your resume in no time. Just pick one of the templates below and get started:
Free Job-Winning Resume Templates, Build Yours In No Time.
Choose a resume template below to get started:
Choose from 8 proven templates and easily create, edit, and customize your resume. ResyBuild's AI assistant also helps you craft personalized, job-winning bullets in a single click. Simply add your experience, hit “Optimize,” and watch the magic happen.
4. Don't Apply Online — Do This Instead
The most common next step in the process is to start applying for cybersecurity roles.
While applying online can absolutely be the next step in your job search, the truth is, it will only get you so far. In fact, only 2% of resumes submitted for the average open role end up reaching the interview stage.
Sure, optimizing your resume will boost your chances of being a part of that 2%.
But some estimates, like this one from the Wall Street Journal, show that 80% of hires come from referrals.
This means your best shot at landing the role you've been eying is through networking.
And no, we're not talking about attending conferences, events, and meetups. We're talking about a fresh approach that really builds relationships and gets your resume at the top of the resume pile at companies like Microsoft, Google, Uber, and more.
You can read all about it in our flagship guide for effective job searching:
Read More: How To Get A Job Anywhere Without Applying Online
Final Notes
Whether you're just starting out or looking to advance in your cybersecurity career, getting clarity on the possibilities ahead of you can help you navigate your career with more ease.
Just don't forget: your career path isn't set in stone. Jobs and career goals will often evolve with life transitions. Always remember that your career should adapt to fit your life and not the other way around.
