When searching for new careers or wanting to learn a new field of expertise, cyber security is a sector that pops up time and time again.
With technology growing and threats rising, the demand for cyber security professionals has skyrocketed in recent years, with more and more businesses needing skilled workers to not only protect their systems and data, but also to prevent them.
In this blog, we will look to understand: how to start a career in cyber security, whether or not it’s a good career choice, the requirements for cyber security, the skills needed, courses, and what cyber security job roles actually mean and entail.
Is Cyber Security a Good Career?
A ‘good’ career can be subjective as it all depends on how much you enjoy your role, the challenges you face, the pay, and perks to the role, such as work-life balance, remote working, and bonus/benefits packages.
But if we’re talking about the demand, cyber security is one of the most in-demand jobs in the UK, with over 4.7 million people working in this sector worldwide.
Not only is it an in-demand career, but it’s also well-known for good job security. Cyber security is an industry that is likely to grow through crises, as more businesses understand the importance of a strong cyber security setup and notice the dangers they could face without a proper team dedicated to the threats. And on the flip side, businesses are budgeting and investing higher each year!
Along with a strong demand and job security, the career prospects and earning potential are nothing short of excellent. Entry-level jobs in the UK can start around the £30,000 – £40,000 mark, whilst senior positions can be 6-figure salaries!
Cyber Security Requirements
Like every role, there are a few requirements needed before you can think about a career change or job search. For cyber security job roles, you will typically need:
Educational background:
Unless you’re doing an apprenticeship where you can learn on the job, most roles will require you to have a base level of education, either a high-level certification like a degree, A-level, BTEC, Diploma, etc.
Industry recognised certifications:
As well as a certain level of education, you may also need highly valued certificates in cyber security to show potential workplaces your understanding of the sector and subject.
Experience:
And finally, experience. We understand the headache of having to have experience for a sector that’s new to you, or even needing experience for an entry-level cyber role, but there are ways you can get hands-on experience!
Ways to get experience in cybersecurity:
- Free labs and exercises
- Internships
- CTF (capture the flag) competitions
- Online bootcamps
Cyber Security Skills
After understanding the requirements for cyber security roles, it’s now time to learn about the soft and hard skills you will need to have to make this career choice a successful one.
Soft Cyber Security Skills:
- Communication
- Analytical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Teamworking
Hard Cyber Security Skills:
- Network and System security knowledge
- Security tools proficiency
- Threat detection
- Testing skills
You can find out more about the top cyber security skills in high demand in our article, or for more information on the types of skills needed for specific cyber security roles, why not check out:
Essential skills for a SOC Analyst
Essential Skills for a Penetration Tester
Essential skills for a Cyber Analyst
Essential skills for a penetration tester
Cyber Security Courses and Certificates
The most basic cyber security certificates, and one that is worth investing in is the CompTIA Security+. It is a globally recognised foundation certification, and at around £200, it is a great first certification.
Next up is a CISMP (Certificate in Information Security Management Principles) which come in at circa £2,000. The CISMP is also an internationally recognised foundation-level qualification. It is regarded as the qualification of choice in the UK for people wanting a successful career in information security.
You will learn the basics of security management, risk management, legal frameworks, business continuity, and security standards like ISO 27001.
You may also want to look at getting CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker); however, the course comes in at over £2,000, so it isn’t for everyone. You’ll learn about real-world corporate network scenarios, and you will learn about threat vectors, network scanning, vulnerability analysi,s and system hacking.
We would highly recommend any courses on edX and Coursera as well; there are some cost-effective exams that you can do to show your passion for the industry. The Open University also has a great free course “Introduction to cyber security: stay safe online” that gives a really good intro to the industry and what you can expect.
There is so much more you can do to brush up on your technical skills & knowledge without breaking the bank; books, free online courses, joining online communities like ‘Hack The Box‘, or even following some of the amazing security influencers on LinkedIn.
Cyber Security job roles
After reading up on all things security and knowing that this is the path for you, there is still a big step. Deciding exactly what job you are going after.
There are numerous paths into security, and choosing the right one for you is an important part of defining your cyber security career. Let’s take a look at some of the job roles that are out there.
Job Role | Description |
Junior Penetration Tester | A penetration tester is a type of network security consultant who tries to break into or find possible exploits in different computer systems and software. You can think of them as a type of ethical hacker. |
SOC Analyst Level 1 | A SOC analyst is a cybersecurity professional who works as part of a team to monitor and fight threats to an organization’s IT infrastructure, and to assess security systems and measures for weaknesses and possible improvements. Typically, part of a 24/7 operation team. |
Security Analyst | Junior Security Analysts are very similar to a SOC Analyst. You will monitor computer networks for security issues, install security software, and document any security issues you find. The biggest difference is that a SOC Analyst is normally part of a 24/7 operation. |
Junior Network Security Engineer | Network security engineers are responsible for the provisioning, deployment, configuration, and administration of many different pieces of network and security-related hardware and software. These include firewalls, routers, switches, various network-monitoring tools, and virtual private networks Ju |
Security Researcher | Security researchers take apart malware to see what vulnerabilities the malicious software is exploiting and glean intelligence out of the malware – how it communicates and how it is structured. They use that information to track adversaries and groups by the attack methods they have deployed |
Junior Malware Analyst | A malware analyst examines malicious software, such as bots, worms, and trojans, to understand the nature of their threat. Security product companies, in industries such as anti-virus or network intrusion prevention, may hire malware analysts to develop ways of blocking malicious code |
Start a Career in Cyber Security Today
Starting a new career isn’t easy, so we’ve broken this down into actionable steps:
- Commit to learning: Choose a learning path, degree, bootcamp, or online labs.
- Earn credentials: Start with entry-level certifications (e.g., Security+, CySA+).
- Gain practical experience: Build a portfolio via labs, projects, and hackathons.
- Develop soft skills: Practice communication, critical thinking, and teamwork.
- Networking and keep learning: Attend webinars, follow resources like Intaso’s insights and guides.
- Apply: Use specialist recruiters like us at Intaso to connect with cyber job roles.
Ready to take the next step? Explore our current opportunities and start a career in cyber security today by visiting Intaso’s jobs page, or contact us to see how we can help!
