Career Tips

The Cyber Security Career Lifecycle (CSCL) is a comprehensive professional development framework developed by the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA). It’s designed to help cybersecurity professionals identify where they are in their career, where they want to go, and how to accelerate their growth1.

The CSCL maps all five stages of the cybersecurity career lifecycle21:

Pre-Professional: This stage is for students and young adults who have yet to enter the profession.
Entry-Level: This stage is for those who are just starting their cybersecurity career.
Mid-Career: This stage is for professionals who have some experience in the field and are looking to advance their career.
Senior-Level: This stage is for experienced professionals who have a significant amount of expertise in the field.
Security Leader: This stage is for executives and other high-level professionals in the field, such as Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs).

The CSCL recognizes that the needs of its members change as individuals progress through their career, so the services that ISSA offers should also evolve accordingly

Resources:  https://cdn.ymaws.com,  ISSA_CSCL_Release_final_for_.pdf

1. Get a bachelor’s degree in IT
Pursue a bachelor’s degree with a major in the IT field. A bachelor’s degree can provide foundational knowledge of IT subjects like network architecture, computer science and programming.

2. Research technology trends
Technology consultants need a firm understanding of the technology field, its current state and growing trends. This means doing research on the latest tools, programming languages and IT management techniques to maintain industry standards

3. Earn technology experience
Gaining job experience in the technology field is a crucial step to becoming a technology consultant. Consulting requires technical knowledge and industry wisdom, something learned best from experience. With a long-term goal of consulting, consider each job you get in IT as an opportunity for skill acquisition that adds to your independent portfolio of qualifications.

4. Offer consultation services
After you gain three to five years of experience in the IT field, you can begin offering your consultation services. You can choose one to three areas to specialize in to keep your skills relevant.

5. Continue to learn and expand your skill set
Technology often develops quickly as new methods and tools become available, so it’s important to continue to learn and expand your IT skill set to remain competitive. Consider pursuing a master’s degree in your IT field to supplement your experience, or work for innovative companies that pursue and develop new technologies. The combination of continued education and specialized experience can make you a more professional and knowledgeable consultant and help you earn a higher salary.

Resource:  Indeed

National average salary: $80,222 per year

Primary duties: AI consultants helps companies learn to create systems that use AI. The consultant may manage AI projects and teach team members within the organization how to use and maintain AI systems.

An AI consultant reviews the company’s current system to ensure new AI processes are compatible with the current infrastructure

Courses to take:  ISO 42001 Lead Implementer

National average salary: $82,559 per year

Primary duties: 
Business intelligence analysts use business data and AI programs to make assumptions and predictions about future business trends. They may asses trends in profit, ROI, ROA, ROE and other business metrics to determine the best course of action a company can take. A business intelligence analyst may create data models to create visuals for others to better understand business data

1. Senior Director of Quality Assurance Based on the information provided by PayScale, Glassdoor, and Indeed, the average salary of a Senior Director of Quality Assurance is $181,790 per year.

A Senior Director of Quality Assurance is mainly responsible for:

a. Directing QA activities b. Supervising and mentoring staff c. Developing budgets d. Managing product complaints and other requirements from a quality assurance viewpoint e. Training staff

Senior Directors of Quality Assurance should be aware of the latest quality management standards and apply the knowledge of such standards within the organization.

2. Senior Quality Manager

Based on the information provided by PayScale, Glassdoor, and Ziprecruiter, the average salary of a Senior Quality Manager is $118,822 per year.

A Senior Quality Manager is mainly responsible for:

a. Designing quality control measures

b. Reviewing all documents related to quality

c. Investigating any form of quality-related noncompliance

d. Updating the quality control procedures

e. Ensuring that quality is managed through all departments.

Senior Quality Managers should be able to work closely with analysts and other professionals in order to better manage the daily work and quality within the organization.

3. Quality Assurance Director

Based on the information provided by PayScale, Glassdoor, and Ziprecruiter, the average salary of a Quality Assurance Director is $116,486 per year.

A Quality Assurance Director is mainly responsible for:

a. Overseeing the procedures related to testing of the products

b. Creating quality-related documents and updating procedures

c. Maintaining the quality of products and enforcing quality standards

d. Preparing quality reports â Ensuring that the organization’s products meet customer requirements

Quality Assurance Directors should be detail-oriented and have good communication skills. A good Quality Assurance Director should also have analytical and problem-solving skills.

4. Quality Management Director

Based on the information provided by PayScale, Glassdoor, and Zippia, the average salary of a Quality Management Director is $107,095 per year.

A Quality Management Director is mainly responsible for:

a. Supervising the quality management team

b.Overseeing the filing and storage process

c. Providing reports on quality management to upperlevel management

d. Training new staff regarding quality management issues

e. Implementing quality management procedures

Quality Management Directors should have excellent organizational and management skills, and be able to pay attention to details.

5. Quality Manager

Based on the information provided by PayScale, Glassdoor, and Ziprecruiter, the average salary of a Quality Manager is $85,410 per year.

A Quality Manager is mainly responsible for:

a. Developing quality control tests â Inspecting products

b. Writing reports regarding the quality of products

c. Setting quality management standards and procedures

d. Measuring quality performance and suggesting opportunities for improvement.

Quality Managers should be able to coordinate the activities for meeting the quality standards set for a specific product or service.

Resource: iso-9001-jobs-brochure

Required Training:  ISO 9001 Lead Assessor Course

Starting a career in cybersecurity can be both exciting and rewarding. Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. Build a Strong Foundation:
   • Gain knowledge in IT and cybersecurity. Familiarize yourself with programming, networks, systems administration, and cloud computing.
   • Consider taking structured training or courses. While a degree is not mandatory, it can accelerate your path toward a job.
2. Entry-Level Roles:
   • Begin with an entry-level IT role such as a help desk technician, network administrator, or software developer.
   • These roles provide valuable experience and a foundation for transitioning into cybersecurity.
3. Self-Development:
   • Work on technology projects for yourself or others.
   • Volunteer to assist organizations with cybersecurity services.
   • Participate in cybersecurity competitions to enhance your skills.
4. Advertise Yourself:
   • Showcase your skills and expertise to potential employers.
   • Network with professionals in the field and attend relevant events.
5. Choose a Career Path:
   • As a cybersecurity analyst, you have several paths to explore:
     • Security Engineering and Architecture: Build and implement defense systems against security threats.
     • Incident Response: Thrive on handling security incidents.
     • Management and Administration: Oversee security operations.
     • Consulting: Provide expert advice to organizations.
     • Testing and Hacking: Stay ahead of bad actors by honing your hacking skills.

Remember that continuous learning, certifications, and staying updated with industry trends are essential for a successful cybersecurity career. Good luck on your journey!

Courses to Explore:

Lead Ethical Hacker | CPISYS Training

ISO/IEC 27035 Foundation | CPISYS Training

ISO 22301 Foundation – 2 Day Online Course | CPISYS Training

ISO 31000 Risk Management Foundation | CPISYS Training

ISO/IEC 27001 Foundation | CPISYS Training

ISO/IEC 27001 Implementer Online Self-Study Course – 5 Days | CPISYS Training