posted 21st January 2022
As a recruitment agency working in today's IT industry, the demand for qualified staff to work in the IT security sector has never been higher. In fact, IT security specialists are the most sought-after tech professionals in the IT sector as businesses and governments wage a constant battle against attacks from cyber criminals and hackers.
In a recent survey of digital leaders in the UK, nearly half of them reported a shortage of IT security professionals. This is due to a cyber skills shortage. Thankfully the desire to work in the IT security sector is strong and more organisations are offering internships and placements for university students, graduate programmes, and apprenticeships as an alternate route to enter the field.
IT security professionals will continue to be in demand as we buy more and more things online and transact our daily lives through the internet, be it through our banks, Amazon, Ocado and others. We are continually putting sensitive information into a domain that may be threatened by hackers and cyber criminals and so we will need cyber security professionals to help protect our information and identity. These are some of the obvious IT security risks that we may encounter as individuals, but the cyber security industry is much bigger than that.
The recent move to more remote and hybrid working has had many side effects. One of these effects has been the need to make sure that the work being done remotely by employees is protected from IT security threats such as malware, ransomware, viruses, spyware, phishing, pharming, adware, spam, and so much more.
Additionally, IT security threats come from a wide range of places and target all kind of entities. This includes coordinated cyber-attacks to disrupt elections, disable government infrastructure, or make some of our biggest corporations struggle to conduct their day-to-day business. Plus, organised criminal gangs specialise in phishing emails designed to get people to disclose their personal information and focus on other identity theft schemes. The need for IT security is everywhere!
Many different types of organisations have IT security jobs. Some of the typical employers of IT security specialists include government organisations, universities, financial service providers, network providers, security consultancies, and large corporations. However, more and more opportunities continue to arise in IT security including in businesses such as engineering firms, accounting firms, and insurance agencies.
What are the IT security jobs available to someone interested in IT security as a career?
For those who are interested in IT security jobs there are many opportunities in a wide variety of areas. These IT security jobs range from the glamour of the Penetration Tester paying entry level salaries from £30,000 or £40,000 to the sky is the limit at the top end; to Cyber Security Analyst roles paying £30,000 to £60,000; and a range of implementation roles such IT Security Engineer paying similar levels to analysts. Other roles include IT Security Analyst, IT Security Architect, Chief Information Security Officer, and many more. Salaries at the top end can be extremely high and the sector welcomes both permanent and contract staff. Plus, there are outstanding opportunities for career progression, especially in larger organisations.
Key skills that are required for cyber security jobs include:
- Strong IT skills including knowledge of hardware, software, and networking
- Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses in IT systems
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Ability to find vulnerabilities in IT systems and structures
- Understanding of how cyber criminals work and the desire to keep up with the ever-changing IT security landscape
A career in IT security takes tech savvy, hard work, and a genuine interest in cyber security but the rewards in terms of challenging and financially rewarding work are high!
If you are looking for a role in cyber security, we can help match your skills and experience with one of the many IT security jobs for which we are currently recruiting. Get in touch with us by emailing us on contact@tsrltd.co.uk or calling us on 020 3837 9180. We look forward to working with you!