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Discovering Cybersecurity Careers
Discovering Cybersecurity Careers | Work Roles | Career Briefs, Resources, and Tools | Work Role Videos | Posters and Infographics | Workforce Demand Data
Explore the demand for cybersecurity practitioners and the wide range of career options and pathways to enter the field.
Discovering Cybersecurity Careers
Most people, young and old, don’t understand what a cybersecurity practitioner does or the multiple career pathways to get into the cybersecurity field. National Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week inspires and promotes awareness and exploration of cybersecurity careers.
Why consider a career in cybersecurity?
- Cybersecurity has something for everyone.
- There is a high need for skilled cybersecurity professionals.
- Cybersecurity workers are part of a dynamic industry.
- Cybersecurity has practically unlimited growth.
- You will never be bored in the field of cybersecurity.
- You get to solve problems and develop unique solutions.
- Cybersecurity allows you to earn a great salary.
- Careers in cybersecurity allow you to enjoy job flexibility.
- Cybersecurity professionals make a difference in the world and make a real impact.
- The work of cybersecurity professionals is more than the stereotypical picture most people have of a computer science major or a hacker.
Work Roles
Learn more about the different types of work roles that constitute cybersecurity work by exploring the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, NIST Special Publication 800-181, a national focused resource that categorizes and describes cybersecurity work. The NICE Framework establishes a taxonomy and common lexicon that describes cybersecurity work and workers irrespective of where or for whom the work is performed.
Want to learn more about cybersecurity workforce demand or career pathways to the work roles identified in the NICE Framework? Explore CyberSeek which includes an interactive jobs heat map and career pathways aligned to the NICE Framework to answer questions such as:
- What education levels do employers require for cybersecurity workers?
- What credentials or knowledge, skills, and abilities do I need to enter a career in cybersecurity?
- How large is the cybersecurity workforce in my region? How does that compare to other locations?
- How much does a cybersecurity worker make in my region?
The NICE Framework:
- Is a fundamental reference for describing cybersecurity work.
- Describes work in the form of Work Roles.
- Includes detailed groupings of cybersecurity work comprised of specific Tasks, Knowledge, and Skill statements.
Learn more at the NICE Framework Resource Center.
Career Briefs, Resources, and Tools
These cybersecurity career resources provide job descriptions, salary information, employment outlooks, educational requirements, overviews of sample cybersecurity opportunities, and more.
Palo Alto Networks Cybersecurity Career Guide: Who Works in Cybersecurity, How We Got Started, and Why We Need You shares amazing stories about how some of the best practitioners in the industry got started.
College Board BigFuture allows you to browse majors and career profiles, and it provides career guidance. For example, explore a career in network security.
RoadTrip Nation offers interviews from leaders in the field, perspectives on the possibilities of cybersecurity from three aspiring cybersecurity workers, and much more.
CareerOneStop provides career information, resources, and advice in addition to a career profile and an occupation profile with details on more than 950 careers. Search for cybersecurity job roles, such as Information Security Analysts.
O*NET OnLine has detailed descriptions for use by job seekers, HR professionals, students, and researchers. Search by Keyword or O*NET-SOC Code. Included is a list of technologies frequently seen in job postings and a MyNextMove for veterans.
Resources from DICE include a tool for exploring Cybersecurity Career Paths and Salary Predictors and Skills Portal.
ClearanceJobs Cybersecurity Resource Center offers career advice and job search tips.
Work Role Videos
View videos depicting a day in the life of cybersecurity practitioners in a range of work roles:
Securely Provision
Research and Development Specialist
Security Research Manager, Rapid 7, Tod Beardsley
Secure Software Assessor/Software Developer
Analyze & Protect
and Defend
Assessment/Defense Analyst
Penetration tester, PWC, Tim Varkalis
Security Consultant, Context Information Security, Andy Hornegold
Penetration Tester, Nettitude, Chris Oakley
Oversee & Govern
Executive Cyber Leadership
CISO, HP Enterprise Services, Andrea Simmons
CEO, Titania, Ian Whiting
Program/Project Management
Additional videos:
- Breaking the Code on a Career in Cybersecurity from the Virginia Space Grant Consortium
- DICE's five tech superheroes
- DICE job templates on what employers are looking for in work role positions
- A Career in Cybersecurity webinar from Cisco's Networking Academy
- A Mentorship Program Career webinar from MassCyberCenter
NICE Framework in Focus Interviews - listen to these profiles of a cybersecurity practitioners to illustrate application of the NICE Framework categories, specialty areas, and work roles.
Do you have videos to share? Contact us at nccaw@nist.gov.
Posters and Infographics
CISA and NICERC Cybersecurity Career Profiles
The Center for Internet Security explains why starting a career in cybersecurity is a good idea for students or individuals looking for a career change.
Workforce Demand Data
NICE Workforce Demand One Pager.
Industries at a Glance, with industries arranged by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code.
See additional resources in our toolkit.