The Fast-Growing Job With A Huge Skills Gap: Cyber Security

Behind every new hack or data breach, there’s a company scrambling to put out the fire. That’s good news for job seekers with cyber security skills. Employers can’t hire them fast enough.

The ISACA, a non-profit information security advocacy group, predicts there will be a global shortage of two million cyber security professionals by 2019. Every year in the U.S., 40,000 jobs for information security analysts go unfilled, and employers are struggling to fill 200,000 other cyber-security related roles, according to cyber security data tool CyberSeek. And for every ten cyber security job ads that appear on careers site Indeed, only seven people even click on one of the ads, let alone apply.

It’s easy to see why these jobs are in demand. I know I’ve lost count of major data breaches, and the stakes for companies are high. Recent research by Cisco showed that 29% of breached organizations lost revenue. And breaches can impact companies of all types, from large corporations to small hospitals. On the black market, health care records reportedly sell for $5 apiece.

One of the most in-demand cyber security roles is security analyst, says Bill Bonifacic, who leads the cyber security practice at recruiting firm blueStone Recruiting. Security analysts work to prevent and mitigate breaches on the ground. In 2012 there were 72,670 security analyst jobs in the U.S., with median earnings of $86,170. Three years later, there were 88,880 such analysts making $90,120.

Another hot job is security manager, says Bonifacic. Security managers develop and implement overarching processes to keep information private. Often you’ll need a professional certification to be considered for such a role, like a CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) or CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional).

Compensation for the most senior roles in cyber security, like chief information security officer, can reach $400,000, says Bonifacic. Cyber security jobs commanded a $6,500 premium over other IT jobs in a 2015 study by analytics firm Burning Glass.  

If you’re interested in a cyber security career, where should you look? Large health care, financial and global manufacturing firms need armies of cyber security professionals, according to Bonifacic, as do professional services firms like Deloitte and EY.

And what type of experience stands out on a resume? If you’re coming from a large company that hasn’t been in the news for a data breach, that bodes well. Abbott, a health care firm with 75,000 employees that makes medical devices and pharmaceuticals, falls into this category. Bonifacic says, “If you were running security at Abbott, you’re going to do very well.”