5 talents you already have to qualify for a career in cyber security
Are you always looking forward to participate in the next hackathon? Are you often curious about what makes computer systems work and how you can trouble-shoot when problems arise?
If the answer is a resounding “yes”, you could already be setting the stage for a future career in tech’s latest hot job for all you know.
With security and privacy becoming the biggest challenges in today’s increasingly digital world, cyber security is now a rapidly growing market thanks to our government’s push to build a resilient ICT (Information and Communications Technology) infrastructure and the launch of the Singapore’s Cybersecurity Strategy last year.
While paper qualifications and technical chops might land you an initial job interview, today’s employer is seemingly looking for a more well-rounded employee with a wider set of skills and talents.
Read on to learn about the five aptitudes you already have to qualify for a career in cyber security. Perhaps it’s time to leverage on your talents to give yourself a head start for one of the most sought-after jobs in the tech industry.
1. You love computer forensics
You love technology and you’ve dreamt of becoming a criminal detective since you were five. Strong analytical and diagnostic skills are your strengths. You think creatively and solving complicated problems excites you. Your curiosity is evidenced by your love for digital forensic and crime scene investigation TV shows. In many ways, a cyber security worker has to think like a hacker on top of being a digital detective. You’re a regular at hackathons and innocuous symptoms such as slow networks and unsolicited computer restarts aren’t normal for you – these signs immediately become red flags for you. In fact, you’re such a natural in following leads when things don’t look right that more often than not, you annoy your friends to bits with your paranoia.
2. You’re a wordsmith and “research nazi”
Researching is a learned skill and you have mastered the art of it. You are quite the cyber sleuth expert and nothing gets past your eagle eyes when it comes to digging up information. With an “X-ray vision” to browse through search results and a flair for writing, you know the top key words and types of search engines to use to optimise your search results. And since working in the field of cyber security involves policy creation (e.g. end-user guidelines and network security policies), your strong writing instinct and research skills (into the latest cyber technologies and industry best practices as well as to unearth new risks and vulnerabilities) will come in very handy when writing a solid policy brief that requires a good amount of research and details to support your recommendations.
3. You’ve a gadget addiction
You love gadgets and you cannot lie. Your curiosity on how things work means that long hours are spent on playing with electronic devices and you always stay informed of technology advancements. Family and friends call you the techno-fiend because of your knowledge of the ins-and-outs of all things gadgety. And you most definitely can’t imagine going through a day without your electronic companions and modern technology. You’ve got all the latest and greatest gadgetry you need but each time a new one is released, you can’t wait to get your hands on it.
4. You’re a master of oral expression
Explaining complex ideas to people is your specialty. You have a knack for interpreting complicated technical concepts clearly and effectively to others; with analogies so good that IT noobs would remember them forever. Whether it’s teaching your grandparents how to check their emails or presenting to a roomful of non-techie people, you’re a crackerjack in your strong verbal skills and masterly ability to help others overcome their frustration [from the lack of tech understanding] and learn a new thing or two.
5. You DIY your home security system
You love to tinker around with surveillance gadgets and always stay current on cyber security trends and threats. You’re the self-appointed household tech support who runs virus scans and upgrades your home computer software before anyone even asks. You’ve become a master of your craft and having to pay for an expensive home security system makes no sense to you. So you whip up a low-cost home surveillance system by converting your laptop into one. What’s more, you’re a tech ninja who not only creates unique passwords for every security service that you use, you even activate a second-factor authentication step to safeguard each one of them. Talk about the art of foiling security measures!