Characteristics of the Cyber Security Industry and how they impact employment
Technology is quickly becoming one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. As countries become more developed, they will rely more heavily on the efficiencies and benefits derived from technology solutions. Many industry experts believe that data will become the next frontier as it relates to technology and future applications. Due to the technological innovations the possibilities and applications for large amounts of data are just beginning. Currently, organizations such IBM and Google are using data to predict future weather trends, create self-driving cars, or even automating renewable energy outputs within the grid. These technological innovations are designed to not only benefit corporate America, but also improve the quality of life for individuals around the world. The technology industry offers participants a lucrative, high-paying career along with the satisfaction of dramatically improving the lives of others (Bradford, 2017).

Unfortunately, the advancement of technology has brought with its participants who are looking to do harm to others. Cyber warfare, according to some studies has the potential to become the next battleground for rival countries looking to start a war. As technology has increased its prevalence in society so too has the important of cyber security. To help protect the livelihoods of others and the national security interests of America, I have decided to pursue a career within the cyber security industry.

To begin, most participants in the industry are highly skills workers with knowledge of various computing languages and technology infrastructures. Here, a college degree is not necessarily required to work in the industry. However, the individual most be well-versed with computing terminology, software, programming languages and other. As the industry is in its infancy stages relative to other mature industries, there is no set career path. As such individuals from various backgrounds can be successful within the industry so long as they have a passion for technology. Most HR experts however do recommend beginning a cybersecurity career with an internship or apprenticeship. This will allow the new practitioner to become family with industry fundamentals while also learning the basics of database management, coding and networks. Most importantly, an internship will allow an individual to see real-world applications and IT procedures daily. One an individual determines that they are interested in a career in cybersecurity, they must then identify their area of interest. Areas of interest include email security, network security, forensics, security administrator, web security, security software developer, and others (Sundaram, 2017). My interest is security administration. As it relates to personality characteristics of an ideal candidate, many of them don’t vary much from other professions. The individual must be passionate for technology, have a team-oriented mindset, strong communication skills, a strong sense of integrity, and the ability to synthesize large amounts of information to arrive at a conclusion.

Employment prospects within the industry are very favorable. In fact, due the expertise required, there are more available jobs than candidates qualified to accept them. The 2018 Cyber Security Workforce study estimated that there is nearly a 498,000 shortage of cyber security professional in the United States alone (ISC, 2018). As a result, entry level sales are much higher than...…was the idea of continual learning and its importance. Unlike some industries and professions that change processes very slowly, a cyber security profession must constantly learn. In fact, some certification require that the professional engage in continual education credits to keep their certification active. The importance of continual education is paramount to the advancement of the industry and the individual overall. For one, as technology advances so too must the skills and abilities of the cybersecurity profession. If not, the skills of the professional will become obsolete and ineffective at challenging those who would like to harm others. This will have grave implications for our financial system, our healthcare system, and other critical networks that house important information (8 New Horizons, 2018).

When reflecting on the research for this assignment, I thoroughly enjoyed researching the merit of the cybersecurity industry. The research project has only reaffirmed my commitment to the cybersecurity industry and the technology field overall. I believe I possess many of the personality traits and temperament outlined throughout this paper. First, I have a passion for technology and understanding how systems work. I enjoy problem solving and working with others to derive solutions. I also enjoy the fulfillment of knowing that I am helping others through my work, even if they don’t know who I am. However, through this project, I must further develop my interpersonal and psychology skills. Here, I need to better understand how people think and what factors enter their decision-making processes. Overall, through the development of this skill, I believe I will be better prepared for an entry-level position within the industry.…