There are things that you will learn in your cybersecurity education like your CEH course, and then there are things that you won’t get anywhere no matter how much you are ready to pay for them. But, these are things that you can acquire over time, if you really want to build a career in cybersecurity. Not all these things can be categorised as soft skills but they can be called your ‘characteristics’. If you already have these characteristics, then congratulations, you will make a great information security professional. Read till the end to know what these traits are and what they look like up close.
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The aptitude to learn technical things faster than usual
Even though anyone can learn cyber security irrespective of the educational or professional background they have, it pays to have a fairly good technical aptitude if you want to succeed in this field. Since information security is a highly technical field that deals with knowing how things work in cyberspace and defending them against world class hackers with enviable technical expertise, you will find yourself not just learning technical concepts and tools like you would do in your ethical hacking course but also learning about new technologies, new computer languages and other technical stuff throughout your career. Therefore, having a good grip on understanding technical things faster can help you grow in your professional life faster than usual.
The ability to think creatively and quickly
Information security is a technical business but it is also a creative one at some level. As a professional in charge of securing digital systems, you will have to find out solutions to problems that may seem impossible or daunting at first. You can think of your work as that of a detective who is trying to figure out a way to solve a crime, tighten security, think like a criminal, and catch the perpetrators in a limited time and a highly stressful environment. Therefore, as much as organisation skills will help you stay on track, you will also benefit from creative problem solving, thinking on your feet and out of the box.
A sharp eye and attention to details that others would easily miss
Whether it is finding a bug in hundreds of lines of code or trying to catch unauthorised traffic entering your network, a sharp eye and an alert mind will be your best friend in this job. Your job will be quite delicate in nature as you will be responsible for data security, system security, network security and the security of millions of people who will be using the services of your clients. Thus, you will have to make sure that you never lose focus or attention at your work.
An itch to make the world secure
At the end of the day, it is the passion for security that will help you thrive in this profession. If you really want to beat criminal hackers and fight them with all your might; if you really want to make this world a safer place for everyone, then you can and you will become a great information security professional in the long run. This is a highly demanding job that will evolve with time faster than you can imagine, but the benefits are just as high. Thus, having a passion for excellence and cyber security will only help you navigate this career smoothly and with direction.
It might be possible that you possess some of these skills, if not all. And if you do, then don’t forget to mention them in your résumé!
