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5 Reasons Why A Cybersecurity Certification Is Worth It

Hardly a few years ago, building a career in the IT sector was limited to mainframe computers and network support. IT professionals were only responsible for ensuring that the technology is working correctly within their organization to ensure that employees can get their jobs done without glitches.

However, these days seem like ages ago now, as the field of IT has extended phenomenally and there more tasks and roles for IT professionals. Out of these roles, one of the most critical roles of IT is protecting enterprise data and infrastructure, especially due to the rise of cyber-attacks.

As more businesses are moving towards total digital adoption, including transmitting sensitive data digitally or storing them on the cloud, hackers have multiple opportunities to steal valuable information, commit denial-of-service attacks or simply create complete chaos.

Due to this, the need for people certified in cybersecurity, IT security and governance is on the rise and is far higher than the number of qualified applicants. This has made building a career in this industry extremely lucrative.

While this has surely boosted the popularity of cybersecurity certifications, a lot of people still wonder if the investment is worth the time and money. In this blog, we will discuss the benefits of pursuing a cybersecurity certification. However, before delving into the benefits, let’s first understand how the cybersecurity industry has taken over the IT sector.

Cyber Security As the New Frontier in IT

The cybersecurity industry primarily has one goal, protecting networks, computers, programs and data from cybercrime, damage and unauthorized access. However, the industry includes technologies, processes and practices working together. This sector is also often referred to information technology security or IT security as the IT department is responsible for protection and defense.

Regardless of the industry or business type, cybersecurity is a must-have, right from the government to corporate, military to medical and even financial to personal. This is because all types of businesses collect, store and transmit data, including a bunch of sensitive information.

As more businesses get more dependant on technology and the digital world, the more the need for cybersecurity professionals will grow. Hence, the industry has opened its door for many talented individuals to build a lucrative career move, including seasoned IT professionals and individuals looking to enter a new domain.

Hence, there are many more compelling reasons to join this industry, including strong demand in the job market, a vast number of roles and opportunities to choose from, high pay, and ease to become qualified.

If you’re planning to build a career in this field, pursuing a certification is the perfect way to accelerate your journey due to a host of benefits.

The Benefits Of Getting A Certification

There have been a lot of speculations about the effectiveness of certifications. However, now more and more companies require candidates to complete certain certifications to be considered for job opportunities. Mentioned below are some of the ways pursuing a cybersecurity certification can benefit your career.

Certifications Help You Stand Out

Having a cybersecurity certification can be the main differentiator between you and another candidate competing for the same role. There are multiple examples of individuals with similar experience and skillset beat others just on the basis of their certifications. Moreover, this certification can help students aspiring to pursue higher education in renowned colleges, as they add value to your portfolio.

Show A Level Of Accomplishment And Perseverance

There’s no doubt that earning a certification requires immense hard work and perseverance as there are many levels to complete. Hence, this pursuing a certification proves that you’re committed to your career and are focused on going above and beyond to give your best.

Moreover, this is especially beneficial if you’ve just entered the field. This will give you some credibility and urge potential employers to hire you. In a nutshell, having a certification shows that you’re serious about the filed and want to build a long and lucrative career.

Employers Place High-Value On Certifications

While it’s true that not every employer will be swayed with certifications, there are still a considerable amount of employers who are usually impressed by them. In fact, even the army has made it mandatory for some of their officers to pursue certification courses, depending on their role and position.

This is primarily because having a college degree is extremely generic and vast. On the other hand, by completing a certification in cybersecurity, you know have advanced knowledge of the concepts and techniques that are beneficial to fight cybercrime effectively.

Get Noticed By Your Employer

Have you ever felt that you’re stuck in a rut? Have you seen other people get promotions over you, but you’re stuck at the same position? If that’s the case, you should consider pursuing a certification.

By doing this, you will gain additional knowledge and skills that are sure to impress your employer. This will result in you getting additional opportunities to prove your grit and get more responsibilities. Overall, you will be a valued resource and will play a key role in securing your company and its sensitive data from cyber-attacks.

Negotiate A Raise or Promotion

As discussed earlier, after completing a certification, you’ll be showered with new responsibilities, which puts you in the perfect position to negotiate a raise or a promotion. This is primarily because you have better skills and knowledge and are highly valuable for the company.

Moreover, if your employer still refuses the raise or promotion, you can always look for job opportunities in other companies who will value your knowledge.