Challenges to Success: The Main Obstacles to a Career in Cybersecurity

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Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing and most sought-after areas in the IT industry. However, despite the high attractiveness of this career, professionals face a number of difficulties that can become obstacles to success. Overcoming these barriers requires not only persistence, but also a deep understanding of the specifics of the industry, as well as a willingness to constantly learn and adapt to new challenges. In this article, we will consider the main problems that cybersecurity specialists face and ways to overcome them.

Common challenges​

Each person is an individual and may face some individual difficulties when building a career. But there are also broader challenges that affect the entire field. These problems make it difficult to effectively develop and implement solutions and can also be an obstacle to improving the overall level of information system security.

Lack of knowledge and experience​

In cybersecurity, as in any other technical field, a successful career directly depends on the level of knowledge and practical experience. The lack of necessary knowledge or insufficient experience can seriously hinder the implementation of complex tasks and the resolution of non-standard situations.

Denis Chigin.
Head of Technological Expertise Department, Softline Group.

In my opinion, the key difficulty that hinders building a career in cybersecurity (and not only) is the lack of knowledge and experience. In the field of information security, this problem is aggravated by the discrepancy between what is taught within the framework of existing curricula and what employers actually require.

Information security has long been divided into many areas, each of which has its own specific tasks and functions. As a result, universal curricula cannot equally well prepare specialists for all these positions. Therefore, the demand for a candidate in the industry largely depends on his independent work in a specific subject area.

Today, there is no shortage of information, courses or documentation in most areas. Everything rests on the readiness and desire to search for and study materials independently.

Specialists who do not have deep theoretical training or real practical experience may face problems in quickly adapting to new threats and technologies. This leads to risks of ineffective response to incidents and also increases the likelihood of errors in the work process.

The challenges of professional growth​

Difficulties in professional growth are one of the key challenges for cybersecurity specialists. Rapid technological developments require experts to constantly update their knowledge and skills. However, in practice, there are not always opportunities for full-fledged training or career growth.

Olga Popova.
Leading lawyer at Staffcop (Atom Security is part of SKB Kontur Group).

A successful career in cybersecurity requires constant self-improvement and quick adaptation to changing threats. You need to be aware of the latest technologies and attack methods, quickly process large amounts of information and make prompt decisions. Higher education in this field is not enough: you need to constantly study, learn new tools and methods, actively communicate with colleagues, share experiences and get advice from more experienced specialists.

It is important to understand that the main thing in real cybersecurity is not to protect everything at any cost, satisfying only the formal requirements of regulators, but to identify and prevent truly unacceptable events. Often, the costs of absolute protection exceed the maximum possible damage.

Many companies do not invest enough resources in the development of their employees, which leads to a shortage of qualified specialists with up-to-date knowledge. As a result, professionals often face difficulty moving to new levels in their careers, which reduces motivation and makes it difficult to retain talented employees.

Angelica Gontsa.
Director of Department, Information Security Unit, Rostelecom.

It often happens that employees, both experienced and new, lose motivation and do not see career prospects. Young professionals (Generation Z) feel this faster, while older ones judge the situation through the prism of their experience. And managers often ask how to motivate and retain employees.

Important:

1. Define Goals: Understand what you want to achieve in your career.
2. Develop an action plan: Create steps to achieve your goals and stay motivated even if results don't come right away.
3. Record your achievements: Pay attention to your successes, even small ones. This will help you stay motivated and confident.

It can also be helpful to try new projects or challenges to expand your knowledge. Work with a career counselor or coach to identify the causes of your stagnation and find ways to overcome it.

Lack of experience also limits the ability to develop innovative solutions for protecting information systems, which makes the specialist less competitive in the labor market.

The need for developed soft skills​

The need for advanced soft skills is becoming increasingly important in the cybersecurity field. In addition to technical knowledge, professionals need to be able to effectively interact with colleagues, management, and clients.

Alexey Andronov.
Senior Software Developer at IT Bastion.

There is a lot of noise about the IT industry today. Courses promise a quick path to success and employment, but the reality is that there are sometimes hundreds of responses to entry-level vacancies for one place. Without experience, it is difficult to stand out, because an intern requires time and effort from an experienced developer who will become a mentor. This distracts from the main work, and not every company is ready for such a step.

Having realized this, it is worth approaching the problem from a different angle. What does experience mean for an employer? First of all, it is an understanding of business processes and a guarantee of good hard skills. Therefore, an alternative to experience can be a good immersion in the field and the presence of interesting pet projects. Again, with maximum reference to understanding commercial development processes (if you are applying for a developer position, which, by the way, remains the most popular position in information security).

If you want to dive into vulnerability search, then CTF (Capture the Flag) tasks, bug bounty or participation in specialized conferences can be excellent material for a portfolio. And the main thing that many forget is that you should not keep silent about your successes. Publications on Habr or having a Telegram blog will help you stand out and demonstrate your expertise to a future employer much better than lines in a resume.

Teamwork, communication and conflict resolution skills play an important role, especially in stressful situations when a quick response to incidents is required.

Shklyarevskaya Victoria.
Leading HR Business Partner, Angara Security.

It should be noted that despite the personnel shortage, there are still more resumes from students and young professionals than offers from employers. Therefore, when applying for a job, there is a competition for a vacancy. To get your first offer, it would be useful to have a competitive advantage over other candidates.

Confident knowledge of the basics of information security, a base on networks and operating systems, databases, etc. It is important not to limit yourself to lectures and lab work at the university, but also to delve into the topics of interest on your own. Train at home on virtual machines, solve CTFs, google all unfamiliar words and terms, complete tasks on specialized platforms such as TryHackMe, learn to write scripts, etc.

In general, I would recommend showing interest, expanding your horizons, following the market and news in the field of information security, being able to search for information and being ready for constant self-development.

Professionals must be able to not only correctly analyze threats, but also convey information about risks and problem-solving proposals in an accessible language for people without a technical background. Underestimating the importance of these skills can negatively affect work efficiency and career growth.

Career Solutions for Newbies and Experienced Professionals​

A career in cybersecurity can be rich and varied, but it is not without its challenges. Regardless of your level of experience — whether you are a newbie just starting out in your career or an experienced professional looking to grow — everyone faces unique challenges. Meeting these challenges requires flexibility, strategy, and continuous skill development. It is important to understand that successfully overcoming career obstacles depends not only on technical knowledge, but also on the ability to develop general and cross-cutting competencies, accept responsibility, and proactively seek opportunities for growth.

Choosing a company with development opportunities​

One of the key factors for career growth in the cybersecurity field is choosing the right company that provides real opportunities for professional development.

Olga Petrusevich.
HR Business Partner Infosecurity (Softline Group).

To overcome professional stagnation, it is important to create conditions for growth. For example, our company has a mentoring program that helps employees find answers to professional development questions based on the experience of more experienced colleagues. Such programs provide a clear direction and motivation for further development.

Other tools that help overcome such difficulties are regular team meetings to share experiences and generate new ideas, individual employee development plans, as well as clear career and professional development tracks for different roles.

Therefore, the first and most important step is choosing the right company to start a career. A lot depends on the environment a newcomer finds himself in. Ideally, the company should have clear processes, mentoring programs, and a wide range of projects where you can apply your knowledge and develop new skills. In addition, it is important to constantly learn and remain open to new opportunities. Cybersecurity is a dynamic industry, and success comes to those who are ready to grow and adapt.

It is important to choose an employer that understands the importance of training and invests resources in it. It is also worth paying attention to the opportunities for vertical and horizontal growth within the company. The ideal organization will support employees in their desire to not only deepen their knowledge in a narrow area, but also to expand their horizons, for example, by moving into other areas of IT or cybersecurity.

Self-education and proactivity​

One of the most effective solutions to overcome career challenges in cybersecurity is to develop self-directed learning skills and a proactive approach. Given the rapid change in technology and security threats, the ability to independently seek and master new knowledge is becoming a vital tool for a professional.

Darya Figurkina.
Director of Talent at Swordfish Security.

We have great respect for higher education in the field of information security. It is certainly necessary. But, let's be honest, education objectively does not keep up with the development of the market. Although high-quality fundamental education, in my opinion, is important because it gives that very helicopter view.

Every novice specialist, if he wants to build a successful career, should focus on self-development and practice. And not be afraid of internships from the very beginning. We calculated our own statistics and determined that on average, we spend about a year on an "upgrade" from a student to a cool engineer, investing in it the knowledge and skills of our experts. Today, companies are ready to invest in the training of very young engineers, because it is beneficial to everyone.

Self-education allows you to constantly stay on the cutting edge and deepen your knowledge in areas that require development. It is important not only to master new technical skills, but also to follow current trends, participate in online courses, read specialized literature, attend webinars and participate in specialized forums. This will help not only deepen your knowledge, but also broaden your horizons, which contributes to a more conscious choice of career direction.

Proactivity, in turn, is expressed in the willingness to propose solutions, seek new approaches, and take initiative in solving problems. This is especially valued in the field of cybersecurity, where it is necessary to constantly adapt to new threats and quickly respond to changes. A proactive approach to a career includes not only timely identification of training opportunities, but also active participation in professional communities, proposing ideas for improving processes, and supporting innovative initiatives in the organization.

Mastering related skills and increasing the level of responsibility​

To successfully advance in a cybersecurity career, it is vital to look beyond your narrow professional skills and develop cross-functional competencies. Mastering skills that go beyond your core specialization can broaden your horizons and make you a more valuable employee. For example, security professionals can develop project management, data science, analytics, or even artificial intelligence and machine learning skills, which are increasingly impacting security.

Alexey Andronov.
Senior Software Developer at IT Bastion.

Try to delve into related areas. For example, if you are already an expert in network protection, try to master reverse engineering skills. Expanding your horizons will not only help you escape from the routine, but will also make you a more valuable specialist.

Take on more responsibility. Mentoring or the role of team leader will unlock new challenges for you. It is clear that such a status cannot be obtained without the appropriate skills. But this will be an excellent growth point for the near future and will provide an opportunity to develop in management, building processes and working with people.

And increasing your level of responsibility is an important step towards professional development. Taking on new responsibilities, such as project management, participation in strategic planning, or team supervision, helps not only deepen your own understanding of business processes, but also demonstrates leadership qualities. A specialist who shows a willingness to take responsibility and successfully manage complex tasks stands out among colleagues and has a better chance of career advancement.

Conclusion​

The cybersecurity field does offer a wealth of career and personal development opportunities for professionals. However, technical expertise alone is not enough to successfully advance up the career ladder. Equally important are qualities such as flexibility, the ability to adapt to an ever-changing threat landscape, and a willingness to continually learn and improve.

In this industry, it is important to be proactive, to see opportunities for growth, to develop your own strategies, and to be prepared for the challenges that arise at every stage of your career. Success in cybersecurity, as in any other field, depends on a combination of solid skills, related competencies, and a desire to improve. Professionals who are actively developing, ready to master new areas and take on responsibility, have every chance not only to stay in the profession, but also to achieve significant success, occupying leading positions in the market.

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