IT pros have many opportunities to start and advance their careers within cybersecurity. CyberSeek wants to help close the cybersecurity skills gap, so it provides detailed, actionable data about supply and demand in the cybersecurity job market to help prospective job searchers.
CyberSeek has outlined career pathways for those that work in networking, software development, systems engineering, financial and risk analysis, security intelligence and IT support. Read on to learn about how you can propel your financial and risk analysis career into a cybersecurity career.
The Skills Needed To Go From Finance to Cybersecurity
Working in finance and risk analysis can help number-crunching IT pros begin a career in cybersecurity helping their organizations fight cybercrime.
In the United States, there are currently over 265,000 open jobs in the finance and risk analysis feeder role that request the following cybersecurity skills from potential finance and risk analysis candidates:
| GENERAL TECH SKILLS REQUESTED |
CYBERSECURITY SKILLS TO ADD |
| Accounting |
Risk Analysis |
| Finance |
Process Improvement |
| Auditing |
Economics |
| Financial Analysis |
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles |
| Financial Statements |
Finance Modeling |
The general skills requested are skills that CyberSeek has identified and finance and risk analysis professionals likely already have a strong knowledge base in. The cybersecurity skills listed are niche-specific skills finance professionals should add to their skill set to get into cybersecurity. This will help ease the transition from finance to cybersecurity and shows that candidates have the knowledge to do the job roles.
How To Learn These Skills
CompTIA certifications cover the skills you need to move from finance to cybersecurity, and each certification has a full suite of training products so you can tailor your studying to how you learn best.
If you’re not sure which certification is right for you, take a look at the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway. For those brand new to IT, CompTIA A+ will give you a solid foundation for understanding things like operating systems, hardware and troubleshooting. CompTIA Network+ helps you understand the ins and outs of computer networks, how they’re set up and how they function so you know what you’re working to secure. And CompTIA Security+ validates the baseline skills needed to perform core security functions. Once you have some experience under your belt, CompTIA Linux+ is the perfect complement to your cybersecurity skills.
Once you choose which certification is right for you, download the exam objectives to see what’s covered and then select your training solution. You can take a class, like CompTIA Live Online Training, or self-study with CertMaster eLearning solutions.
CompTIA CertMaster Learn
CertMaster Learn is a self-paced, comprehensive online learning experience that helps you gain the knowledge and practical skills necessary to be successful on your CompTIA certification exam, and in your IT career. CertMaster Learn helps you stay on track with your studies, while robust analytics bring awareness of strengths and weaknesses.
CompTIA Labs
CompTIA Labs makes it easy for you to practice and apply your skills in real workplace scenarios in preparation for the certification exam. All lab activities use real equipment and software, are based on scenarios found in the workplace, and align with CompTIA exam objectives.
CompTIA now offers integrated Learn + Labs for all of the above certifications, giving you a streamlined learning experience. Read more here.
The Education Level Required To Go From Finance to Cybersecurity
According to CyberSeek, the following educational requirements represent the percentage of online job listings requiring a bachelor's or graduate degree.
- 75% require a bachelor’s degree
- 25% require a graduate degree
This feeder role is very interesting when it comes to educational level because according to CyberSeek, every job role requests a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. But remember, your degree may not necessarily have to be in computer science or a related field. Your finance job likely also required a bachelor’s degree, and that paired with some additional training and/or certifications could position you as the perfect candidate. Keep your personal education levels in mind when exploring this job market to ensure you meet the prerequisites for these job roles!
Learn About the Other CyberSeek Pathways and Feeder Roles
Systems Engineer
Computer Networking
Software Developer
Security Intelligence
IT Support
The Job Roles You Could Land From Finance to Cybersecurity
While the education requirements for this feeder role could lead you to believe that the types of jobs associated would be higher level, the job roles associated with the finance and risk analysis are mainly entry level.
- Cybersecurity specialist: Cybersecurity specialists analyze risks and develop strategies to prevent breaches.
- Cyber crime analyst: Cybercrime analysts and investigators are similar to detectives – they uncover data and information to build a case.
- Incident & intrusion analyst: Incident analysts work to investigate cybersecurity or computer network-related incidents in real time and develop strategies to handle and prevent them in the future. The average salary for these three job roles is $91,667 according to CyberSeek. This data is valuable during your job hunt to ensure you’re getting a fair offer.
- IT auditor: An IT auditor is responsible for the internal controls and risks within a company’s technology system.
The average salary among these four job roles is $96,739.
The Certifications Suggested for Finance to Cybersecurity
Of the 265,711 job openings in the finance and risk analysis feeder role, CyberSeek has identified the following certifications for IT pros.
CompTIA Certifications
- CompTIA Security+: validates the baseline skills necessary to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career.
Other Certifications
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Chartered Financial AnalystThis particular path from finance and risk analysis to cybersecurity is just one example of a route you can take in the CyberSeek career pathway. The opportunities and directions that you may choose are entirely up to you, and they show exactly how a career in cybersecurity can be so rewarding. Your experience in financial and risk analysis has prepared you for a successful cybersecurity career – so utilize your established skills, develop some of the listed skills for these particular roles and enjoy an exciting career in cybersecurity!
Check out the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway to see how CompTIA certifications can help you get into cybersecurity and advance your cybersecurity career.
