From Financial and Risk Analysis to Cybersecurity: Choose Your Own Adventure

If you work in financial and risk analysis, you have the skills needed by cybersecurity teams. Read more to identify entry-, mid- and advanced-level cybersecurity jobs that fit for your skills.

From Financial and Risk Analysis to Cybersecurity: Choose Your Own Career PathIT 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.

One feature of CyberSeek is an interactive career pathway that shows jobs within cybersecurity, common transition opportunities between them and detailed information about the salaries, credentials and skillsets associated with each role. Do you have experience in financial and risk analysis? We’re here to show you how you can easily transition into a cybersecurity career.

Pathway to Cybersecurity Success

You can see from the image below that there are a variety of entry-, mid- and advanced-level cybersecurity roles that are easily transitioned from other feeder roles. The fun thing about a career in cybersecurity is that the path you choose is truly an adventure that you have control over! We will be going into detail on one role from each level, and this is just one of the many paths you can venture on. Pay attention to the bolded certifications and skills, as they recur in all three job roles and are important skills and certifications for you to have. Check out CyberSeek’s Career Pathway and explore other paths!

A screenshot of the CyberSeek career pathway for financial and risk analysis
Click the image to go to the interactive pathway.

Learn About the Other CyberSeek Pathways and Feeder Roles

Entry-Level Cybersecurity Job: IT Auditor

An entry-level cybersecurity roles that is a good transition from a financial and risk analysis background is and IT auditor.

What Is an IT Auditor?

An IT auditor is responsible for the internal controls and risks within a company’s technology system. They monitor the security systems to ensure policies are being followed, identifying points of weakness, and then prepare a report and recommendations for next steps.

Average salary of IT auditors

$86,000

Total number of IT auditor job openings in the United States

6,915

Degree Requirements to become an IT auditor

  • 2 percent do not require a bachelor’s degree
  • 76 percent require a bachelor’s degree
  • 22 percent require a graduate degree

Top certifications requested in IT auditor job postings

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  • Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
  • IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
  • Certified Internal Auditor
  • Information Systems Certification

Top skills requested in IT auditor job postings

  • Internal auditing
  • Information systems
  • Audit planning
  • Risk assessment
  • Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX)
  • Accounting
  • Information security
  • COBIT
  • Audit reports

Mid-Level Cybersecurity Job: Cybersecurity Consultant

The next step on your new journey into cybersecurity might be a mid-level role like cybersecurity consultant.

What Is a Cybersecurity Consultant?

Cybersecurity consultants are involved in many different departments in a company. They help determine the best way to protect the networks and systems against any potential risks or attacks, they collaborate with other staff members to determine specific security issues that are top of mind, and they perform tests and assessments on current systems.

Average salary for cybersecurity consultants

$100,000

Total number of cybersecurity consultants job openings in the United States

13,439

Degree requirements to become a cybersecurity consultant

  • 8 percent do not require a bachelor’s degree
  • 72 percent require a bachelor’s degree
  • 19 percent require a graduate degree

Top certifications requested in cybersecurity consultants job postings

  • CISSP
  • Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
  • CISM
  • GIAC
  • CompTIA Security+

Top skills requested in cybersecurity consultant job postings

  • Information security
  • Project management
  • Linux
  • Information systems
  • Network security
  • Risk management
  • Cryptography
  • Python

Advanced-Level Cybersecurity Job: Cybersecurity Architect

One of the next career options in our path from financial and risk analysis to a career in cybersecurity is the role of cybersecurity architect.

What Is a Cybersecurity Architect?

The role of a cybersecurity architect is an exciting one! This job can include providing guidance and leadership on cybersecurity policy, collaborating with business leaders, developers, engineers and more to identify the organization’s business needs, implement cybersecurity plans and stay up to date on cybersecurity threats, tools and best practices. A cybersecurity architect must have a developed understanding of the company’s technology and information systems to provide the suitable level of security.

Average salary for cybersecurity architects

$129,000

Total cybersecurity architect job openings in the United States

5,640

Degree requirements to become a cybersecurity architect

  • 4 percent do not require a bachelor’s degree
  • 69 percent require a bachelor’s degree
  • 27 percent require a graduate degree

Top certifications requested in cybersecurity architects job postings

  • CISM
  • GIAC
  • CISA
  • Information Systems Certification
  • ITIL

Top skills requested in cybersecurity architects job postings

  • Information security
  • Network security
  • Cryptography
  • Information systems
  • Authentication
  • Linux
  • Cisco
  • Project management
  • Vulnerability assessment

Choose Your Own Cybersecurity Career Path

This particular path from financial and risk analysis to IT auditor to cybersecurity consultant to cybersecurity architect 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.

Email us at blogeditor@comptia.org for inquiries related to contributed articles, link building and other web content needs.

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