Page 54 - Cybersecurity Career Guide for UT Austin

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Don’t believe everything you see in the movies or on TV. Let’s debunk
a few myths about careers in cybersecurity.
considering cyber
A Few Truths
...and white guys.
MYTH 2
Cybersecurity is just for
tech wizards...
MYTH 1
This is the most popular myth about cyberse-
curity, no thanks to Hollywood. While you
need to be knowledgeable about IT to exe-
cute cybersecurity tasks, especially in the ar-
eas of risk management, networking basics,
threat awareness, and tool kit maintenance,
you don’t have to be a wizard to work in cy-
bersecurity. In fact, the most important skills
for success in a cyber job aren’t necessarily
tech-related. Problem-solving, communica-
tion skills, and teamwork are commonly cited
as being extremely important. Cybersecurity
experts are rock stars in cyberspace, and most
of them find the field to be enjoyable. The
fast pace of change in technology, the chal-
lenge of solving problems, and the plentiful
career opportunities across various sectors are
exciting. And don’t forget the nice salaries!
There are more men in cyber than
women, but women are making
gains and have taken on major
roles in the cybersecurity profes-
sion. And today’s cybersecurity
professionals recognize the im-
portance of diversity. Teams with
a mix of people from different
personal and academic back-
grounds can gain valuable in-
sights from the unique perspec-
tives each member offers.
There are many organizations
ready to help you succeed, such
as Women in Cybersecurity
(WiCyS), the National Society of
Black Engineers (NSBE), Black
Girls Code, and the Women’s So-
ciety of Cyberjutsu. See page 40.