As cyber-attacks continue to take place in the world, cybersecurity is a developing area. I have read numerous articles about certain skills that cyber professionals should have in order to overcome the job market. The focus appears to target having technical skills. Those skills are important, but, other skills that a cyber professional should develop are interpersonal skills.
Let’s confront the facts, someone can hold all the technical knowledge in the world , but sometimes those interpersonal skills could be a downfall. Here is a brief list of technological and interpersonal skills that a cyber professional should possess in order to win. Referencing an article from Lei Han (Han) about interpersonal skills I chose some that are unique for a cyber professional to consider.
Technical Skills
- Information Security
- The protection of information.
- Project Management
- Security issues and recommends best practices for existing practices.
- Help Desk/ Technical Support
- Helping clients and employees use different computer systems.
- System Analysis
- The process of observing systems for troubleshooting and development purposes.
- Programming
- Understanding various programming languages.
Interpersonal Skills
- Growth Mindset
- Improving yourself instead of others.
- Stress Management
- Staying calm, balancing challenging situations.
- Presentation
- Presenting your work results.
- Leadership
- Communicating ideas to other people and motivating them.
- Mentoring
- Provides wisdom, or guidance to help others further their career.
As I mentioned technical skills are important, however from my experience interpersonal skills could enhance your chances to obtain a position in cybersecurity. I would also recommend attending cyber events in your area. Attending cyber events allows you to network with different people, practice your elevator speech, and absorb information about different technologies within cybersecurity.