Cybersecurity professionals often have access to a company’s intellectual property and sensitive customer data, so they must be trustworthy. They must also keep up with the rapidly-evolving technology and new attack methods that constantly emerge. For these reasons, hiring cybersecurity professionals requires a rigorous screening process. A thorough background check can reveal an applicant’s criminal history, education, certifications, and other relevant information.
Companies need FinneyTaylor IT Consulting a variety of security professionals to protect their networks, databases and servers from hackers, malware and other cyber attacks. Some of the most common cybersecurity roles include:
A network security engineer implements and maintains network security solutions to ensure secure cloud environments and data storage. They also identify and communicate security policies to the organization. For this role, employers typically look for a bachelor’s degree in IT, computer science or cybersecurity and professional certifications in networking, cloud computing and data analytics.
An incident responder is the first person to receive a call when a cyber attack occurs. These IT professionals are responsible for investigating the damage and implementing preventive measures to avoid future incidents. They often work in IT service providers, telecommunications and financial industries.
A penetration tester – also known as an ethical hacker – searches for vulnerabilities in the computer systems of organizations to find ways a hacker could gain access to their systems and steal data. For this role, employers expect a strong understanding of programming languages such as Python and C++. They also need to be familiar with tools such as IDA Pro, OllyDbg, WinDbg and Immunity Debugger.
Some employers require a federal security clearance for certain positions. This is particularly true for government contractors and anyone who might have access to national security data. For this reason, it’s important for a prospective IT security hire to have a clean criminal record and pass a background and drug test.
Companies looking to hire a cybersecurity employee can turn to recruiting agencies to help them find the right talent. These recruitment firms can source candidates for roles such as security software engineers, security consultants and senior web developers. They can even place military veterans into cyber security jobs.