
Overseeing security management is a sensitive and complicated job. Every company has its own set of security conditions that require unique prerequisites to cater to them. Lack of right skills and expertise can be the major hurdle in career advancement.
It can hamper any professional from carrying out their job tasks efficiently. Nevertheless, some primary requirements are considered prerequisites for landing a security director job.
Skills
On the one hand, technical expertise is essential for the security director to lead the cybersecurity professionals. While on the other soft skills are as imperative to perform managerial tasks.
Security manager needs following soft skills to performs administrative tasks efficiently:
- Excellent communication to effectively delegate and disseminate information among security personnel.
- Decision-making skills to plan and execute security management policies and procedures.
- Exceptional problem-solving skills to handle threat risk and intrusion incidents.
- Leadership qualities to lead, collaborate, and facilitate the security staff.
For securing a security director job, you need to become tech-savvy by requiring the following hard skills:
- Proficiency in coding languages, especially C, C++, Php, and other related programming languages.
- Seek out certification in cybersecurity to gain expertise in intrusion detection.
- Risk management skills to gauge and counter any security risks.
- Cloud is vulnerable to malicious attacks like hijacked accounts, data breaches, etc. Hence, cloud security is high in coveted demand skills.
- Familiarity with operating systems and their firewall protocols.
- Ethical hacking practices to counter the possible hijacking attacks.
- Necessary know-how on third-party audits to work along with the security auditor.
Education
The skills mentioned above require time and experience to master. They need practical exposure in the relevant field. So, to say that it can only be possible if you first pursue a relevant degree in information technology or computer science.
A Recent survey of International Security Consortium(ISC)² has shown that the degree and certifications were significant factors in hiring. The security director is a managerial position, and it requires at least a bachelor’s in Computer Science or Computer engineering.
It is better to choose a degree that offers coursework catering to information security. It can ensure success in advancing in an information security career.
A degree oriented to cybersecurity will give you early exposure to the skills and knowledge required by the Security director.
Some companies also prefer Masters in business management, a favorable point in consideration for the security director job.
Experience
Even after the degree, many companies demand significant experience and exposure to a security management job. Based on the US BLS survey, computer and information system manager posts usually require 5-7 years of experience.
Though it can vary for companies and industries. Depending on the sensitivity and knowledge of the role, some companies might demand nearly ten years of experience in information security-related fields.
Certifications
Most of the time cybersecurity knowledge and exposure cannot be gained solely from degree programs like computer sciences. Thereupon, it is essential to have cybersecurity certification to secure a security director’s job.
Although there is a surge in the demand for information security jobs according to (ISC), there is a workforce gap of whooping 500,000 in the US alone. One of the reasons for the enormous workforce gap is the lack of expertise in the cybersecurity profession.
That being the case following are the certifications that can be lucrative in advancing the information security career.
- CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)
- OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional)
- CISA (Certified Information Security Auditor)
- Certified Information systems Security Professional (CISSP)