FAQ for Cybersecurity Job Seekers
Below are the questions we hear most frequently from job seekers who are looking to land a cybersecurity job, whether that’s an early-career position or a more senior role.
No. Many positions in IT and other industries can be “feeder” roles for people who want to move into a cybersecurity job.
Common IT “feeder” roles include:
- IT Support Specialist
- Help Desk Technician
- Desktop Support Specialist
- Network Support Specialist
- Network Operations Center Technician
- Systems Administrator
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst/Tester
- Junior Software Developer
- Audit Assistant
- Business Analyst
- Compliance Analyst
Note: NICE’s Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (opens in a new tab) specifically recognizes experience gained through internships and feeder roles as pathways into cybersecurity.
Other industries for feeder roles:
- Banking & financial services
- Compliance, risk & audit
- Business & operations
- Accounting & finance
- Law Enforcement, military & investigations
Consider roles that can help you build skills and experience relevant to cybersecurity. These may include:
- IT support and Help Desk
- Network operations and administration
- Systems administration
- Identity and access management
- Risk, audit, and compliance
- Software development and testing
These roles can help you develop transferable skills in areas such as operating systems, networking, troubleshooting, access management, technical documentation, risk management, and problem-solving.
Sometimes it can be hard to tell! Job seekers need to look beyond the job title, which is not always a reliable indicator of the position’s level within that employer.
To determine whether a job posting is appropriate for an early-career candidate, read through the job description for indicators such as:
- required years of experience
- required versus preferred qualifications
- required certifications
- required technical skills
- whether the position says “junior,” “associate,” “Tier 1,” or “entry-level”
- whether equivalent education, training, or related experience can substitute for cybersecurity experience
For more information, check out NICE’s 18-page Job Seeker Guidance (opens in a new tab) publication.
Remember that you do not necessarily need to meet every preferred qualification to apply. Focus most closely on the qualifications the employer identifies as required.
Different job titles can describe work that is substantially similar. As a job seeker, you’ll need to compare your duties, skills and responsibilities with those found in the job description.
Here are examples of job titles that have similar responsibilities:
If your title is
Similar job titles
Help Desk Technician
IT Support Specialist; Service Desk Analyst; Technical Support Specialist
Systems Technician
Systems Administrator; IT Support Specialist; Network Support Specialist
Network Technician
Network Support Specialist; NOC Technician
QA Technician
Software QA Analyst; Software Tester; QA Analyst
Not necessarily. A job’s requirements and responsibilities vary by employer and by role.
The NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity identifies multiple pathways for cybersecurity careers, including:
- formal education
- certifications
- internships
- apprenticeships
- competitions
- volunteering
- research
- self-directed learning
- feeder occupations
To learn more, visit NICE’s FAQs on Career and Education (opens in a new tab).
Additional NICE resources on cybersecurity as a career field and landing a first job: