5 Reasons Why You Should Learn Cybersecurity In Your 40s

by | Aug 3, 2021

More often than not, in our CyberSecurity Bootcamp admissions process, we get candidates unsure of making the step towards cybersecurity because of their age. While they understand all the reasons why this is such an attractive and rewarding field, they keep asking us, “will I get hired once I get trained and certified?”

 

During our conversations with them, we usually explain all the reasons why they should take this step. Not only will they see major upgrades in their lifestyle as they will start earning better salaries, but there is a higher level of satisfaction than in any other field just by knowing that with your work, you are protecting your organization, its clients, and stakeholders from falling victim to a cyber-attack.  

 

During the past few months, we have seen how more and more people are struggling with this age barrier, so we want to share with all of you out there the top 5 reasons why you should definitely take the step into cybersecurity. Just remember, you need to get the right training, lots of hands-on experience, and industry certifications so you can start working as a cybersecurity professional. 

 

5 Reason Why Cybersecurity Is For People In Their 40’s 

 

1- You Will Get a Job  

 

As we just said, the most common barrier for making a career switch to cybersecurity is to doubt if they will get hired or not. The truth is that this is a field with a growing talent gap, in fact, the open job count after the first year of the pandemic now stands at $4.1 million worldwide, while in the USA is right over 500,000, and to make things even more interesting the unemployment rate for this field is 0%, meaning there are more available job positions than candidates to fill them.  

 

In other words, if you commit to getting trained and certified for cybersecurity, you will get a job. Remember that you will need to adapt to this new field where your co-workers and even bosses will be younger than you. Just make sure that every time you meet a recruiter, you demonstrate your commitment, the soft skills you have learned during your past experiences, and the certifications you have earned.  

 

2- You Have Soft Skills That Many Young Professionals Have Not Developed Yet 

 

Your experience probably helped you develop different skills that are highly valued in cybersecurity professionals. Attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and the ability to communicate (both verbal and in writing) are part of the skills recruiters are looking for. But if you add your experience in customer service, legal, management, marketing, or whatever field you were in before, you have more to add to the team than someone just starting their professional life.  

 

It is very important that when you get to an interview and you start negotiating your salary, you keep your expectations down to earth. Recruiters understand that your experience is worth the investment, but they also know this is an entry-level role. So, you need to decide if you can accept an entry-level salary for a certain period or not. Just remember that for cybersecurity, that means something around $70,000 per year, and as you start gaining experience, knowledge, and certifications, it will keep growing.   

 

3- You Can learn the Technical Pieces Of Cybersecurity in Just 6 Months 

 

The learning curve for cybersecurity is not that long. In fact, in just six months, you can earn all the knowledge, hands-on experience, and certifications required to work as a cybersecurity analyst. Even recruiters and hiring managers realize that great candidates can be either those who have a degree in cybersecurity or related fields, as well as those who come from bootcamps and shorter education programs.  

 

What other career allows you to do a switch in months?  

 

4- This Is a Field That Does Not Require Advanced Degrees 

 

As we mentioned before, you do not need to invest years and money in degrees to earn the knowledge and experience needed to land your first job. What you do need to demonstrate is that you are a passionate student who will keep learning and earning certifications regularly. This is a field that is in constant evolution, and you need to be able to keep up with the pace.  

 

5- Employers Want To Hire Committed People  

 

Millennials and the pandemic have changed the way people see life. For younger generations, what really matters is having time to spend on themselves and their loved ones, while older generations highly value their work and are very committed to their organizations and responsibilities. We are not saying that one is better than the other, but passion and dedication are highly appreciated when it comes to recruiting someone for cybersecurity.  

 

Getting into cybersecurity will require you to dedicate an enormous amount of time to studying and practicing. Still, when you see the results of your investments, you will be more than happy that you decided to go down this path.  

 

Professionals in this area have a high level of satisfaction with what they are doing. They have seen an improvement in the quality of their lives and what they have to offer to their families while earning very competitive salaries. So, the only question left to ask is: Are you ready to become a cybersecurity professional?

Are you interested in learning cybersecurity?