Bring More to the Table with a Cybersecurity Certificate

There are varying estimates of the cost of cybercrime. One report suggests the worldwide total in 2025 could exceed US10.5 trillion dollars. Cybercrime is a significant threat that governments, businesses and organizations around the world take seriously. As more of our activities related to work and play take place online, the threat of cybercrime will continue to increase. Internet outages (disruption), bot misinformation (distortion), cloud attacks, AI technology, and deepfakes are relatively new weapons in the cybercriminal’s armoury. Organizations must be prepared, and they need people with cybersecurity skills and experience to help them. 

Jobseekers and workers in a wide variety of occupations now find that certification in cybersecurity is not just an asset to their CV; it is often mandatory. Making the shortlist of candidates is now often determined by your cybersecurity credentials. Organizations at every level and in every industry are taking steps to protect their data, and if you want to get that plumb job or promote your career, cybersecurity certification is a good way to do it. Below are three certifications that you should consider obtaining if you want to bring more to the table in your next job interview or performance review.

Network+ Certification 

One of the most important baseline certifications you can get is the CompTIA network+ certification. It is globally recognized and widely considered to be one of the best entry-level IT certifications. Network+ certification prep courses usually benefit in two ways. Firstly, they prepare you for the rigorous exam you need to pass to gain CompTIA certification. The exam is not easy and even those with many years of experience might have trouble passing if they do not take a prep course. Secondly, Network+ certification courses give you a strong foundation in industry best practices and the baseline knowledge you need to take subsequent steps along your career path. Even those currently employed in a networking role should take this course if they have not already. In fact, many network+ certification courses prefer students to have had some industry experience. One of the greatest benefits of CompTIA certification is that the skills you learn can be adapted to any network regardless of the platform it is built upon. Courses cover cutting-edge networking practices, troubleshooting, network design and architecture, and are relevant to wire and wireless networks. Being CompTIA network+ certified is a great addition to your CV if you want to work on a service desk, in technical support, field support, or as a desktop support administrator. 

Security+ Certification 

If you want to work in IT security, your employer will probably want you to have a cybersecurity certification. Even if you want to be a network or systems administrator, you will probably need to have industry-acknowledged credentials in cybersecurity. The first one you should get is security+ certification. If you are just starting out in IT, it is also a great qualification to add to your CV. And if you want to be a security consultant, a security engineer, or if you want to move up to an intermediate cybersecurity role, you need to have it. Increasingly, as cybersecurity knowledge is becoming necessary at all levels in almost all job roles, courses are benefitting not only developers and PC support workers but also managers in accounting, sales, and marketing. The US Defense Department now mandates that all employees, regardless of their role in the organization, have security+ certification. Security+ certification offers fundamental cybersecurity education with a practical hands-on approach. Achieving security+ certification means you can understand and identify threats to, and vulnerabilities within, your system, and develop the problem-solving skills needed to address security issues. Students learn about cybersecurity tools and technology, identity and risk management, cryptography, and many other cybersecurity skills that security professionals must have on their CV to get hired or to gain promotion. In addition, you will need security+ certification before enrolling in higher-level courses that your current or future employer might want you to take. 

CySA+ Certification 

If you really want to highlight your cybersecurity credentials to a prospective employer, showing that you have CySA+ certification is a great way to do it. All organizations want to secure their data, and as threat prevention becomes a higher priority, professionals who can show that they have the skills to detect, prevent and respond to security breaches will be very highly regarded in the job market. Threats are so sophisticated now that simply preventing a hacker from breaching a firewall is no longer enough. Employers want to know that you can protect their systems, and CySA+ certification is a way to show them that you can. Taking a CySA+ certification course will give you the skills to analyze and assess system threats, what to look for to identify a compromised system, how to mitigate systemic risks, and how to eliminate vulnerabilities that might be exploited by a hacker. Above all, you will learn how to configure and use threat-detection tools and to increase your knowledge of security across a range of platforms. Aside from learning how a sophisticated and analytical approach can enhance cybersecurity, course participants will also gain the knowledge required to pass the CompTIA CySA+ certification exam. 

It is beyond question that technology will further enhance our lives and our workplaces. The corollary is that the more sophisticated technology becomes, the more cybercriminals will change their focus or find new ways to attack an organization’s system. The amount of money involved means that they are not going away any time soon. As such, organizations will more vigorously protect their data assets to ensure their bottom lines and protect their customers, and governments will continue to thwart cybercrime in order to protect national security. In all cases and in all industries, individuals with high calibre qualifications in cybersecurity will be desirable job candidates. Taking courses in network+, security+, and CySA+ to gain certification will definitely help your CV rise to the top of the pile.