Indeed, landing a job without a degree is tough. Yet, it is not impossible. Find out in this article how to land jobs in cybersecurity without degree.
Many people ask if landing if is possible to get a cybersecurity job without degree. One reason for such a question is many people are interested to enter the industry but have not gone to college.
Moreover, we all know that pursuing college usually costs a lot of money and definitely a lot of work. There are numerous factors to look at to see if it is really possible to land a job in cybersecurity without degree.
Factors That Could Help You Land A Job In Cybersecurity Without Degree
There are three factors for that. First, your chances are somehow decent if you have prior IT or military experience. Second, having a security-related certification such as CompTIA Security+ might increase your chances.
Third, you may land a job if you’re looking for an entry-level job. It’s very unlikely that you’ll land a job if one or more of these three factors don’t apply to you. Furthermore, keep in mind that the odds don’t work well in your favor if you don’t have a degree.
Burning Glass conducted a study a few years ago. The study showed that more than 80% of cybersecurity job postings requested a bachelor’s degree or higher. Take note that many of these jobs were higher-level positions. Additionally, more than 80% of these vacancies requested at least three years of experience.
Sounds frustrating? Read again. It said requested. In fact, many people did not meet the minimum education requirements but still landed the job. Wondering how did that happen? Listed below are several reasons.
The market is in the employee’s favor
Employers do not always get what they want. The need for cybersecurity professionals keeps on growing exponentially. That is especially that most people now do their business remotely due to the pandemic.
Thus, employers are having a hard time filing for positions. This forces them to hire candidates with less college or work experience. Afterward, they train the new employees in-house. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for willing employers to do the scenario we mentioned.
Certifications may serve as a degree substitute
There are just tons of cybersecurity certifications you can take. Hence, a degree is not the only option to prove your knowledge in the job. In fact, thousands of cybersecurity professionals landed jobs with them only having certifications.
A degree isn’t a regulated requirement
Regulating bodies in the medical industry requires someone to have a medical degree before landing a job in the field. Fortunately, that is not the case in the cybersecurity field. It does not have a regulating body or structure. Thus, employers are free to hire whomever they want. That includes applicants without a degree.
College isn’t the only way to learn
There are many learning options to choose from in cybersecurity. These include technical schools, trade schools, and online learning programs. These options are usually more convenient and cheaper than college.
