The total workforce in cybersecurity is 4.7 million, yet this growing field still suffers from a 3.4 million-job shortage. Demand for CISSPs accounts for a significant percentage of the total shortage of jobs in cybersecurity, with only 156,000 CISSPs worldwide. It’s worth noting that many cybersecurity professionals regard becoming a CISSP as a hard step due to the difficulty of the certification exam.
For this reason, we bring to you everything related to CISSP certification, what it is, its significance, and how it can help you further your career and increase your salary. We will give you the numbers and details about CISSPs and their job; then, we will finish the article by providing you with the best tips to prepare for the examination and how to keep ahead of your field.
Table of Contents
What is the CISSP? Why is it Important to Get This Certification?
CISSP means Certified Information System Security Professional, a global certification that cybersecurity professionals can obtain to prove their versatile skills in handling complex cybersecurity problems and solving cybersecurity threats. The International Information System Security Certification Consortium, or the (ISC)², is responsible for granting CISSP certifications worldwide.
Statistics show that the high demand for CISSPs worldwide outweighs the number of certificate holders, indicating the importance of this certification for cybersecurity professionals. Here are some reasons to motivate you if you’re thinking about pursuing this priceless certification:
Comprehensive Knowledge of the Cybersecurity Field
As a cybersecurity professional, obtaining full knowledge is essential. This certification will further solidify this knowledge by allowing you to study elements such as risk management, network security and security operations and testing, just to name a few. Furthermore, through your studies, you will learn how these studies will affect and interact with your surrounding work environment.
High Demand
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the number of CISSPs has yet to meet the high demand for certification holders in the cybersecurity field. With a total workforce of 4.7 million, the shortage of jobs in cybersecurity stands at 2.9 million, which is more than half. A Certified Information System Security Professional certification is right for your career because it maximises your work potential. After receiving your certification, you can choose one of the ISC ²’s other fields of study to major in, from engineering to architecture.
You Will Stand Out in the Cybersecurity Field
Despite the high demand for CISSP, passing the CISSP exam is intricate. For this reason, if you prepare well and obtain this valuable certification, it will prove your hard work and extensive cybersecurity knowledge. Your peers will be impressed and look forward to witnessing how you use your expertise to serve your organisation. The 2017 Spotlight Report about Cybersecurity Trends listed this certification as the most prized certification for employers.
A Great Opportunity to Demonstrate Your Expertise
One of the assessment conditions for this certification is having spent years of service in cybersecurity; more specifically, you need to have worked for at least four years in the field. Another step for application is obtaining the endorsement of a previously certified professional by the (ISC)² who will need to attest to your hard work and cooperative character. Lastly, you will need to complete a three-year course of continuous education to obtain 120 credits and be able to acquire CISSP certification.
Higher Salary
The salary must meet the extensive and gruelling work hours for a high-security risk job such as a cybersecurity professional. A CISSP earns $131,030 on average a year. Several elements can affect this salary, such as years of experience, preferably four years of full-time work, knowledge of cybersecurity fields and commitment to codes of ethics. The respect employers have for such certification holders will also reflect on your salary.
CISSP Accreditation Puts You Among the Best
The CISSP certification took years of research and hard work to develop and met many global standards for a certification of this calibre. Some of these tough standards include those of the US Department of Defense and being the first certification to meet the 17024 standards of the ANSI/ISO/IEC. Additionally, this certification is a prerequisite for IRAP or the Information Security Registered Assessors Program offered by the Australian Government. All these standards mean that if you obtain CISSP certification, you’ve been trained by the best and succeeded.
You Will become a Member of the (ISC)²
When you obtain CISSP certification, you are granted entry into one of the world’s most exclusive organisations of cybersecurity professionals, the (ISC)², with more than 156,000 members worldwide. This non-profit organisation is the largest gathering of cybersecurity professionals worldwide, and this membership also offers extra advantages. The organisation offers its members professional developmental courses and endorses their professional education through technical webinars and Cyber Security Summits to discuss ongoing cybersecurity trends and developments.
How Many Certified Information Systems Security Professionals Are in the World?
There are more than 156,000 certified professionals in the world, and the highest concentration of them is in the United States with 95,243 CISSPs, followed by the United Kingdom with 8,486 CISSPs, then Canada with 6,842 CISSPs, and China in fourth place with 4,136 CISSPs. The (ISC ² biannually updates its list of CISSPs on its official website and holders of other certifications offered by the organisation.
Why Is There Continuous Demand for CISSPs?
The cybersecurity field, in general, is suffering from a shortage of 3.4 million jobs despite the increasing size of the entire workforce. Regarding CISSPs, there’s a shortage of 2.9 million in this area around the world, and the demand is still exceeding the number of certification holders. The reason behind this imbalance is the comprehensiveness of the CISSP certification, since you are tested and trained in every possible aspect of cybersecurity.
Acquiring CISSP certification will allow you to stand out in the cybersecurity field and will help you attain high-paying jobs. Additionally, you can further your studies by choosing one of the in-depth programs offered by the (ISC)², such as management and engineering, which will also boost your opportunities to secure high-paying jobs.
Is CISSP Certification Worth it?
Yes, working on obtaining CISSP certification is worth more than you think. There’s a payable fee at the beginning, and you must renew your certification every three years. But when you compare all these fees to the high-paying job opportunities this certification can get you, you’ll find that the fee is not huge at all. Besides, since the cybersecurity field is developing around the clock, you will need to keep learning and be up to date with everything in the field, and what’s better than having your knowledge attested to by one of the top cybersecurity organisations in the world?
On another note, there are many other certifications in the cybersecurity field other than the CISSP, such as the CISM, or Certified Information Systems Manager, and a CEH, or Certified Ethical Hacker. Even though these other certifications will secure you good-paying jobs, the CISSP still stands at the top with the highest-paying jobs. For this reason, in many industries, a CISSP certification has become a prerequisite rather than just an added bonus.
How can you Prepare for the CISSP Certification Exam?
Despite the difficulty of the CISSP certification exam, there are numerous ways you can prepare yourself well for it. Here are our tips:
Instructor Training
The best method to prepare for the CISSP certification exam is by attending an instructor-led training course. Training courses offered by institutions such as Global Knowledge give you comprehensive training in the eight fields of the CISSP exam. You can look for physical-attending or virtual classes, whichever suits your schedule and location. Still, they will both allow you to interact with your classmates, have your questions answered by a specialist, and will help you immerse yourself in your studies.
Self-Study
Self-studying for the CISSP certification exam is mostly recommended for those with deep cybersecurity knowledge and who are aware of the field’s main skills. It’s preferable to be objective about your skills. However, if you felt at the beginning of your study that you need help, it’s wise to look for a professional training program instead. There’s a practice exam that you can take to assess your skills; if you score less than 80%, then it’s probably better to seek a professional training program instead.
Numerous Resources
If you’re attending a professional training program to prepare for the CISSP certification exam, it’s better to complement that with extensive self-study. A great study guide is always a good place to start. Several guides available for purchase can help you, such as the Gold Edition of The CISSP Prep Guide, which includes practice questions to help you assess your knowledge, and the (ISC)2 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Study Guide 9th Edition.
These study guides cover the main outlines of the topics in the certification exam, and they include never-before-published questions and their answers to help you test your knowledge and assess your skills by aiming for a test score higher than 80%.
Whichever studying method you choose to prepare for the professional certification exam, the (ISC)² official website offers resources in every method mentioned above and the possibility of helping you find a training course near you that will suit your needs. It’s imperative to continue reviewing the Certification Exam Outline to ensure you fully know the topics listed in the outline.
Important Information About CISSP Certification
One of the direct effects of CISSP certification on your career is helping you improve it and possibly shift to a higher-paying one. However, there are additional elements that can still affect this proposition that you need to watch for:
Your Education
CISSP certification can indeed help you obtain a higher-paying job, but your background education can affect how high your salary can get, even with such a high-ranking certification. For example, if you have a Bachelor of Business Administration and a professional certification, your salary will range between $70,000 and $120,000 annually. This estimate will range between $80,000 and $130,000 annually if you have a Bachelor of Science.
Your Experience
Your work experience in the cybersecurity field, the number of years, the companies you’ve worked with, and the major projects you worked on can all affect your starting salary. A great number of people reach the highest estimate for their salaries when they’ve worked in reputable companies for a period of 10 to 20 years. The CISSP certification requires five years of working experience in cybersecurity, which means many applicants have accumulated significant experience by then.
Where You Work
The organisation you desire to work for will affect your salary greatly. Applying to work for a startup company, still with limited resources, will most likely pay less than applying to work for an international and globally recognised organisation such as Oracle or Google. The choice of the industry can also affect your salary, as organisations in the financial and healthcare fields offer the highest salaries for CISSPs. To determine the best industry and organisation for you, it’s best if you compare several organisations across different industries.
Your Job
A CISSP can have several job titles, and every title can affect your salary. A junior certified professional won’t earn as much as a certified team leader or manager. One more point to consider is that some employers set certain additional skills for CISSP candidates, such as knowledge of accounting or HIPAA Compliance, so make sure to research the required skills of the industry you’re looking into.
When looking for a job in the cybersecurity field, you will find jobs such as IT security architects or cybersecurity engineers that don’t require this certification. Applying to these jobs might not help you maximise your qualifications, so it’s best to look for jobs that require this certification. By applying to these jobs, you will have an advantage salary-wise.
Remember, obtaining Certified Information System Security Professional certification is perhaps the most valuable addition to your resume; it will deepen your knowledge and mastery in cybersecurity, earn you a good spot among your peers and expand your salary for certain. Employers are more willing to pay if you meet this certification’s prerequisite.
FAQs
What are some of the common job roles for CISSP-certified professionals?
CISSP-certified professionals can pursue various roles, including cybersecurity analyst, security architect, penetration tester, incident responder, and security consultant. The specific job roles will depend on your experience and interests.
Can I maintain my CISSP certification without continuing professional education?
No, you cannot. To keep your certification active, you must earn 120 CPE credits over three years, with at least 30 CPE (continuing professional education) credits required each year. You must also pay an annual maintenance fee and adhere to (ISC)²’s Code of Ethics.
How often does the CISSP exam change?
The CISSP exam content is updated periodically to reflect changes in the cybersecurity landscape. Typically, the exam is revised every three to four years, based on updates to the (ISC)² Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). To ensure your study materials are current and to stay informed about the latest updates, it’s important to regularly check (ISC)²’s official website and communications.
What is the pass rate for the CISSP exam?
The pass rate for the Certified Information System Security Professional exam is not officially published by (ISC)². However, the exam is known to be challenging, with a generally lower pass rate compared to some other certification exams. To increase your chances of success, it is crucial to thoroughly prepare and study using various resources, including official study guides and practice exams.