Key Takeaways
- Demand for cybersecurity professionals far exceeds the available talent pool, with hundreds of thousands of positions going unfilled. Over 60% of companies report understaffed cybersecurity teams and ongoing difficulty finding qualified candidates.
- The most searched cybersecurity job titles include roles like ethical hacker, penetration tester, cybersecurity analyst and CISO. Each represents a distinct area of specialization within the broader field.
- In many cases, job postings significantly outnumber online searches for the same roles. This gap represents a real opportunity for job seekers who know where to look.
- Identifying which area of cybersecurity interests you most is the most important first step in your job search. The field is broad and the right focus will help you target the right education, certifications and opportunities.
The need for skilled professionals in cybersecurity is great — and growing. Recently, statistics show that about 1 million people in the United States work in cybersecurity, but there are 600,000 unfilled jobs — the majority of which are in the private sector. Companies and organizations are struggling to find qualified employees. Cyber attacks are up 8% in 2022 over the previous year.
Here are some other numbers to keep in mind, courtesy of Security Magazine:
- 63% of companies report having unfilled cybersecurity positions
- 62% of companies have understaffed cybersecurity teams
All of these numbers mean that cybersecurity jobs are in high demand, but which ones are the most sought after? And which jobs are people actually searching for online? Let’s break it down.
The 11 Cybersecurity Jobs We Analyzed
These positions are the most popular Google searches related to the cybersecurity industry. Please note they are not ranked in any way.
- Cybersecurity Architect: This is a senior-level position responsible for planning, designing, testing, implementing and maintaining an organization’s computer and network security infrastructure.
- Ethical Hacker: An ethical hacker is essentially a skilled cybersecurity professional who is paid to try to break into computer systems. They typically must think like a “black-hat hacker” — in other words, try and understand the motivations, strategies and techniques hackers use to infiltrate networks and systems to engage in criminal activity.
- Penetration Tester: This position is very similar to that of an Ethical Hacker. Often referred to as “Pen Testers,” professionals in these positions perform penetration tests on computer systems, networks and applications.
- Cybersecurity Consultant: This person is typically someone who assesses the security and risk of a business or organization and ultimately provides solutions and recommendations on safety measures and protection. A consultant could work directly for an organization, or, as the name suggestions, work for client organizations that provide consulting services.
- Security Consultant: Though this position has a slightly modified name, it has the same responsibilities as a Cybersecurity Consultant.
- Network Administrator: As the name implies, a Network Administrator monitors a company or organization’s network — but additional responsibilities include ordering and configuring network equipment, providing regular network maintenance, troubleshooting, cabling and more.
- System Administrator: A System Administrator is responsible for maintaining, configuring and operating computer systems and servers. Additional responsibilities include installing and updating software and resolving problems and issues with computer and server systems.
- Cybersecurity Analyst: A person in this type of analyst position protects a computer or network system and provides the first line of defense against the growing threat of cybercrimes.
- Security Auditor: This type of auditor works with companies and organizations to provide comprehensive audits of online security systems. This typically includes a detailed report about existing cybersecurity systems, analyses of whether the systems run efficiently or effectively and recommendations on change to protocols and procedures.
- Cybersecurity Specialist: Depending on the position and the company or governmental agency, the job responsibilities of a cybersecurity specialist can range from diverse to narrow and specifically focused. Cybersecurity specialist job responsibilities can include putting in place security measures during the development of software systems, networks and data centers, guarding protected information or assets from unauthorized access or use and evaluating and identifying vulnerabilities and risks in hardware and software.
- Chief Information Security Officer: The CISO is a senior-level role in charge of developing, implementing and maintaining security processes that protect the company from threats and risk.
[RELATED] Which Cyber Security Program is Right For You? Download our free infographic to help decide >>
Cybersecurity Job Search Infographic
We first compiled the monthly keyword Google searches for the most popular cybersecurity positions. We then compared that data to the average number of monthly job postings for each particular position on LinkedIn. The data was compiled over a 3-month period (January, February and March 2022).
As you can see, in many cases there are far more job postings than monthly Google searches, especially for Security Consultant, Penetration Tester and System Administrator positions. It’s also important to note that some of the jobs may have postings that overlap, such as Security Consultant and Cybersecurity Consultant. One of the biggest takeaways here is to determine what specific area of cybersecurity that interests you and go from there. Regardless of how you break it down, if you are interested in starting or advancing your career in cybersecurity, these top positions are definitely worth considering.
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frequently asked questions
Why do job postings outnumber searches for some cybersecurity roles?
Job postings can outnumber searches for some cybersecurity roles because employers and job seekers don’t always use the same terminology. Employers may advertise a position under a formal or internally defined title, while candidates search for the term they associate with the work. Similar responsibilities may also appear under several different titles, splitting searches across multiple terms. Job seekers can account for this variation by searching several related titles and focusing on responsibilities and required skills when evaluating results.
Why do cybersecurity job titles vary so much between employers?
Cybersecurity job titles vary between employers because there is no universal naming system for cybersecurity roles. The same responsibilities may be described as an analyst, engineer, specialist or consultant depending on the organization, while larger employers may use more specialized titles and smaller organizations may combine responsibilities under broader ones. Seniority labels can also vary, so a senior title at one organization may involve responsibilities similar to a mid-level position elsewhere. Comparing the responsibilities, required skills and experience level in job postings is therefore more useful than comparing titles alone.
Which cybersecurity roles have the most openings?
The cybersecurity roles with the most openings vary depending on the job market, geographic area, industry and how roles are classified. Broad categories such as cybersecurity analysts, engineers and security specialists encompass many different job titles, making comparisons difficult across job boards and workforce reports. Current workforce data from sources such as CyberSeek can provide a broader view of demand, while job boards can show which titles are being posted in a particular market. When evaluating demand for a specific career path, look at current postings for related titles rather than assuming one job title represents the entire specialization.
How do you know which cybersecurity specialization is right for you?
You can determine which cybersecurity specialization is right for you by considering the type of work you want to do day to day and comparing that with the skills different roles require. Offensive security roles such as penetration testing focus on identifying vulnerabilities, while security operations roles focus on monitoring, detection and incident response. Security engineering and architecture involve designing and implementing security solutions, while governance, risk and compliance roles focus more on policies, controls, assessments and risk. Reading job postings across several specializations can help you identify which responsibilities and skills align with your interests and existing experience.
