Cybersecurity professionals are far more likely to hold vendor-specific certificates than certifications from a vendor-neutral association or standards-based organization, according to the (ISC)² Cybersecurity Career Pursuers Study. But when asked which qualifications they would recommend to cybersecurity newcomers, professionals tend to prioritize vendor-neutral credentials.
This preference suggests that even though current professionals followed a more traditional, vendor-specific path when gaining experience in the field (55% of current professionals entered cybersecurity from IT backgrounds), they see greater value in pursuing broader professional qualifications for people starting their careers now. This is a perspective that may be informed by their own lessons learned over the years.
Cybersecurity professionals also emphasize the importance of cloud security in recommending certifications for pursuers. This is smart, practical advice considering most IT environments are hybrids or increasingly cloud-first with multiple private and public clouds.
Pursuers Study
The Pursuers Study polled 2,034 cybersecurity professionals and cybersecurity jobseekers (pursuers) in the U.S. and Canada with the goal of advising organizations on developing effective recruitment and professional development strategies. Respondents were almost evenly divided between professionals (1,024) and pursuers (1,010).
Professionals tend to be highly educated: 73% hold a bachelor’s degree, including 40% with a master’s. Professionals with up to three years of cybersecurity experience have an average of five certifications or certificates from three organizations. In contrast, those with three to seven years of experience hold an average of nine certifications or certificates from four organizations.
Those credentials involve a wide variety of vendors and organizations, but the two vendors with the greatest reach are Cisco (39% of respondents) and Microsoft (37%). Amazon Web Servi ..
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