Privileged Access Management Expertise Boosts Your Cyber Security Career

Shortage of cyber talent is a top concern for 63% of senior executives, according to a recent Gartner survey. The number of unfilled cyber security positions is over four million, up from 2.9 million last year, says the latest (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. This includes 561,000 in North America, 291,000 in Europe, and a staggering 2.6 million gap in APAC.

If you’re an IT pro with sought-after cyber skills you can forge a career path with more choices, higher salary, and faster advancement than the rank-and-file.

Which cyber security jobs are most in demand?

The largest cyber employment gaps are in the Operate and Maintain areas, defined according to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework as roles that “provide the support, administration and maintenance necessary to ensure effective and efficient IT system performance and security,” as well as positions that “Securely Provision,” defined as roles that “conceptualize, design, procure and/or build secure IT systems.”

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PIM / PAM terminology shows up in over 4,500 LinkedIn job postings

With Privileged Access Management the primary CIO priority for multiple years, cyber experts with PAM experience are at the top of the hiring wish list. The PAM software market is growing at 27% CAGR and expected to reach $2.3B in 2020, with continued rapid growth expected through the next two to three years. Enterprises need internal PAM experts to manage these projects, make sure technology matches requirements, and drive awareness and adoption throughout the organization.

LinkedIn job postings that include keywords, “Privileged Access Management, “Privileged Account Management,” “Privileged Identity Management” and/or “Identity Access Management” exceed 4,500.

PAM experts gain experience as cyber leaders

A cyber security engineer with PAM expertise is at the forefront of IT system protection. When you take on a PAM role, not only are you responsible for the most valuable assets in an organization, you impact many types of stakeholders, including IT operations, developers, business users, executives, and compliance teams.

IT Infrastructure architect Matt Loos, who spearheaded the rollout of Thycotic Secret Server at Nelnet, found his PAM experience played a key part in his career progression.

“Because the project involved so many teams I was able to build relationships with people across the organization. I went to each team, one by one, and focused on what they needed. I became seen as the expert to explain how the new system would help them and answer their questions.”

With PAM success under his belt, Matt’s now taking on a greater scope of responsibilities in the IT department.

Cyber security skills and qualifications for a PAM position

PAM owners often enter the role with a background managing AD, Azure, LDAP or other directory services, as well as SSO and MFA. It helps to have an understanding of cloud platforms and Powershell knowledge for hands-on customization.

Being in a PAM leadership role means constant learning to stay up to date on cyber threats and defense strategies. Entry-level credentials, such as Security+, as well as more advanced certifications, such as CEH, CISSP, CISM and CISA, help you progress on your career path. PAM-specific certification programs help you become an expert in platforms like Thycotic so you can confidently build a long-term strategy and take the lead on maturing PAM programs.

The central nature of a PAM role means you have the chance to develop important management skills that prepare you for leadership positions.

• You’re constantly working across company lines, speaking to employees at all levels, and collaborating in teams.
• You learn to craft and communicate policies that impact your entire organization.
• You learn how best to break down complex topics and share strategies and results to C-level executives.

PAM gives you an opportunity to shine. After a successful roll-out of a PAM strategy, you’ll have measurable results that showcase your work and demonstrate the value you bring to your organization. PAM helps you become known as a business enabler, rather than a roadblock to progress. That’s not something every IT or cyber professional can easily say.

Meet more of the PAM heroes in the Thycotic customer community.