CRAIG FORD Cyber Enthusiast, Ethical Hacker, Author of A hacker I am vol1 & vol2, Male Champion of Change, Special Recognition award winner at 2021 Australian Women in Security Awards
C O L U M N
Cyber is not your get-rich-quick option I want to air some dirty laundry, something that has
to find the one thing you or your colleagues missed
been bugging me for the last 12 months or more.
and is all they need to win. So, you need to be always
As most of you would be aware, salaries—or should
trying to improve, to be a better version of yourself
I say “expected” salaries—for people in the industry
each day. Yes, you will fail, probably more than once,
are becoming unsustainable long term. We have
but you will need to get back up and keep fighting the
people with one or two years experience asking for
good fight.
salaries of $150k plus, and those with three to five years experience or more wanting salaries in excess
If you do not have a thirst for knowledge or the
of $200K.
personal drive and are in it only for the money you
These rates leave government agencies out of the
certainly come out the other end worse for wear.
game. They can pay nowhere near those salaries except through external contracting (a different discussion). Enterprise customers could, in some instances, afford such salaries, but would be forced to
will not be a member of the industry for long, or will
It is clear the industry needs more experienced people. The level of need is debatable, but we need to eliminate unrealistic expectations. We need to find
reduce team sizes because of the increased cost.
people who want more than a pay cheque and then
I do not have a problem paying people what they are
superstars. We need to bring them in, pay them while
worth. Experienced cybersecurity people have earned
they learn and help them build the foundations we
the right to be paid well. I think we could all agree that
need them to have.
individuals who have been in ICT or cybersecurity for 10-plus years, who have been in the trenches when things got hot, who can walk through fire and come out the other side stronger deserve to be paid a
help them be our next generation of cybersecurity
Take a reality check, right here. If you have no experience in cybersecurity beyond theoretical studies do not ask for a salary you have not earned. Go in
premium. That is not the issue here.
hungry to learn and with the drive to succeed and
What I take issue with is people wanting to come into
a get-rich-quick option, play the lotto, trade crypto,
the industry, wanting to get a start but wanting a top
become a movie star or do whatever you think will
salary immediately. Cybersecurity is not a get-rich-
get you there. If you want a career that is difficult
quick scheme, a pathway to living it up, driving fancy
but extremely rewarding (albeit a little thankless
cars and wearing flashy clothes. If that is what you
sometimes) then you have come to the right place.
want, cybersecurity is not for you. Yes, cybersecurity can pay well—very well—but if you are to survive in
you will be recognised and paid fairly. If you want
See you in the trenches.
this industry you will need drive: a purpose that is far deeper than money.
www.linkedin.com/in/craig-ford-cybersecurity
Money is nice. We all need it to feed our families and
www.amazon.com/Craig-Ford/e/B07XNMMV8R
keep a roof over our heads, but cybersecurity is not an easy career. You will be pushed to your limits and then pushed beyond them. You will need to learn every day just to keep up with the malicious actors who want
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W O M E N I N S E C U R I T Y M A G A Z I N E
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J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 2023
