Security Consultant

Security consultants assess all security measures for their organization or for client organizations.
They analyze security systems, study potential breaches, and supervise the implementation of
solutions. They may oversee security operations for one company, or consult with client
companies independently or through a bigger firm, helping organizations to understand where
their cybersecurity measures may need patching.

What Does a Security Consultant Do?

Whether working for a single company or consulting for multiple clients, security consultants
analyze potential cybersecurity threats by running tests on the system and searching for potential
breaches. A security consultant must understand how hackers operate to protect against them.
Security consultants ensure that their organization exceeds the minimum requirements for
regulatory compliance.

Security consultants propose improvements to infrastructure and may present them to upper
management. Once the company selects a strategy, a security consultant oversees the
implementation of new security measures and helps maintain them over time. In a frequently
changing field, security consultants must stay up to date on the newest technology and risk
factors. They may also train staff across the organization to understand and protect themselves
against information security risks.

Companies hire security consultants to protect their digital assets, which may include consumer
data, custom software coding, and sensitive information. Security breaches can erode consumer
confidence and threaten the organization’s future, making security a top priority for many
companies.
The job typically requires one to three years of experience. Entry-level jobs may include junior
positions on a team of IT specialists.

Steps to Become a Security Consultant

Typically, security consultants hold degrees in computer science, information security, or
cybersecurity, though any related degree can lead to success in the field. Through courses in
database design, IT foundations and applications, web development, and cyber law, plus
fundamentals in IT business, students prepare to fight security risks and pivot as quickly as the
ever-changing digital world around them.

Beyond excellent computer proficiency, a degree can help students develop the necessary
analytical and problem-solving skills for their day-to-day work as security consultants. Because
the position requires examining an organization’s structures and coming up with solutions to
potential problems, these skills are essential to ongoing success.

Considered experts in the field, security consultants typically need 1-3 years of work experience
before they can expect to take on leadership roles. Early on, aspiring security consultants may
work as junior members of an IT team, taking on more administrative work and learning as they
go. By prioritizing continuing education and networking through colleagues and professional
organizations, aspiring security consultants can build a path to the career they seek.

Professional certifications are also a crucial component of a security consultant’s resume. A

common choice among a wealth of options, a certified information systems security professional
(CISSP) validates a security expert’s ability to develop and implement a security program. Other
popular certifications include certified information systems auditor (CISA), for professionals
focused on cybersecurity analytics; certified information security manager (CISM) for
supervisory positions; and certified ethical hacker (CEH) for penetration testers.

By obtaining professional certification, or several, aspiring security consultants can demonstrate

further expertise in the cybersecurity niche of their choice. Certifications validate deep
knowledge and a commitment to the field that employers prize.
Top Required Skills for a Security Consultant
Students planning to become security consultants should learn hard skills including computer
programming and network and security configuration. Taking courses like cloud computing
infrastructure and services, computer programming in Java, network and security foundations,
and network and security applications, will prepare you to understand the complicated technical
aspects of security consulting.

Though it’s natural to gravitate towards certain soft skills over others, students can certainly
strengthen areas like communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills by obtaining a
degree. Courses in critical thinking and logic, communication, and managing IT can prepare you
for leadership in the field.

Security consultants need to engage in critical thinking to analyze security issues and respond
quickly to breaches—or even better, find problems before they arise. Communication is also
essential, as they must communicate with top executives about the company’s security
operations, outlining issues so that managers can both understand and make informed decisions.
Security consultants may need to communicate via written reports or through oral presentations,
and they may also be called upon to tutor non-IT staff in best practices.

Security consultants who develop leadership skills and strong management techniques can
advance to oversee entire departments and projects. Many companies employ teams of IT
personnel, which good managers can lead to implement and maintain their cybersecurity
protocols