Whether you’re currently working in IT security or plan to do so, kudos on making a great choice. In addition to excellent job prospects, this field offers upward mobility, higher portability, and flexibility to work in any sector. 

Take for instance the position ‘Information Security Analyst’. According to the US Bureau of Labor, the median pay for this position is $103,590. Moreover, the number of jobs available crossed 100,000 in 2019 alone while the job outlook is 31% for 2019-2029. 

However, there are certain mistakes you can make to kill your IT security career. Here are five of those. 

1) Not Adding to Your IT Security Knowledge 

If there’s one thing IT security professionals always do it’s catching up on the latest in their industry. As the security landscape is constantly changing, you should be up to date with the latest research and required technical skills. 

This is especially important considering the benefits both you and the business can gain. For example, having the right information and skillset will give you more confidence while providing recommendations or making decisions. 

As for the company, it’ll be able to retain customers’ trust and save resources usually wasted on data breaches and similar attacks. 

Besides, taking part in accredited IT security certification training will give you the opportunity to become certified. This, in turn, will boost your career and pay scale as you’ll become a major asset for your employer. 

2) Believing Security to Be the End Goal

Information technology security is an essential part of any organization. However, it’s wrong to assume it’s the be-all and end-all. Such an attitude prevents professionals from collaborating with colleagues, especially those in business-units. 

Majority of standards, regulations, and frameworks need to be implemented in the context of the business. Implementing them blindly is just a waste of resources and a possible threat to the organization. 

3) Pointing Fingers All Around 

You need to take responsibility for everything related to the security of the organization’s IT. In most cases, you’ll be expected to ensure that employees practice cybersecurity best practices. Therefore, you need to collaborate with end users and developers to ensure security policies are adhered to. 

Keep in mind that this means employee mistakes are yours as well. Therefore, there’s no room for the blame game as you’ll be held responsible for security risks or breaches that occur. 

4) Being Too Aggressive or Too Timid 

There’s no doubt that security fields attract the smartest people. After all, subsets such as cybersecurity require special traits like problem solving. However, you need to avoid screaming this to everyone you encounter. 

Exhibiting signs of arrogance when people don’t understand what you’re saying will kill your career. You need to be humble and avoid being critical and negative. Even your excellent skills won’t stop your company from showing you the door if you don’t change your ways. 

On the other hand, you shouldn’t be too timid. Whether it’s because of the lack of confidence or inability to negotiate, you need to be assertive. This will come to you with time and more experience. However, you can speed up the process by seeking a mentor or becoming certified. 

5) Losing Your Patience 

IT security isn’t an easy field. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the spike of stress and burnout in the cybersecurity industry over the past year. Unfortunately, the added pressure can lead to frustration and impatience. 

If you communicate with yells and screams, you’ll end up damaging your own reputation and ultimately your career. This is because this behavior is a sign of emotional immaturity. As a result, your teammates will alienate you and not invite you to work on key projects that could help you get ahead. 

So, learn how to best control your emotions. Especially while dealing with problems as part of a team. 

Have More IT Security Career Mistakes You’d Like to Share?

You can add any mistakes you think are worth highlighting in the comments below. We’d love to read them and so would our readers. 

And don’t forget – certification like CISSP can help you avoid career killers. So, discuss your options with our Training Advisors today.