Have you been a part of the cybersecurity industry for a long time? You may have worked as an information security analyst, ethical hacker, incident responder, security administrator, or cybersecurity engineer. After gaining relevant years of experience, you may now be willing to take up a managerial role. And why not? Cybersecurity has become one of the most in-demand career domains these days, and the need for skilled and seasoned cybersecurity professionals is only expected to increase in the future. The reason is we are moving towards a digital world, putting more and more data to risk every day.
Though you must have decided to become a security manager, you may not be aware of the right steps to take in order to reach your goal. Fortunately, the field of cybersecurity is associated with a couple of renowned certifications that establish your credibility in this field and your expertise to take up any security job. Certification bodies like the EC-Council, CompTIA, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2 offer industry-standard certifications that are highly valued in the market. If you are seeking a Security manager certification, then the most suitable credential for you is the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) offered by ISACA.
This article lists the top reasons why you should pursue a security manager certification in 2022.
The CISM Certification
The CISM certification validates your knowledge and skills in program development and management, information security governance, incident management and risk management. The credential is suitable for those professionals who have rich technical expertise and experience in IT security and control and are willing to make a move from team player to manager. When you hold a CISM designation, you will be able to deliver more value in your interactions with internal and external stakeholders, peers, and regulators.
As part of the eligibility criteria, you need to have at least five years of experience in information security management. Note that experience waivers are available for a maximum of two years. You can check more details on the ISACA website. If you fulfill the eligibility requirements, you can appear for the CISM exam, which involves 150 multiple-choice questions, and the time allowed is 4 hours. ISACA reports scores on a common scale from 200 to 800, where a score of 800 represents a perfect score, and 200 represents the lowest score possible. To pass the CISM exam, you need to score at least 450 or higher. Your preliminary passing status will be shown on the screen immediately following the completion of your exam.
Why Achieve a Security Manager Certification?
Now that you have gathered the basic information regarding the CISM certification, let us discuss why you should be adding this certification to your portfolio.
- Better salary prospects
When you achieve a CISM certification, you will be able to command higher paychecks. As per the data mentioned on the ISACA website, CISM certification holders have an average salary of USD 149K worldwide. The certification demonstrates your expertise in front of employers, who will then be willing to pay higher wages to get the right candidate on board. No wonder there are over 48K CISM certification holders across the world, and the number keeps on increasing every year.
- Accredited by ANSI
The CISM certification is accredited by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under ISO/IEC 17024:2003. It means that ISACA’s procedures meet ANSI’s essential requirements for balance, openness, consensus, and due process. To maintain accreditation, ISACA consistently needs to adhere to a set of requirements related to quality and due process.
- Get ahead of your peers
You may start your cybersecurity career just like others, but how far you go depends entirely on your efforts. Not many cybersecurity professionals are serious about moving to a managerial role, let alone pursuing a reputed certification in this field. When you add CISM certification to your array of skills, you will get more preference over your non-certified peers, and any potential employer would more likely hire you for a managerial position.
- Promising career growth
Getting CISM certified means paving the way for better career growth. There might be a time when your salary becomes stagnant working as a team player. However, when you move towards a managerial position after getting CISM certified, you will more likely be promoted. Post that, you can gain some experience working as a security manager and climb the ladder of success.
- Become an ISACA member
When you are applying for the CISM certification exam, you have a chance to get an ISACA membership. As a member, you will receive benefits that will help you advance professionally and be rewarded personally throughout your entire career. You can attend industry-leading global conferences that offer professional networking and education locally and globally.
Get Certified Today!
With all the benefits mentioned above, won’t you think about pursuing the CISM certification? Though there are other security manager certifications in the market as well, CISM is quite popular among professionals. You can take up an online CISM training course to prepare for its exam.