ISACA CDPSE job titles and career outlook

Indeed has noted a 75 percent increase in jobs with the words "data privacy," "data protection" or similar data privacy jobs in them in just the last four years. The most significant rise in job postings over the same period was for privacy analysts, which have seen demand double.

This rise has stemmed from the fact that citizens, consumers, businesses and legislators are more directly aware of the impacts of significant data breaches on their brand reputation and their legal liability. Events such as Cambridge Analytica pulling Facebook user data, Google Plus leaving customer data unprotected and Capital One's breach of more than 100 million past and current customers' personal and financial information make the policy and practical implications of privacy so much more real.

In response, organizations have begun to prioritize and resource the development of teams of technology and privacy experts that understand the intersection of these risks, how to prevent them and how to stay ahead of the threats. To help them find qualified and experienced professionals able to fill this important and rapidly growing niche, ISACA has created the Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) credential.

What could a career look like in this field, what sort of CDPSE jobs are out there and what is the field's growth potential? 

Common job positions for CDPSE holders

As mentioned before, how organizations approach data privacy and how much customers are aware of its impact is far more broad and integrated. Instead of aligning data privacy jobs in just legal or compliance fields, companies are broadening responsibility for data privacy across an organization. 

Therefore, CDPSE job titles can now span much broader than just cybersecurity or privacy analysts roles; a CDPSE certification can also benefit and have their functions included in roles such as:

• IT/security consultants
• Data analysts
• Domain architects
• Legal and compliance officers
• Information security engineers
• IT project managers
• Privacy analysts
• Software engineers

Current job market like for privacy professionals

With the combination of more brazen cyber threats and more employees working from home in the wake of COVID-19, the current job market for privacy professionals is very exciting. 

Based on one analysis of job demand by Burning Glass, the skills most in-demand and growing rapidly in the number of job listings in need include:

• Application development security (164%)
• Cloud security (115%)
• Risk management (60%)
• Threat intelligence (41%)
• Incident response (37%)
• Compliance and controls (36%)
• Data privacy and security (36%)
• Access management (32%)
• Security strategy and governance (20%)
• Health information security (20%)

Although there is a clear technology focus to many of these jobs, their intersection with the domain focuses of CDPSE is quite clear. This increasing emphasis on the importance of privacy in other roles, including sales, marketing, human resources and more, is also likely to increase in the years to come.

CDPSE job outlook

More broadly, there are an estimated 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide, according to CybersecurityVentures. This number is just as scary as the $6 trillion that cybercrime has cost international businesses in 2021 alone, a 50% increase in just one year. More specifically, there were 301 known data breaches worldwide, releasing more than five million records combined.

The obvious solution to this massive and rapidly growing threat is a cadre of cybersecurity and privacy professionals who can make the necessary technical and policy changes that organizations need to integrate into their employee culture and enterprise design. According to one estimate, demand for professionals able to build and secure these enterprise systems is expected to grow by 164% over the next five years. 

Put another way, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Information Security Analyst's Outlook, data privacy jobs like these "are among the fastest-growing career areas nationally," predicted to grow "over seven times faster than the national average job growth of 4%."

This growth is also driven by the fact that senior executives and board members are paying more attention to data privacy, given the financial and brand risks involved. According to one expert, data privacy is among the top three concerns of today's corporate boards.

How to stand out in your resume and interview

Although there is so much demand for cybersecurity and privacy professionals, there are still several key steps that you can take to make your application and resume stand out during the job search process to help you secure the best position and salary you can.

In particular, you can:

• Earn industry-recognized certifications: while formal degree programs will always be respected, certificates help prove that an application has the necessary years of experience, hands-on knowledge and specific skills needed for a role, especially CDPSE. 
• Build and lean on your network: you likely know someone already who has a connection, directly or indirectly, with an organization where you would like to work or to someone already in a position you are targeting. Work on building your network and get to know people that can help you find a new job, give you tips to succeed in the role or even be a reference during the application process.
• Emphasize your experience: especially important for professionals early in their career or who have switched careers, demonstrate your experience in your target field. You can highlight experiences in volunteer capacities, school projects or even in boot camps where you applied your skills.
• Showcase your personality: security is a dynamic field, so having a love of learning, growth and new experiences can help set your application apart.

Take the next step in your privacy career

The cybersecurity and data privacy fields are hot fields for professionals to explore. For those with the skills and experience, their efforts and talents can be recognized with rewarding, secure and well-paying careers. 

So if you are considering a career where you can help organizations prepare for today's security and privacy challenges and those lurking around the corner in the years ahead, the CDPSE certification is a great next step.

To learn more about the CDPSE certification journey or credential programs in the industry, the InfoSec Institute's Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) Boot Camp is a great first step.

Sources

• Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) Boot Camp, InfoSec Institute
• Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer Overview, ISACA
• Cybercrime: The World’s 6-Trillion-dollar Headache, LinkedIn
• Cybersecurity Talent Crunch To Create 3.5 Million Unfilled Jobs Globally By 2021, CybersecurityVentures
• Occupational Outlook Handbook, US Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Hot Job Alert: Anything With 'Privacy' In the Title, Yahoo! Finance
• What Are The Fastest Growing Cybersecurity Skills In 2021?, Forbes