Is CISSP Certification Worth It?
You’ll surely agree with me that the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is one of the most sought-after credentials in the cybersecurity industry. The certification, specifically designed by the (ISC)² for security experts, is about six hours long. The exam comes as a mix of advanced innovative and multiple-choice questions.
You must have heard or read online that becoming a CISSP isn’t for the faint-hearted. Well, that’s true because passing the exam comes with a lot of sacrifices.
To pass the exam, you need to invest your time and effort, studying and practicing to understand every aspect of the 8 domains of CISSP. But here’s a burning question; is CISSP certification worth the money, stress, time, and all?
There are lots of benefits attached to getting certified as a CISSP. First, the certification will provide you with much-needed recognition and respect in the security industry. Furthermore, getting CISSP means you’ll automatically become a member of (ISC)² – of course, this comes with several different perks.
There’s more to CISSP than just getting recognized and becoming a member of (ISC)². To find out more about the CISSP and the benefits attached to getting it, read further.
What is CISSP and what is in it for you after passing the exam?
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional is one of the most important credentials that anybody in the cybersecurity space needs to earn. The certification, which started in the mid-1990s, aims at testing to validate the deep technical and managerial knowledge as well as the experience of information security professionals.
CISSP offers a host of amazing benefits to professionals in the cybersecurity industry. If you’re still contemplating whether or not to enroll and get the certification, the following reasons should help you make up your mind.
- Gain recognition and respect as a security expert
One of the benefits of getting CISSP certification is that it’ll help you gain much-needed recognition and respect in the industry. As we all know, for you to become a CISSP, one of the requirements is to have at least five years of cumulative paid work experience in two or more of the 8 domains of the CISSP CBK.
That said, it’s safe to say that the primary aim of the Certified Information Systems Security Professional is to validate your years of cybersecurity experience. If you’re able to attain this credential, it means you’re a professional with a good number of years in the industry.
Furthermore, organizations across the world respect and recognize the value of CISSP. So, earning the certification means you’re truly and strongly dedicated and committed to the field of cybersecurity.
- Better job offerings
As previously mentioned, most companies across the globe understand what it takes to earn the CISSP certification. They also understand that it takes a minimum of five years of cumulative paid work experience in at least two of the 8 CISSP CBK domains. So, they are always happy to accept and welcome new employees with CISSP certification into the information security department of their corporations.
The truth is, earning the CISSP certification means you’ll have an edge over most other candidates in the industry, including those who have the actual IT credential. Furthermore, even if the job requires displaying a little knowledge of IT before gaining it, the CISSP training and rigorous studying will give you an edge.
The bottom line is, having the title – “CISSP-certified” – written next to your name will automatically help you boost your CV and prove to your employers that you have all it takes to fill in any information security position in their corporations. It’ll help you get higher-level cybersecurity jobs.
- Maximize Your Earning Potential
Another benefit attached to getting a CISSP certification is that it’ll help you maximize your earning potential. It’s no more news that we’re in a world where online businesses are prone to security threats. Since that’s the case, most of the top companies across the globe are now looking for ways to mitigate the issues. Here’s where you, as an information security professional, become pretty much valuable.
Most of these employers are willing to pay more money to secure their online business. For instance, in the US today, the average salary of a CISSP-certified professional is between $72,000 and $164,000. The bottom line is, earning a CISSP certification means more money for you.
- Become a member of (ISC)²
Another benefit attached to being CISSP certified is that it’ll allow you to become a member of the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC²). If you don’t know, the (ISC)² is the world’s largest nonprofit association of information security professionals.
So, what’s in it for you when you become a member of the (ISC)²? By becoming a member of the largest nonprofit association in the cybersecurity industry, here are some of the perks in it for you:
- Being an (ISC)² member, the first thing you’ll get is a digital badge, which you’ll find handy when sharing your credentials online.
- With CISSP, you’ll become an (ISC)² member and get discounts on education products and career services that come from the organization.
- You’ll get professional respect and recognition through the International Information System Security Certification Consortium award programs.
- With an (ISC)² membership, you’ll be entitled to about a 50% discount on all textbooks from the association.
- You’ll gain access to industry-leading research. Some of them include the Global Information Security Workforce Study and the (ISC)² Journal.
- Being an (ISC²) member, you’ll also gain a free subscription to the InfoSecurity Professional Magazine, where you can get the latest updates in the cybersecurity industry.
- You’ll also get exclusive access to webinars and conferences, where you can meet and connect with other industry experts.
- The membership deal will provide you with the ability to begin or join a local (ISC)2 organization in your area.
