Finding a job in cyber security in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital city of Georgia and boasts a thriving economy that provides a huge range of opportunities for getting a job in cyber security.
When doing any job hunting, it is a good idea to have a plan of some sort, either quite a structured one like a career pathway or a more informal one of simply how to approach the process.
Cyber security jobs, including entry-level jobs will tend to be advertised on major internet job sites, local job sites and on company websites where they have a dedicated career section.
In addition, many people get jobs by approaching companies and organisations directly, although no specific job may be advertised and showing that the company or organisation has a need that the applicant can fill.
This works especially well when there are major companies headquartered in the city, jobs in government and the military, cyber security and tech companies and specifically tech start-ups.
If following this approach, it is a good idea to follow the plan outlined by Richard Bolles in his book and website, What Color is Your Parachute, which has proved a valuable resource for millions of people over the last thirty years or so.
Using Online Job Agencies
Many people will be aware of the main internet job sites, such as Indeed, Linkedin, Monster etc, a full list of which can be found here.
This is often a good starting point, but it is worth being aware that some sites will have jobs advertised on them that have already been filled.
Check the expiry date for applications and see if they say the application process will close early if enough good people apply early enough.
If necessary contact the company directly and find out.
To give you an idea of what companies are looking for, here are some examples pulled from a recent Zippia search of job postings for cybersecurity engineers:
- Desktop Security Engineer at a salary of between $100,000 and $130,000 yearly
- Domain architect, product security at a salary of between $105,000 and $140000 yearly
- Lead Information Systems Security Officer at a salary of between $63,000 and $87,000 yearly
- Data Security Engineer at a salary of between $99,000and $130,000 yearly
- Senior Cyber Security Engineer at a salary of between $110,000 and $187,000 yearly.
Local Job Agencies and Cyber Security Jobs
Many companies prefer local job agencies, partly for historical reasons, and partly because agencies can vet people and select the most appropriate of them for specific job vacancies.
They can check things like past employment history, check references, credit checks, criminal records etc, if appropriate.
Local agencies are also really good for entry-level jobs in cyber security as they are likely to have easy access to other tech-related jobs which may be more appropriate for the applicant.
Some agencies will also have many temp jobs, which online sites probably won’t have, and which can often open the door to a permanent job if the applicant performs well.
Some examples of local job agencies in Atlanta include :
- Axiom Staffing Group – (770) 999 – 9672
- Crawford Thomas – (440) 856 – 4219
- Focus People – (770) 659 – 7837
- Hire Dynamics (844) 989 – 2869
- Labor Staffing (404) 974 – 2563
Approaching companies directly
Whilst this can sometimes seem a bit daunting, it can be a goldmine of opportunities for getting cyber security jobs, especially entry-level jobs, in Atlanta and surrounding areas.
Atlanta has an economy that consists of many varied industries ranging from transportation to logistics, to broadcasting, to tech, to media and boasts the world’s busiest airport.
It is home to the global headquarters of many major companies including
These companies have dedicated career sections on their websites, which will cover jobs in cyber security, entry-level jobs and a wide range of tech jobs, both on-site and remote.
Cybersecurity companies and tech companies – job opportunities
Cyber security has become big business, and many specialist companies have grown up that either advise companies on their cyber security protection, either as part of an internal team or as an external partner.
Many of these cyber security companies will have started simply as web designers, and have grown over the years to include help desk functions, developments in mobile technology, development in backend and front end software and where the applications, through to AI development and cutting edge cyber Security Solutions.
They are ideally placed to offer job opportunities which many of them do, a few examples are listed below.
In addition, many cyber security companies showcase scenarios they have been active in that have helped prevent cyber security problems, will have blogs that detail ongoing developments in cyberspace, and extensive resources that are normally free to use.
These can all be of great benefit when hoping someone looking for a job as they help give the candidate real-time exposure to incidents that have happened at our local, and keep them informed of current trends and developments in cyber security generally.
Startups
Startups are an incredibly valuable resource and potential market for someone looking to work in cyber security. Cities like Atlanta pride themselves as emerging markets for many industries such as media, healthcare, software, insurance and transportation etc, as well as tech and cyber security.
These industries rely on startup companies to grow and flourish, and we’ll encourage investment and offer significant benefits to help them grow.
Startup companies are likely to have a mindset that is more entrepreneurial and outgoing than some established businesses which may have a more rigid outlook about their product.
This also means that financial start-ups may be more willing to spend money to ensure their growth and more established companies.
This should be extremely encouraging for anyone looking for an entry level job in cyber security as all startup businesses are likely to be aware of the need for this service and as such should be open to offering people employment if it will help ensure the integrity of their computer systems and IT networks.
Security conferences
Some of these are now held online since the pandemic, but many have reopened as face-to-face with a hybrid option. They can be quite costly, but often recorded versions are available for some time afterwards online.
The value of security conferences is that they offer insights into current market trends in cyber security and our an ideal place for people to network and establish contacts that may be valuable during their career path.
Atlanta as a major city in the south of the US plays its part in hosting several conferences aimed not only at cyber security but at related industries, all of which will have an increasing need for professionals in this area.
