Education & Training Advance Your Cybersecurity Career Practical advice for cyber professionals seeking to advance their careers. Security Magazine: What education or certification(s) can support a successful career in cybersecurity? Jenkins: As a hiring manager for more than 20 years, I recognize and appreciate that having a degree or being “certified” is not necessarily indicative of knowledge, skill, or long‑term success. I have hired several candidates — and worked with many colleagues — who had no formal credentials to speak of, yet they were highly skilled and successful in their fields. That said, having one or more degrees or certifications related to your career — in this case, cybersecurity — does imply a certain level of foundational knowledge, discipline, and the ability to synthesize information. Relevant education and certifications also help establish a shared vernacular and common thought processes, which creates useful points of reference when working with others in the same professional domain. Education that supports a successful career in cybersecurity, even if not explicitly labeled as such, includes related technical and engineering disciplines such as computer science, information technology, computer engineering, and electrical engineering. Useful corollaries include business- and policy‑oriented education in areas like information systems, business administration, and even privacy or technology law. Certifications include the obvious examples — CISSP, CISM, CRISC, CompTIA Security+, and others. Ultimately, what matters most to me as a hiring manager is hands‑on experience, demonstrated skills, certifications that align to the role, and the relevance of a candidate’s educational background. Aspiring leaders must also know how to build trust — both with their teams and with executive leadership. These capabilities are not ‘nice to have’; they are foundational skills for anyone seeking to lead effectively in cybersecurity. Security: What “soft skills” should aspiring security leaders develop? Jenkins: Negotiation, compromise, and the ability