Ethical hackers are growing more and more important in the jobs market. As digitization becomes more and more ubiquitous, companies are becoming prime targets for malicious hackers sitting in the shadows and waiting to pounce.
An average business is highly unlikely to have any sort of emphasis on cybersecurity. In a country like India where small companies are only just waking up to the endless possibilities of the digital era, cybersecurity is still far away from gaining the attention of the mainstream. This means small businesses are extremely vulnerable to being compromised by malicious hackers.
What is the solution? Ethical hackers are premium professionals these days as companies are slowly waking up to the risks of running their business without any type of digital protection. However, most small businesses cannot afford to hire a ethical hacker only for the sole purpose
This is why freelance ethical hackers are becoming such a popular option for big and small companies. Working on a freelance basis, ethical hackers can fly in, do the job required of them, and take on another job.
In this article, we discuss how ethical hackers can grow their careers as freelancers.
Build Bug Bounty Reputation
In order to build a reputation as a freelance ethical hacker, a professional must first show his/her talents and skills. This is where bug bounty programs come in handy.
When a company is hiring a content writer, it is likely to go through the writer’s blog and portfolio to see if he/she can really write.
A bug bounty program is like a portfolio for an ethical hacker. There are many bug bounty programs an ethical hacker can participate in and develop a reputation for finding bugs.
Many big tech conglomerates have their own bug bounty programs. Ethical hackers who can find bugs in applications and web-interfaces run by big tech companies slowly get to build their image as capable cybersecurity professionals.
Needless to say, if a company is looking to hire a freelance ethical hacker, it will hire one who has a record for finding bugs for other organizations. Ethical hackers can build up their credentials through various bug bounty programs run around the year by tech companies to maintain the security of their systems.
Never Compromise on Fee
Cybersecurity is a field where there is little room for compromise. As a freelance ethical hacker, you must never allow a company to lower your salary. Never take up a project where you feel you’re not being paid adequately.
The cybersecurity field is not blessed with many talented ethical hackers. This means a company requires your skills more than you need them. Understand the leverage you hold over the company and use it. By staying fixed on your demands, you show companies how much you back your own skills.
In Conclusion
Ethical hackers are being hired by top companies and agencies to find vulnerabilities in company networks. The job is in high demand and is turning into a safe career option with substantial payout. In this article, we discussed how to grow a freelance career as an ethical hacker.
About the Author: Kapil Heera is a well-known blogging personality works for DCA, who has written on subjects like cyber security courses, business analytics, digital marketing, and cloud computing. Currently, he heads work at his training institute known best for its popular ethical hacking course in Delhi amongst other programs in business analytics and cloud computing.