What Is an IT Support Specialist?

 

CompTIA A+ Certification

 comptia a+ jobs

What Jobs Can I Get with a CompTIA A+ Certification?

CompTIA A+ is the industry standard for establishing a career in IT and is the preferred qualifying credential for technical support and IT operational roles. Companies like Intel, Dell, Ricoh, Nissan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield and HP all look for the CompTIA A+ certification when hiring for jobs like IT support specialist, IT field service technician, desktop support analyst and help desk tier 2 support.

Having IT certifications makes a great first impression when you’re looking for a job. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), 96 percent of human resources managers use IT certifications as screening or hiring criteria during recruitment.* Learn more about all the places you career can go with CompTIA certifications.

If you’re looking to get into IT, keep reading to learn more about types of entry-level jobs that CompTIA A+ validates the skills for.

What Is an IT Support Specialist?

The IT support team maintains the computer networks for all types of organizations, providing technical support and ensuring the company runs smoothly.

An IT support specialist may have the following responsibilities:

• Installing and configuring computer hardware, software, systems, networks, printers and scanners
• Monitoring and maintaining computer systems and networks
• Responding in a timely manner to service issues and requests
• Providing technical support across the company (this may be in person or over the phone)
• Setting up accounts for new users
• Repairing and replacing equipment as necessary
• Testing new technology
• Possibly training more junior staff members

There are also a number of qualities that candidates should be expected to display:

• A technical, logical thought process
• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to stick to strict deadlines
• Ability to prioritize and delegate
• A keen eye for detail

What Is a Help Desk Technician?

A help desk technician may have the following responsibilities:

• Diagnosing and solving computer issues
• Installing and training end users in new technologies
• Providing remote technical support over the phone or internet
• Backing up and restoring data files
• Repairing hardware and configuring software to maintain operating systems

A help desk technician must have both hard and soft skills because the position requires a strong technical understanding as well as the ability to communicate clearly with others. For example, when a user has a question, the help desk technician must be able to diagnose the IT issue, identify a solution and then explain it to the user. Read more about the daily life of a help desk technician 

Other Top CompTIA A+ Job Titles

• Service desk analyst
• Technical support specialist
• Field service technician
• Associate network engineer
• Data support technician
• Desktop support administrator
• End-user computing technician
• Help desk technician
• System support specialist

Server Management and Repair

 Server Management and Repair

Data center technicians troubleshoot and repair servers that have hardware and network issues. They run hardware diagnostics and replace failing parts. They are responsible for day-to-day performance and capacity management of servers. If something goes wrong, data center technicians are called on to quickly fix it in order to keep business data flowing.

Monitor System Processes

Monitoring and maintaining operation of all network processes is the primary duty of data technicians. They evaluate machine temperature levels for optimal performance. Data technicians are expected to maintain accurate work records and event logs. They also create concise virtual information reports to keep company management informed of status updates.

Cross-Collaborate to Protect Data

Data technicians install and arrange new equipment for data centers. This may include physically upgrading internal system components (CPU), memory hard drives, fiber cables, copper, and more. Once they install new equipment, data technicians often collaborate with software and networking engineering teams to ensure cybersecurity and network efficiency.

Technical Support and Education

Data center technicians provide live support to clients and coworkers, and are expected to troubleshoot problems as they occur. They act as a main point person in the field, putting out fires and working on projects simultaneously. Educating other data center staff on how to properly troubleshoot hardware and software is also a key part of their role.

What Is a Contingent Job Offer?

 If you’ve just received a job offer, you’re likely excited about the prospect of starting a new job. However, if you’ve just received a contingent job offer, also referred to as a conditional job offer, it may be too early to start celebrating. As the name implies, such job offers are contingent on certain criteria being met. In some cases, the contingencies attached to job offers are merely formalities, but other times they can present real challenges to landing a job.

Typical Contingencies

Many employers often make contingent job offers to a candidate they want to hire but have not yet conducted a criminal background or reference check or ordered a drug test. Such job offers are contingent on traditional preemployment checks going through without a hitch. Unless you lied on your application or résumé, or have reason to think you won’t pass a drug test, these contingencies can be considered procedural formalities.

Other Contingencies

Some jobs may require that candidates be in good health, so employers may issue job offers contingent on candidates passing physical exams. In those cases, employers must complete all other, non-medical hiring procedures before extending a job offer. Other jobs may require that candidates work from a specific location, so the offer may be contingent on relocating. If a job requires that you drive a company vehicle, you may need to pass a motor vehicle department check to ensure you don’t have any negative marks on your driving record. In some cases, something as simple as a bad credit score may disqualify you from a job.

Contingent Job Offer

Information Security Specialist Responsibilities

 Information Security Specialist Responsibilities

Security Specialist is a catchall description for a wide variety of entry- to intermediate-level IT security jobs. In the majority of cases, you will be responsible for designing, testing, implementing and monitoring security measures for your company’s systems. You’ll see a fair amount of crossover in this role with Security Analysts, but junior-level specialists usually have to deal with a lot more administrative tasks.

In addition, Security Specialists tend to be all-rounders. You’ll know how to configure firewalls and implement compliance measures. But you’ll also be adept in pen testing, auditing, and post-incident analysis. In some cases, you may be the one responsible for developing an infosec strategy, recommending security products, and even training other employees.

Do I have to declare freelance income?

 freelancer sites

Always check your contract

It’s unlikely, but some employment contracts may prohibit you from freelancing or taking on additional employment on the side. Before considering freelancing you should check that this is not written into your contract as you do not want to jeopardise your job or potentially damage your reputation in the industry.

What expenses can you claim as a sole trader?

A sole trader is someone who works as self-employed without operating through their own company or partnership. As a sole trader, you can offset certain business expenses against your income and you will only be taxed on your self-employed profits. The general rule of thumb is that you can only claim expenses on costs that are wholly and exclusively incurred for business.

Declaring income earnt from freelancing to HMRC

If you get paid more than £1,000 during a tax year and plan to further your freelancing career, you need to register online and complete a self-assessment tax return to declare your income.

You can register here.

You are required to declare your freelance earnings each year by the 31st January deadline following the end of the tax year on 5th April. Unlike the income earnt from your permanent employment, the money you earn from freelancing is untaxed and it will need to be declared to HMRC. https://www.fieldengineer.com/blogs/where-to-find-freelance-jobs-online

The amount of tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) that are due will depend on how much you earn as a freelancer and how much you are paid in your full-time job.

What Income Tax are you required to pay as a freelancer?

Your Income Tax will be calculated on your total earnings – combined income from employment and sole trader profits. You will need to pay Income Tax on any income above the personal allowance of £12,500 for the 2019/20 tax year.

The Income Tax rates for the 2019/20 tax year are as follows:

• Basic rate (20%) tax is due on income up to £37,500
• Higher rate (40%) is due on income from £37,501-£150,000
• Additional rate (45%) is due on income over £150,000

When you file your self-assessment tax return, you will disclose the tax already paid on your earnings from your employer. HMRC will then work out the amount of tax due on your profits from freelancing when you submit your self-assessment tax return.

Please be aware that if the profits earnt from freelancing push your total earnings into a higher rate tax band, you will be required to pay the higher rate tax.

How much National Insurance should you pay as a freelancer?

The amount of NI you pay on your income from your permanent employer will not change, but depending on how much you earn freelancing you may be required to pay Class 2 NI or Class 2 and 4 NI.

If your profits earnt from freelancing exceed £6,365 in the tax year you will have to pay Class 2 NI. This is a flat rate of £3.00 per week which is paid via direct debit to HMRC.

Class 4 NI – which is charged at 9% – will also be due on self-employed profits between £8,632 and £50,000. For all profits greater than £50,000 the Class 4 NI drops to 2%. Your Class 4 NI will be worked out when you submit your self-assessment tax return

 Data Center Technician Duties and Responsibilities

Data Center Technician Job Description

Data center technicians are skilled, hands-on professionals who provide a variety of services to keep computer data servers and hardware networks operating smoothly. They are the first line of defense in safeguarding a company ‘s valuable information. Most data center technicians have full-time schedules but do not work a typical 9 to 5 shift. They work shifts that are 8-12 hours long on nights, weekends, and holidays. They normally work in server rooms where usual office noise, machine noise, or construction noise is present. Data technicians must be willing to respond to emergency calls 24 hours a day, since data support is vital to any business’s core operations.

 Data Center Technician Duties and Responsibilities

Specific job responsibilities of a data center technician differ according to where they work. However, there are several core tasks associated with the role. Based on our analysis of multiple job listings, these include:

Perform Preventative Maintenance

On a daily basis, data center technicians complete preventative maintenance of equipment and data network devices. They operate in tight spaces, run cables, and improve physical security around their assigned data center. Data center technicians engage in building projects and check utilities. To make sure the center does not overheat, they carefully examine power sources and heating and cooling controls.

Server Management and Repair

Data center technicians troubleshoot and repair servers that have hardware and network issues. They run hardware diagnostics and replace failing parts. They are responsible for day-to-day performance and capacity management of servers. If something goes wrong, data center technicians are called on to quickly fix it in order to keep business data flowing.

Monitor System Processes

Monitoring and maintaining operation of all network processes is the primary duty of data technicians. They evaluate machine temperature levels for optimal performance. Data technicians are expected to maintain accurate work records and event logs. They also create concise virtual information reports to keep company management informed of status updates.

Cross-Collaborate to Protect Data

Data technicians install and arrange new equipment for data centers. This may include physically upgrading internal system components (CPU), memory hard drives, fiber cables, copper, and more. Once they install new equipment, data technicians often collaborate with software and networking engineering teams to ensure cybersecurity and network efficiency.

Technical Support and Education

Data center technicians provide live support to clients and coworkers, and are expected to troubleshoot problems as they occur. They act as a main point person in the field, putting out fires and working on projects simultaneously. Educating other data center staff on how to properly troubleshoot hardware and software is also a key part of their role.

freelance projects

 Freelance Jobs You Can Work From Home

freelance projects

When most people think of freelancers, they think of creative jobs: writing, editing, perhaps advertising and marketing gigs. While those areas are full of opportunities for entrepreneurial types who want to work at home, either on a full-time or part-time basis, they're far from the only occupations that lend themselves to the freelance life. Here's a roundup of several freelance jobs -- some you'd never expect.

Writing

Let's start with the obvious: freelance writing is the classic work-from-home job. If you're not already toiling away in virtual ink, however, you might not realize how many different types of freelance writing jobs there are. From journalism to copywriting, blogging to social media, there are writing jobs for every temperament and type of experience.

Editing and Proofreading

Whether you're a seasoned grammarian or just someone with a solid eye for detail, the internet teems with editing and proofreading gigs for your level of skill and experience.

Marketing and PR

If you have a phone and an internet connection reliable enough to sustain a Skype meeting, you can do your marketing or PR job from the comfort of your own home. Just be prepared to take the occasional on-site meeting. In many cases, the client will want to look at their marketing or PR pro in the eye once in a while -- and not just over a webcam. Social media coordinator and manager jobs also fall under this umbrella, and as easy to do from home as from an office.

Transcription

Transcription jobs generally come in three flavors: medical, legal, and market research. The latter requires the least amount of study, in terms of familiarizing yourself with the specialized technical language of the field. In most instances, transcription jobs are meted out by an agency, which will require you to take a typing test and then set you up with jobs as needed.

What actually is WLAN?

what is wireless security

WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) is a wireless local network and is generally used when the network device can’t be wired or is difficult to implement, requiring a lot of effort. A wireless network can also exist for convenience reasons. Wireless connections are particularly widespread in the private sector, since they are a good solution for implementing internet access through entire living quarters without having to rely on cables. Radio networks are also useful in offices, especially when a variety of portable devices such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones are in use.

There are three different modes for operating wireless networks:

• Infrastructure mode: the structure of this mode is similar to the mobile network. A wireless access point takes care of the coordination of all network users and sends them small packets, at adjustable intervals, with information about the network name, the supported transmission rates, or the type of encryption. The access point is often a router.

• Wireless distribution system: since WLAN networks use the same addressing mode as Ethernet, you can easily connect to wired networks (or other wireless networks) via the access point. This is how networks are linked together and the range is increased, which is why this is known as a wireless distribution system.

• Ad-hoc mode: in ad-hoc networks, the central control unit is missing, which means that the coordination must be taken over by the respective terminals. These networks are used for fast, direct communication between individual participants. However, this WLAN mode isn’t used as frequently – alternative techniques, such as Bluetooth, are much more common.

These are the disadvantages of wireless networks

The outline data for communication in radio networks is specified in IEEE 802.11 from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) near New York. At the beginning, however, not much emphasis was placed on security: unencrypted transmission and no user authentication requirements meant that anyone within the appropriate area had access to a wireless network. Ultimately, the requirement of WLAN security promoted the development of the following encryption and authentication methods:

• Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP): WEP is the oldest standard for WLAN encryption and dates back to 1997. It offers two authentication methods: Open System Authentication (enabled for all clients) and Shared Key Authentication (activated by password). In addition, WEP includes the encryption methods RC4. Due to various weaknesses, WEP is today considered unsafe and outdated.

• WLAN Protected Access (WPA): WPA builds on the WEP architecture and is designed to eradicate weaknesses in the same process. To ensure this, WPA operates with a dynamic key based on the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). Since WPA also has certain security deficiencies, new wireless access points (since 2011) and all WLAN-enabled devices (since 2012) are no longer allowed to support this protocol.

• WLAN Protected Access 2 (WPA2): the current, safest WLAN encryption and authentication method WPA2 was released in 2004 with the IEEE 802.11i standard. Instead of TKIP, WPA2 uses the much more modern AES encryption method. Therefore, if you set up a WLAN, you should always use the older WEP and WPA standards of WPA2.

• WLAN Protected Setup (WPS): the standard WPS is not a transmission nor encryption technique, but is rather an automatic configuration feature, which aims to make WLAN configuration easier for new network users. The authentication is carried out at the push of a button (WPS PBC) – physically at the access point or virtually via a software-implemented button – or by entering a PIN (WPS PIN). Alternatively, you can change the network settings via USB stick or via NFC (Near Field Communication).

Although WEP and WPA with WPA2 have a legitimate, more secure successor, some operators are still using these outdated standards – as long as they are supported by the wireless action point in order to encrypt their WLAN. Whether this is unintentional or for compatibility reasons (to grant access to older devices) is incidental. What is clear is that networks like this are at a high risk of unauthorized access – one of the main reasons for the critical assessment of WLAN security. Additional errors that make it easier for attackers to intercept data include:

NOC engineers

 Noc It Meaning

A NOC It  engineer has several duties in order to ensure the smooth running of the network. They deal with things such as DDoS Attacks, power outages, network failures, and routing black-holes. There are of course the basic roles, such as remote hands, support, configuration of hardware (such as firewalls and routers, purchased by a client). NOC engineers also have to ensure the core network is stable. This can be done by configuring hardware in a way that makes the network more secure, but still has optimal performance. NOC engineers are also responsible for monitoring activity, such as network usage, temperatures etc. They would also have to install equipment, such as KVMs, rack installation, IP-PDU setup, running cabling. The majority of NOC engineers are also on call and have a 5-6 day rotation, working different shifts.

The Full form of NOC is No Objection Certificate. NOC is a type of legal certificate issued by any organization, agency, institute or, in certain cases, an individual. It does not object to the covenants of the certificate. The certification is an important requirement at most government-based departments in India. No Objection Certificate (NOC) is a legal document, which states that an individual, organization, agency or institute have no objection to the mentioned details in the document. It can be also be used for litigation, employment, trade, immigration, and many other purposes to nullify any objection by the party concerned in the process. This legal document can be used for or against in the court of law. NOC usually consists of some basic details of the parties involved, and it is addressed to whosoever is concerned. Let us take an example of a person buying a vehicle which is registered in a different state, say in Punjab, to be used in a different state, say in Rajasthan. In this case, the seller of the vehicle must get a NOC from the Punjab Regional Transportation Officer (RTO) and issue the same to the buyer of the vehicle in Rajasthan.

freelance workers online descriptions

 freelance workers online descriptions

A freelancer, also known as a freelance worker, is someone who is self-employed and is not in a long-term contractual commitment to any one employer. The most common freelance jobs include writing, editing, photography, web design, graphic arts or computer programming. Freelancers make their money selling their work to a clients rather then being employed by a business.

Requirements

There are no requirements for being a freelancer. Some people do have some formal educational background such as in writing, journalism or programming. They may also have have degrees such as a master's degree in journalism or in computer programming. Although these achievements do help in terms have having the experience before working as a freelancer, it's not required. Once you start freelancing, the experience that you gain from it can be used to get higher paying projects in the future.https://www.fieldengineer.com/blogs/where-to-find-freelance-jobs-online

Schedule Field Technicians

 

Noc Technician

When a business experiences computer networking issues, who do they call? Chances are they’ll turn to a Network Operations Center (NOC), where a NOC technician can help them diagnose and resolve their issues. NOC technicians monitor networks and maintain and repair routers, firewalls, and switches. These professionals exercise computer, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills on a daily basis. NOC technicians are typically full-time employees who work for computer manufacturers, telecommunications companies, or corporate IT departments. They usually enjoy health benefits, vacation days, paid time off, and even bonuses in some cases. High levels of job satisfaction are reported for this occupation.

 NOC Technician Duties and Responsibilities

NOC technicians work in a variety of organizations. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary, but there are several core tasks associated with the job, including:

Monitor and Troubleshoot Networks

It is up to NOC technicians to monitor network hardware to ensure the proper operations of routers, switches, firewalls, and remote technologies. They field incoming calls, help clients troubleshoot networking issues, diagnose network and server problems, and provide resolutions. They also answer client questions regarding network features and services.

Provide Preventative Maintenance of Network Equipment

NOC technicians oversee the preventative maintenance of all networking equipment for various industries. They repair and replace switches and routers, configure new servers, run tests, and perform upgrades to hardware and software to make sure networks run with no interruption due to failures or outages.

Schedule Field Technicians

Sometimes it is necessary to address networking issues on-site; in these cases, NOC technicians relay details about network issues to field technicians and schedule them to go to client locations to work on networking equipment. They maintain field technician schedules, assist technicians on the phone, and keep records of repairs made for each client.

Advantages of a wireless networks

Radio waves are used in a wireless network just as they are used in televisions, mobile phones, and radios. Communication in a wireless network is very similar to two way radio communication. Basically, first a computers wireless adapter changes the data into radio signals and then transmits these signals through the use of an antenna. Then a wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. It then sends the information through a wired Ethernet connection to the internet. This procedure also works backwards in which the router receives information from the internet and sends it to the computer.

Advantages of a wireless networks

Wireless network is the recent development in the arena of network technologies. Wireless technologies have removed the obstacles to work on any remote area carrying personal digital assistant. The ease of connecting to the network has further helped in coming with the devices with third and fourth generation technologies. Wireless networks are cheap and easy to set up. You may access the internet from multiple computers, laptops, handheld computers, and even mobile phones that have wifi just by having a wireless router in your home or office. So now you don’t have to wait for your turn to use the internet because it can be used at the same time on multiple devices by a single a connection. The most obvious advantage of a wireless networks is that you don’t have to worry about getting tangled up in wires because there are close to no wires at all. Therefore, you can go from one place to another without having to worry about plugging and unplugging wires. Now many restaurants, most hotels, airports, apartments all have wifi access allowing internet users to be connected at all time. An advantage that most people seem to overlook of a wireless network is that since there are no wires the chance of tripping and injuring one self is minimal or close to none.

Establishing a wireless connection

We can say that establishing a wireless connection is a technical and expensive task. However this is not the case in reality. Establishing a wireless network does not involve many technical personnel and the machines. It is a simple network to establish as there are no wires involved. A person has to install software at large and he or she just has to buy a router. If we overall compare the cost of wireless network with that of wired network, wireless network is comparatively cheaper .wireless network is one time expense. Whereas a wired network need to be constantly updated and monitored. One more aspect involved in the network cost is the need for technical staff. This technical staff in some cases is the burden on the company, wireless network does not require any network assistant, and thus it eliminates the human resource cost at large. We can add more stations to wireless network as there is no hassle of wires. There is less destruction in case of electricity failure and natural disasters.

Ease of carrying wireless technology

Wired technologies were safe and stable but they are hard to carry due to their extensive wired network. Suppose you want to shift your working space or even home where you have established any wired network lets say LAN Ethernet. While shifting you have to remove the extensive network of wires from the building. Hence you are not able to carry it with you. When you will shift to a new space you need to establish a new connection. However, if you have any wireless router you just have to put it into bag and can be carried easily.

Information technology support specialist job Description

 

Information technology support specialist job Description

Information technology (IT) support specialists provide technical support to users of various software and hardware systems. As an IT support specialist, your duties may include installing and upgrading software and hardware, adding or moving computer equipment, and assisting with software rollouts or patches. Information technology specialists also triage technical issues through monitoring and responding to service logs, providing troubleshooting guidance, and resolving technical problems. Administrative tasks for an IT support specialist encompass verifying software licenses, maintaining equipment records and databases, and the procurement of technology. Information technology support specialist roles can be found in virtually any organization with an IT department. Although you can expect to work standard office hours, information technology support specialists may be on-call to resolve urgent or critical issues. To become an IT support specialist, you'll need at least an associate's or four-year degree in a technology-related field. Additional training and certification with platforms like Oracle, Cisco or Microsoft may be of value when pursuing a systems support specialist job.

Fully Managed Dedicated Server Hosting?

Today, digital agencies are attempting to run their businesses much leaner. Designers and developers want the freedom to focus more on their core business. They want to create, not administer the infrastructure or manage the technology and data. That’s not what gives them passion and it’s not why they are in business. But hosting and infrastructure are what Liquid Web does best.

What is Managed Hosting?

Those in the digital space are familiar with Managed Hosting in one way or another.

This is a business model where a service provider leases hardware to a single customer. The service provider also provides management of the servers, software, and networks necessary for hosting for the customer.

If an issue arises, a managed hosting provider is there to help pinpoint the problem and rectify it.

Fully Managed Dedicated Server Hosting is an isolated hosting environment where the provider handles the setup, administration, management, and support of the server or platform application. The resources are specific to the user ensuring that your data alone is hosted in your environment without being affected by the issues that arise from sharing resources.

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is the most popular example of multi-tenancy. This is where many sites or applications exist on the same server. Quite often, shared hosting divides the server resources among customers. This would include storage and bandwidth and in some cases RAM and CPU cores.

Think of shared hosting as a home with renters all sharing the same living space.

Managed Dedicated Server Hosting

Dedicated hosting would be an example of single-tenancy. With this type of environment, a single customer hosts their site(s) or application(s). With managed dedicated server environments, the server hardware and resources for that hardware belong to that single customer.

To continue with the above analogy, think of dedicated hosting as a home with one occupant. This avoids “noisy neighbors” encroaching on your space, disrupting your space and the space of those visiting your site.

Data Center Technician Job Description Example

 Data center technicians perform various functions to keep the operations of data centers at optimum performance.

Here is a job description example showing the main tasks, duties, and responsibilities of technicians at most data centers:

• Protect important information by performing backup on all critical systems
• Collaborate with a team of software and networking engineers to ensure the security and efficiency of data center server/network
• Oversee the management and maintenance of client/employee database
• Carry out system administration tasks such as software installation/updates, security patches, and hardware maintenance
• Monitor customer network servers and storage systems to ensure uptime and efficient resolution of issues
• Assist senior level engineers in designing/modifying network systems and application infrastructure
• Develop standards and procedures for carrying out systems and network operations
• Perform basic repair of damaged or faulty equipment and devices
• Maintain records of all system administration operations and present reports to superiors
• Oversee the running of data cables during the installation of new equipment
• Maintain accurate inventory of work tools, equipment, and devices
• Ensure work operations comply with all local, state, and federal regulations on information/data management https://www.fieldengineer.com/skills/data-center-technician
• Conduct preventative maintenance on data center equipment to ensure efficient operations
• Listen to customer complaints and assist them in the resolution of technical issues
• Set up access controls to protect company systems and network.

Application systems engineer

 application systems engineer

This Systems engineer job description template is optimized for posting in online job boards or careers pages and easy to customize for your company when recruiting and interviewing. This IT systems engineer job description can be modified and shared to your technical candidates with a background in computer systems engineering and analysis.

Systems Engineer responsibilities include:

• Managing and monitoring all installed systems and infrastructure
• Installing, configuring, testing and maintaining operating systems, application software and system management tools
• Ensuring the highest levels of systems and infrastructure availability

• Job brief

  We are looking for a Systems Engineer to help build out, maintain, and troubleshoot our rapidly expanding infrastructure.

  What does a systems engineer do?

  You will be part of a talented team of engineers that demonstrate superb technical competency, delivering mission critical infrastructure and ensuring the highest levels of availability, performance and security. Qualified systems engineers will have a background in IT, computer systems engineering, or systems engineering and analysis.

Freelance workers online descriptions

 freelance workers online descriptions

A freelancer, also known as a freelance worker, is someone who is self-employed and is not in a long-term contractual commitment to any one employer. The most common freelance jobs include writing, editing, photography, web design, graphic arts or computer programming. Freelancers make their money selling their work to a clients rather then being employed by a business.

Requirements

There are no requirements for being a freelancer. Some people do have some formal educational background such as in writing, journalism or programming. They may also have have degrees such as a master's degree in journalism or in computer programming. Although these achievements do help in terms have having the experience before working as a freelancer, it's not required. Once you start freelancing, the experience that you gain from it can be used to get higher paying projects in the future.https://www.fieldengineer.com/blogs/where-to-find-freelance-jobs-online

What is a security professional?

security professionals

What is a security professional? ... That means the modern security professional needs multiple skillsets, from communications to technical competence. The person responsible for protecting information in larger organisations is often called the chief information security officer (CISO)

One reason companies can’t find the experienced cybersecurity professionals they need: there just aren’t many tech pros who have mastered not only the necessary technical abilities, but also “soft skills” (such as clear communication)—and those who have, well, they’re already employed (often with hefty salaries and benefits designed to keep them in place for the long term).

With that in mind, if you want to plunge into a career in cybersecurity (and there’s no reason you shouldn’t, at least in terms of salary), here are some of the traits you’ll need to exhibit.

Solid Work Habits

First, you’ll need some essential work habits, including the ability to work methodically (and in a detail-oriented way). The following abilities also come in useful:

• Eagerness to dig into technical questions and examine them from all sides.
• Enthusiasm and a high degree of adaptability.
• Strong analytical and diagnostic skills.
• A current understanding of common web vulnerabilities.
• Maintaining awareness and knowledge of contemporary standards, practices, procedures and methods.

Soft Skills

That’s in addition to the aforementioned soft skills; remember, security professionals often need to communicate complicated subjects to people who might not have much of a technical background (such as C-suite executives). With that in mind, mastering the following is usually a perquisite for climbing to more advanced positions on the cybersecurity ladder:

• Excellent presentation and communications skills to effectively communicate with management and customers.
• Ability to clearly articulate complex concepts (both written and verbally).
• Ability, understanding, and usage of active listening skills (especially with customers!).

From a cybersecurity perspective, soft skills will also allow you to identify examples of, and explain, social engineering, which is a pervasive issue within the security community. You can put all kinds of hardware and software security measures in place, but hackers can still use social engineering to convince unsuspecting employees to give them passwords, credentials, and access to otherwise-secure systems.

Technical Skills

Which technical skills do cybersecurity pros need? That question is a bit trickier to answer, as there are many sub-disciplines within the cybersecurity field. That being said, many such jobs share a common technical foundation.

For starters, tech pros should understand the architecture, administration, and management of operating systems (various Linux distros, Windows, etc.), networking, and virtualization software. In other words, get to know—and love—things like firewalls and network load balancers. That’s in addition to general programming/software development concepts and software analytics skills.

There’s also the need to understand the more common programming languages, including Java, C/C++, disassemblers, assembly language, and scripting languages (PHP, Python, Perl, or shell).

Many employers demand certifications as a perquisite for employment, and it’s easy to see why. In a recent survey, the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)² noted that a degree and certifications were often a major factor in hiring. “Cybersecurity certifications are essential to showing the level of knowledge of a cybersecurity professional. However, they should never alone be the only reference,” Joseph Carson, the chief security scientist at security vendor Thycotic, told Dice in an email.

Potentially important certifications include the following:

• CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)
• OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional)
• CISA (Certified Information Security Auditor)
• GCIH (GIAC Certified Incident Handler)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Information Systems Security Architecture Professional (CISSP-ISSAP)
• Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (CISSP-ISSEP)
• Information Systems Security Management Professional (CISSP-ISSMP)

While these types of certifications are good to have and show employers that the candidate is interested in continuing education, “certifications should be combined with solid industry experience to get the right level of skillset required,” Carson added.

Implementation Skills

Any good cybersecurity pro knows how to examine a company’s security setup from a holistic view, including threat modeling, specifications, implementation, testing, and vulnerability assessment. They also understand security issues associated with operating systems, networking, and virtualization software.

But it’s not just about understanding; it’s also about implementation. They study the architecture of systems and networks, then use that information to identify the security controls in place and how they are used. Same with weaknesses in databases and app deployment.

More junior cybersecurity professionals might use their coding skills to write tools that automate certain security tasks; depending on the company’s technology stack, there is often a choice of pre-built tools that will automate many functions, as well.

Management Skills

Senior cybersecurity pros, meanwhile, must organize and coordinate technical vulnerability assessments, including systems and network vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, web application assessments, social engineering assessments, physical security assessments, wireless security assessments and implementing secure infrastructure solutions.

They recommend and set the technical direction for managing security incidents, and ensure the integrity of the resulting process and approach. In terms of using soft skills, they’ll need to explain to management (and show forensically) how an attack was conducted.