Certifications Offer A Mixed Bag

More than half of cybersecurity professionals surveyed – 56 percent – had received a CISSP certification and felt it was valuable for getting a job and gaining useful cybersecurity knowledge, the survey found.

But they're lukewarm on other certifications, leading the survey to conclude that security certifications should be encouraged for specific roles and responsibilities, but downplayed as part of a cybersecurity professional's overall career and skills development.

Mellon, of AtNetPlus, says there is value in certifications but he adds that there are security professionals who can get jobs without them. "Some guys, if they can spell 'security,' they're able to get a job."