Our lives are moving online. We are using social media platforms to stay connected, e-commerce websites to make more and more purchases and businesses are using collaboration tools for increased efficiency. The Covid pandemic has accelerated this, which forced even the most traditional companies and individuals to adopt these advancing technologies. This has led to the generation of hoards of personal data. With the coming of the Metaverse, the data usage is set to increase 20 times globally over the next 10 years, generating even more data. This data has the potential to disrupt our world as we know it when used for innovation and better implementation of public policies.

But it has also raised concerns about the privacy of individuals if this personal data were to be accessed and misused. The governments around the world seem to resonate with this sentiment of the people. This is why 137 out of 194 or 71% of the countries have adopted legislations that aim to protect the data and privacy of individuals and lets them control the collection, usage, and sharing of personal information. 

And another 9% have draft legislation in place, India being one such country. India’s Data Protection Bill, 2021 is still to be passed, but it is inevitable. With this growing regulatory framework around privacy and data protection, organizations need to be able to understand and implement the requirements under the respective data law. This has created an opportunity for individuals who have a strong grasp of such laws and technologies. Though, as this data privacy is still in its nascent phase, there aren’t many people who can actually meet this high demand for technically sound data privacy professionals.

But what exactly does a privacy profession do and are the salaries lucrative? Also, what can you do to learn the necessary skills to set yourself up for success? These are probably the questions popping up in your head right now. We at Tsaaro Academy are here to guide you through such questions, so keep reading!

Career opportunities

A preliminary search on LinkedIn for “data privacy jobs” in a jurisdiction like the United States, which has privacy legislation in place, shows 2,06,768 job openings at the time of writing this article. India is the largest market for tech-based companies like Facebook and Twitter, generating billions of dollars in revenue, so a privacy legislation will create a similar trend for privacy-related jobs. There are several career paths a privacy professional can take, some of them include

• Data protection lawyers/specialists

They often manage the day-to-day compliance activist in an organization and make sure everything is being done within the ambit of the law, drafting privacy-related documents and conducting compliance assessments. Privacy lawyers have the added opportunity to defend the organizations in front of the data protection authorities as well as work alongside legislators in the formulation of policies affecting data protection.

• Data Protection Officers

Every organization that collects, uses, and shares data of any individual is required to appoint a data protection officer. They work to ensure that all the data processing is being done as per the requirements of the respective data protection regulation.

• Data privacy managers

They work to increase data privacy awareness across the organization amongst employees. They also work to manage the flow of data and monitor and flag any privacy risks and provide solutions for the same.

• Data privacy analyst

This job role is for someone who is more technically inclined like someone from an engineering or IT background. They help in building and maintaining the organization’s privacy infrastructure

Salary

According to the salary survey conducted by the Internation Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), the largest and most credible organization in the privacy community, the average salary of a privacy professional was $140,529 in 2021, with the chief privacy officer earning an average of $200,000. An additional compensation or bonus of $20,000 was also paid out to them. Along with the high pay scale, the survey also mentions how the privacy professionals found greater satisfaction in their work due to the interesting nature of their work and the ability to work remotely.

How to get started?

Some individuals may have the opportunity to learn on the job as some aspects of their work touch privacy-related tasks and can slowly shift to a full-time career in data privacy. Though, this might not be an option for everyone. There are various certifications out there to demonstrate a solid foundation and know-how in data privacy for people looking to make a career in the field or for people working with technology, It, and cybersecurity looking to round out their skills. Some of these are:

• CIPP/E and CIPP/US (Certified Information Privacy Professional)

This certification can help you understand the various aspects of how data protection laws are to be implemented in the US and Europe 

• CIPM (Certified Information Privacy Manager)

This certification is for managers who want to understand how to implement privacy regulations in their organization, day in and day out.

• CIPT (Certified Information Privacy Technologist)

This certification will help to understand the practical applications and systems of privacy from a technological perspective

We at Tsaaro Academy have multiple courses from beginner to advanced, created by industry experts, aimed at turning you into solid privacy professionals. We also work in collaboration with the IAPP to help you provide the above-mentioned certifications to help you set yourself up for a successful career in data protection and privacy. For more in-depth guidance, get in touch with our career guidance team.