Information technology professionals are well aware that their skills continue to be in high demand, especially when it comes to software design and mobile app development. However, while having a demonstrated knowledge of computer science typically gives IT professionals a degree of freedom when it comes to their job search, there are an increasing number of opportunities in what could be considered non-traditional avenues

One of these untraditional outlets where IT professionals can expect to find new opportunities in is Ethical Hacking, a fact noted in a recent article published by Forbes. The article, which highlighted 6 of the highest paying jobs of the future, ranked the field of Ethical Hacking as number 2 on the list. Though in the past, hacking may have not been considered part of the business mainstream, as cybersecurity has become a growing concern, hacking in an ethical or professional capacity now presents a legitimate opportunity for IT workers who are looking to diversify their skills.

Spotlight on Ethical Hacking
To a non-IT professional, hacking by its very nature doesn't seem very ethical, however, as the world becomes increasingly interconnected, many employers are changing their position on hacking and strongly believe in the value that an ethical hacker can bring to their team. According to the article, this value amounts to a salary of approximately $92,000 per year.

In fact, identifying individuals who can find holes in popular applications and software has become an important part of the recruitment process for many companies. For example, tech giants Microsoft and Facebook are already paying ethical hackers generous sums of money – which the tech giants have deemed "bug bounties" – to locate security flaws. These ethical hackers are then given permission to counterattack the enterprises targeting them in a non-malicious way.

While recruiting somebody to actively discover gaps before the unethical hackers discover them may seem to be slightly counter-productive, it is worth noting that around $46 billion has been spent so far this year by businesses and government to prevent unauthorized web access. If you then consider that a high-profile hack can have a significant impact on a brand, then it becomes obvious that the best way to stop a bad hacker is with a good hacker, a job opportunity that fits perfectly into the hyper-connected world of the 21st century.