The IT job market is starting to heat up and security professionals are one of the career fields in high demand. The recent rash of high profile security breaches is causing executives and boards to demand an increased focus on cybersecurity practices and IT shops are struggling to keep up. Earning a security certification can help you land a great job in an exciting field, but it’s important to know which certifications will really set you apart and make your resume jump to the top of the hiring manager’s pile.

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification remains the premier certification for security practitioners. If you’re looking for a position as a mid-level security professional, particularly as a generalist, this certification is a must have. It’s often used by Human Resources departments as a screening test to weed out job candidates who lack a strong background in information security. Earning a CISSP is no easy task. You must pass a multiple-choice examination covering ten broad domains of information security. Perhaps the most significant hurdle, however, is that you must have five years of information security work experience.

Read more: Standing Out with a Security Certification

Published June 2014 in Certification Magazine.