AZ-500 is a Microsoft Azure certification that focuses on the skills and knowledge required to manage security controls, identify and mitigate security threats, and implement security solutions on the Azure platform. The certification is designed for security professionals with experience in Azure security and helps them validate their skills and knowledge. The demand for cloud security professionals is increasing, and Azure is one of the most popular cloud platforms. Obtaining an AZ-500 certification can help professionals differentiate themselves from others in the job market and demonstrate their expertise in Azure security. Additionally, AZ-500 certification can open doors to new job opportunities and career growth.
This blog will focus on the job opportunities and salary expectations for professionals who have obtained an AZ-500 certification. It will provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities available to individuals with this certification, the industries and companies that are hiring AZ-500 professionals, and the average salary expectations. Additionally, the blog will provide tips and resources on how to prepare for the AZ-500 certification exam.
Overview of AZ-500 Certification
AZ-500 certification is a Microsoft Azure certification that validates an individual’s expertise in securing cloud-based solutions. This certification is intended for professionals who work with Azure Security Center, Azure Security, and Azure Governance features.
Obtaining AZ-500 certification can provide numerous benefits to professionals, including:
- Increased job opportunities: Many employers prefer candidates who hold relevant certifications, and AZ-500 certification can be a differentiator in a competitive job market.
- Recognition of expertise: The certification signifies that an individual has demonstrated a strong understanding of Azure security concepts and practices.
- Improved job performance: The skills and knowledge learned through preparing for and obtaining the certification can help professionals perform their job duties more effectively.
Prerequisites – While there are no specific requirements for taking this certification exam, it is essential to have relevant experience and skills in order to pass the exam. While passing the AZ-900 exam and obtaining the corresponding Azure Fundamentals certification is not required, they will help you set up this level because they present various technologies and tools covered in the AZ-500 exam.
Let’s now look at the average salary and career opportunities.
Average Salary and Career Scope
Average Salary – According to Indeed, the average salary in the United States is $145,764, while in India it is 19,29,000 INR. The average salary for an AZ-500 Certified – fresher is Rs. 11,00,000, while an experienced employee earns Rs. 17,00,000 or more.
Companies that hire – Top companies hiring Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associates include Microsoft, Google, Lockheed Martin, Symantec, Securonix, and others.
They must be knowledgeable about scripting and automation, cloud N-tier architecture, cloud capabilities, and Microsoft Azure products and services.
AZ-500 certification can open up various job opportunities for professionals in the IT industry. Here are some of the most in-demand job roles for AZ-500 certified professionals:
Cloud Security Engineer
A cloud security engineer is in charge of protecting cloud environments, particularly Microsoft Azure environments, and guaranteeing the privacy, availability, and integrity of data stored there. A Cloud Security Engineer’s primary duties are as follows:
- Designing and implementing security controls for cloud environments, such as firewalls, access controls, and encryption.
- Monitoring and responding to security incidents in cloud environments.
- Performing security assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities and risks in cloud environments.
- Ensuring that security policies and standards are followed in cloud environments.
- Providing guidance and training to developers and other stakeholders on cloud security best practices.
- Evaluating and implementing new security technologies and solutions as needed.
- Staying up-to-date with the latest cloud security trends, threats, and best practices.
Azure Security Consultant
An Azure security consultant provides expert advice and guidance on security best practices for Azure-based solutions. They may work with multiple clients to evaluate their security posture, identify vulnerabilities, and recommend solutions to mitigate risks. As an Azure Security Consultant, job tasks may include:
- Conducting security assessments of Azure-based systems to identify vulnerabilities and risks. This may include reviewing network architecture, analyzing access controls, and assessing compliance with industry regulations and standards.
- Developing security policies, procedures, and guidelines to help clients mitigate security risks. This may involve creating incident response plans, security incident management procedures, and security awareness training programs.
- Implementing technical controls to secure Azure-based systems. This may involve configuring access controls, implementing encryption, and integrating security tools like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and vulnerability scanners.
- Providing expert advice and guidance to clients on security best practices.
Compliance Manager
A compliance manager is responsible for ensuring that Azure-based systems comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements. They work closely with regulatory bodies and auditors to ensure that their organization’s systems are secure and compliant. Job tasks may include:
- Establishing compliance standards and policies for Azure-based systems that align with industry regulations and standards.
- Conducting audits of Azure-based systems to ensure that they are compliant with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards. This may involve reviewing logs, documentation, and other evidence to ensure that the system is secure and that data is being handled in accordance with privacy and security regulations.
- Developing compliance programs that address any gaps in the system’s compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
- Coordinating with other members of the compliance team, conducting investigations, and implementing remediation measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
- Preparing reports and presentations that summarize compliance risks and the status of compliance programs.
- Communicating compliance risks and issues to senior management and working with them to develop strategies to address them.
Information Security Analyst
An Information Security Analyst is a professional responsible for protecting an organization’s information assets, including data stored in cloud environments. The main responsibilities of an Information Security Analyst include:
- Developing and implementing security policies, procedures, and controls to protect sensitive information.
- Conducting risk assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities in the organization’s information systems.
- Monitoring and responding to security incidents, including incidents in cloud environments.
- Investigating security breaches and incidents, and determining the root cause and appropriate remediation.
- Conducting regular security training and awareness programs for employees to help ensure compliance with security policies.
- Evaluating and implementing new security technologies and solutions as needed.
- Staying up-to-date with the latest security trends, threats, and best practices.
Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst
A Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst is a professional responsible for monitoring and responding to security incidents, including incidents in cloud environments. The main responsibilities of a SOC Analyst include:
- Monitoring security logs, alerts, and other sources of security-related information to identify potential security incidents.
- Investigating potential security incidents to determine their severity and impact.
- Responding to security incidents by implementing appropriate remediation measures, such as isolating affected systems or restoring backups.
- Collaborating with other security and IT personnel to resolve security incidents.
- Documenting security incidents, including the cause, impact, and remediation steps taken.
- Continuously monitoring security controls and systems to identify potential security incidents and prevent future incidents.
- Staying up-to-date with the latest security trends, threats, and best practices.
Security Software Engineer
Your roles and responsibilities can include the following –
- Create, build, and deploy “controls” to ensure our cloud platform’s standard security levels.
- Collaborate with software development specialists to create control solutions that improve the cloud experience of the development team.
- To increase user satisfaction and compliance, support and improve existing enablement tools such as IAM.
- Support scrum team procedures by ensuring strong software development practices such as TDD, resiliency, etc.
- Participate actively in the Cloud Controls Agile scrum team.
The salary you can expect – 400K – 450K
Network Engineer
Your roles and responsibilities can include –
- IT work experience in network infrastructure environments in network operations, support, maintenance, and administration
Knowledge of established configuration management, network architecture development/engineering, and project methodologies is required. - Understanding of daily access logs, system logs, and trouble tickets
- Creates the overall Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) environment, which includes server instances, storage instances, subnets, and availability zones, among other things.
- The AWS or Azure network architecture, including VPN connectivity between regions and subnets, is designed. Creates HA/DR cloud strategies.
The salary you can expect – $82.3K – $104K
DevOps Engineer
Your roles and responsibilities can include –
- Create Jenkins jobs or Azure DevOps pipelines to help with application deployment on Kubernetes clusters and Java application servers.
- Administrate, configure, and troubleshoot Azure/AWS cloud infrastructure/applications such as AKS/EKS, RDS, ALB, security groups, networks, and virtual machines (Linux and Windows)
- Documenting DevOps processes and assisting with application deployments in multiple environments
- Create Terraform/AWS Cloud Formation templates to automate infrastructure and application provisioning on the Azure/AWS cloud.
The salary you can expect – $96,250 – $125,000
Staff / Senior Security Engineer – Incident Respons
Your roles and responsibilities can include the following –
- You will identify problems with ambiguous requirements for their work (lack of clarity, inconsistencies, technical limitations) and communicate these issues early to help course-correct.
- You will communicate technical decisions via design documents and tech talks, as well as mentor junior security responders via security guidance, design reviews, and code reviews.
- During an investigation, you will triage and respond to security events and alerts by understanding existing logs and correlating them from multiple sources.
- Respond to new incidents as part of distributed 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week operations, and on-call schedules.
- You’ll create automation to help with security incident response and alert triage.
The salary you can expect – $137K – $173K
Cyber Security Engineer
Your roles and responsibilities can include the following –
- Execute complex security projects that identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in a cloud-based environment (from design to implementation and maintenance).
- Provide security solutions based on site reliability engineering (SRE) principles.
- Self-motivated to take the lead or contribute to the resolution of complex questions and issues
- Use your imagination and creativity to automate and streamline processes and procedures.
- Proactively collaborate in a team setting adding value on attention to detail and outcome
The salary you can expect – $125,001 – $150,000
Junior Application Engineer
Your roles and responsibilities can include the following –
- Developing a thorough understanding of the technical challenges that clients face and assisting in the identification of opportunities to increase the value we bring to their operations.
- Assisting with projects to ensure that objectives and customer expectations are met
- SureView application commissioning and implementation
- Providing assistance to customers with system-wide rollouts, updates, and new product features
- Contribute to the creation of customer-driven training documentation.
- Front-line customer service and troubleshooting via a support ticketing system
The salary you can expect – $93.5K – $118K
How to Prepare for AZ-500 Certification and Improve Job Prospects?
Preparing for AZ-500 certification requires a combination of study materials and hands-on experience. Here are some tips on how to prepare for AZ-500 certification and improve job prospects:
Understand the exam format
Understanding the format and structure of the AZ-500 exam is essential for effective preparation. Review the exam blueprint and identify the skills and knowledge areas that you need to focus on.
Take advantage of Microsoft resources
Microsoft offers various resources to help prepare for the AZ-500 exam, such as instructor-led training, online courses, and study guides. These resources provide a comprehensive understanding of Azure security concepts and practices.
Gain hands-on experience
Practical experience is crucial for gaining a deep understanding of Azure security. Try to get hands-on experience by working on real-world projects, creating test environments, and experimenting with Azure Security Center.
Interview Questions
The applicant must also have a thorough understanding of cloud capabilities, Microsoft Azure products and services, and other Microsoft products and services in order to pass the exam and clear the interview. So, in order to help applicants, here is a question bank with questions that you may encounter during the interview process.
TPT Tutorials
Tutorials are a type of online learning and training created by industry professionals or certified instructors. This training is ideal for anyone who only has a few minutes to spare between chores. These are completely online and on-demand, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Aspirants benefit from tutorials by identifying and correcting their weaknesses, increasing their chances of passing the exam. Visit the online learning tutorial for AZ-500 now!
Practice Exams
The final recommendation for your study guide is practice tests. Practice tests help candidates because they simulate the experience of taking a real exam. They provide immediate results as well as detailed reports on the candidate’s performance, allowing the candidate to identify areas of strength and weakness across multiple domains. Find the unique AZ-500 exam practice tests to have a good revision.
Improving job prospects requires more than just obtaining an AZ-500 certification
Here are some additional ways to improve job prospects:
- Keep learning: The IT industry is constantly evolving, and keeping up with the latest trends and technologies is essential for career growth. Continuously learning new skills and technologies can help you stay competitive in the job market.
- Gain additional certifications: Obtaining additional relevant certifications can demonstrate your expertise and make you stand out to potential employers.
- Build a strong online presence: Create a professional online presence, such as a LinkedIn profile or personal website, to showcase your skills, experience, and achievements.
- Volunteer for projects: Volunteering for projects or contributing to open-source projects can provide valuable experience and demonstrate your passion for the industry.
Final Words
In summary, AZ-500 certification can open up various job opportunities for professionals in the IT industry. Job roles such as Cloud Security Engineer, Cloud Security Architect, Security Analyst, Security Consultant, and IT Security Manager are in demand for AZ-500 certified professionals. These job roles require a strong understanding of Azure security concepts and practices, which is validated by AZ-500 certification.
As for salary potential, AZ-500 certified professionals can expect to earn a higher salary than their non-certified counterparts. According to Payscale, the average salary for a Cloud Security Engineer with AZ-500 certification is $120,000 per year in the United States. The salary range varies based on experience, job role, and location.
Overall, AZ-500 certification can help professionals stand out in a competitive job market, demonstrate their expertise in Azure security, and increase their earning potential. It is important to note that obtaining AZ-500 certification is not a guarantee of a job or a specific salary, but it can certainly improve job prospects and salary potential in the IT industry.
