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With the proliferation of big data, data analytics and new technologies and laws across the globe, privacy concerns have reached new heights. In turn, companies need to be sure that they’re handling information responsibly, retaining consumer trust and complying with laws—lots of them. That’s where the privacy pro fits in.

This topic page provides resources, news, tools and guidance on building a career in the privacy field.

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Featured Resources

2023 Privacy Professionals Salary Survey

This report explores the compensation, both financial and nonfinancial, offered to privacy professionals.
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Building the next gen of security and privacy pros

This white paper explores how the roles of privacy and cybersecurity professionals are becoming increasingly interdependent, and compares the challenges faced by both professions.
Read More

A conversation on privacy careers

This LinkedIn Live discusses how privacy careers have evolved, the importance of mentors in the field, tips for those starting out or looking to advance, privacy roles in government and what is on the horizon.
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Latest News and Resources

Privacy pro compensation trends 2002-2022

What am I worth and how do I increase my value as a privacy professional? What do I need to pay my privacy staff to attract and retain them? These are the recurring questions hiring managers and specialists have asked for the last two decades as the privacy profession exploded and morphed in multiple directions, and resource models have increasingly become strained. Why have they been so hard to answer? The short answer is: constant flux. Since I joined the privacy ranks in 2000, near the birth... Read More

IAPP Privacy and Data Protection in Academia

Universities around the world are adding privacy curricula in their law, business and computer science schools. The IAPP’s Westin Research Center has catalogued these programs with the aim of promoting, catalyzing and supporting academia’s growing efforts to build an on-ramp to the privacy profession. The information presented in the second issue of “Privacy and Data Protection in Academia, A Global Guide to Curricula” represents the results of our publicly available survey. Read More

Privacy Careers: Job placement three years in

Original Broadcast Date: May 2021 In this LinkedIn Live, IAPP Vice President and Chief Knowledge Officer Omer Tene sat down with Holland & Knight Associate Attorney Veronica Canton, CIPP/E, CIPP/US, Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs Associate Niya McCray, CIPP/US, and Access Now Legal Advisor Denis Nolasco, CIPP/C, CIPP/E, CIPP/US, as they told their stories, discussed strategies and shared tips about establishing a personal brand and making inroads in the profession a few years out of gra... Read More

Tech company layoffs hit privacy community, ‘spook’ job seeker marketplace

The largest companies across the technology sector have been hit by tens of thousands of layoffs in recent months. Unable to maintain major growth experienced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many such companies look to cut back and privacy professionals have not been immune. Just last week, Google announced it is laying off 12,000 employees and Amazon notified employees of a second round of layoffs as part of a plan to reduce staff by 18,000 people. Earlier this month, Salesforce cu... Read More

Privacy is hiring! Tips to recruit, tips to move

In this LinkedIn Live event, IAPP Vice President and Chief Knowledge Officer Caitlin Fennessy, CIPP/US, discusses the state of the privacy job market alongside TRU Staffing Partners founder and CEO Jared Coseglia, Olympus Corporation Senior Vice President and Global Chief Compliance Officer Eva Gardyan-Eisenlohr and Aristocrat Global Privacy Counsel Cody Fredrick. Read More

The evolution of a privacy legal career
(IAPP, August 2022)
Cybersecurity Supply/Demand Heat Map
(Cyber Seek)
LinkedIn Live: ‘Breaking Into Privacy: Tips for transitioning into privacy from other roles’
(IAPP, December 2021)
Demand for privacy professionals soars in ‘dynamic,’ ‘cross-functional’ field
(IAPP, November 2021)
Privacy job market at ‘full-tilt hiring boogie’
(IAPP, October 2021)
Profiles in Privacy: Life had other plans for eBay’s CPO, and it brought her to privacy
(IAPP, October 2021)
Applying privacy law in 3 dimensions: How to focus on solutions and maximize value
(IAPP, January 2021)
Infographic – How to get started in privacy engineering
(IAPP, August 2020)
IAPP releases Job Task Analysis Survey results
(IAPP, October 2020)
How the pandemic has altered the privacy job search and what to do about it
(IAPP, November 2020)
Report: There is a shortage of privacy professionals
(IAPP, November 2019)
Privacy pros’ salaries rise, yet pay gaps by gender persist
(IAPP, May 2019)
White Paper – Five Lessons I Learned Transitioning from Security to Privacy
(IAPP, June 2018)
Understanding and Assessing Professional Credentials and Training
(IAPP, May 2018)
Looking for career advice? Take it from these former newbies
(IAPP, January 2018)
How I Got My Start in Privacy – Article Series
(IAPP, September 2017)
Infographic: How To Get Started in Privacy Law
(IAPP, March 2017)
DPO Job Description
(IAPP, February 2017)
From Here to DPO: Building a Data Protection Officer
(IAPP, January 2017)
Are You a Completely Green CPO? Here’s Somewhere To Start
(IAPP, September 2015)
How To Justify Your Existence and Your Program as CPO
(IAPP, September 2015)
Would a Law Degree Take Your Privacy Career to the Next Level?
(IAPP, August 2015)
Dissecting The Description
(IAPP, August 2014)
Chief Privacy Officer: Sample Job Description
(IAPP, August 2014)
A Proposed Career Roadmap for the Next Generation Privacy Professional
(IAPP, June 2014)
What Makes a Good Privacy Officer?
(IAPP, February 2014)
Interview Questions for Privacy “A Team” Candidates (2015)
(IAPP, January 2014)
Forging a path into the privacy profession—one expert’s journey
(IAPP, July 2011)
View More Resources