The world of identity and access management (IAM) touches every aspect of online technology today. One of the better side effects of this is that professionals in the field develop a diverse range of skills throughout their careers. We recently analyzed the data from the latest IDPro Skills, Programs & Diversity Survey. Learning from IAM professionals at different experience levels helps us uncover key trends in skill acquisition. The results reveal not only which areas experts focus on but also how beginners can shape their career paths effectively.
How Experience Impacts Identity Professionals’ Skillsets
We examined responses from IAM professionals with varying years of experience and categorized their expertise in different identity-related areas. The goal? To uncover how expertise develops over time and what this means for the future of identity management.
Key Experience Groups Analyzed:
- 0 – 2 years: Early-career professionals entering the IAM field.
- 3 – 5 years: Mid-level professionals building their expertise.
- 6 – 10 years: More experienced professionals refining their specializations.
- 11 – 15 years: Senior professionals leading strategic IAM initiatives.
- 15+ years: Experts and veterans shaping the industry’s direction.
The Skills That Define Each Stage of an IAM Career
Early-Career Professionals (0-2 Years) – Building Foundations
- Those with 0-2 years of experience focus primarily on authentication, authorization, and cloud-based identity solutions like IDaaS (Identity-as-a-Service).
- Many also highlight API protection and access certification as key areas of early exposure.
- However, this group often lacks experience in governance, compliance, and more advanced security architectures.
Takeaway:
New professionals should focus on strong fundamentals like authentication protocols, access control, and API security while seeking exposure to governance and compliance areas.
Mid-Level IAM Professionals (3-10 Years) – Broadening Knowledge & Specialization
- Access certification, identity governance, and directory services become more prominent in this stage.
- Many professionals begin working on privileged access management (PAM) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) implementations.
- Skills like risk-based authentication and policy-based authorization gain importance.
Takeaway:
Mid-level professionals should hone their expertise in governance and directory services while exploring advanced security measures like PAM and risk-based authentication.
Senior & Expert-Level IAM Professionals (11+ Years) – Shaping the Future of Identity
- Those with 11+ years of experience are more likely to work in identity governance and administration (IGA), federated identity, and self-sovereign identity (SSI).
- This group is leading discussions around verifiable credentials, decentralized identity, and blockchain-based authentication.
- They are also deeply involved in setting enterprise-wide security strategies and compliance frameworks.
Takeaway:
Experienced IAM professionals should focus on emerging trends like decentralized identity while shaping organizational security policies and governance models.
Key Insights from the Survey Data
Experience Brings Specialization:
While early-career professionals focus on fundamental security practices, mid-career experts develop deep specializations in governance, risk management, and advanced security protocols.
Governance & Compliance Come with Time:
Most professionals don’t engage with identity governance and compliance until 6+ years into their careers—suggesting these are skills best learned through hands-on experience rather than theoretical knowledge.
Cloud & API Security Are Crucial at Every Stage:
From newcomers to veterans, API protection, cloud IAM, and authentication technologies remain key focus areas, reinforcing their role as core competencies in identity security.
How to Advance Your Career in IAM
- For Beginners (0-2 Years):
- Learn authentication, authorization, and cloud IAM basics.
- Gain hands-on experience with IDaaS, MFA, and API security.
- Build a strong foundation in identity standards like OAuth, SAML, and OpenID Connect.
- For Mid-Level Professionals (3-10 Years):
- Develop expertise in governance, compliance, and privileged access management (PAM).
- Work on risk-based authentication and federated identity implementations.
- Get familiar with identity governance tools and architectures.
- For Senior Professionals (11+ Years):
- Lead strategic security initiatives and develop IAM policies.
- Stay ahead of trends in decentralized identity, verifiable credentials, and blockchain authentication.
- Contribute to industry standards and best practices.
Final Thoughts: The Future of IAM Careers
IAM is a rapidly growing field, and professionals who continuously adapt and specialize will be in high demand. Whether you’re just starting or have decades of experience, understanding these trends can help you navigate your career strategically. Make sure you respond to next year’s IDPro Skills, Programs & Diversity Survey! It only gets better the more people respond.
What do you think? What skills have been most valuable in your IAM journey? Let’s chat about it in our members-only Slack!!
Want More Insights Like This?
📩 Join IDPro for expert insights around IAM trends, career tips, and more!
Author:
Heather Flanagan, Principal at Spherical Cow Consulting, comes from a position that the Internet is led by people, powered by words, and inspired by technology. She has been involved in leadership roles with some of the most technical, volunteer-driven organizations on the Internet, including IDPro as Principal Editor, the IETF, the IAB, and the IRTF as RFC Series Editor, ICANN as Technical Writer, and REFEDS as Coordinator, just to name a few. If there is work going on to develop new Internet standards or discussions around the future of digital identity, she is interested in engaging in that work. You can learn more about her on LinkedIn or reach out to her on the IDPro Slack channel.
