Cybersecurity Career Path Questions
Are you interested in pursuing a career in cybersecurity, but not sure which path to take? You’re not alone. There are many options and certifications available, and it can be overwhelming to decide which one suits your goals and skills. In this blog post, I will answer some common questions from reddit users who are facing the same dilemma. I hope this will help you find your way in the exciting and rewarding field of cybersecurity.
Question: u/Caffeinate_n_code07 from r/cybersecurity
I have the opportunity to get free training/cert on cyber security in one of 4 paths. They are:
- CYBER DEFENSE ANALYST - includes CompTIA Security+ certification
- CYBER DEFENSE INCIDENT RESPONSE- includes CompTIa CySA+ certification
-
| CYBER DEFENSE FORENSICS includes EC-Councils Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator certification (C |
HFI) |
- VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT ANALYST - includes CompTIA PenTest+ certification.
Which one would be the best for starting out and growing in the industry?
My Opinion
It all depends on how much you know. I think Sec+ is great for getting started. If you’re further along, CySA+ is a good choice. These two certs are great early in your cyber journey because they prep you for general IT ops and other blue team roles. Hacking and pentesting can be competitive, and while certs are good, doing things like winning CTF competitions or tasks on HackerOne can get you to the same outcome.
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Question: r/SecurityCareerAdvice mogiac0 asks
Hi,
A year and a half ago I started my journey as a cybersecurity student. I’m 30 and I come from a different background, never studied IT or CS before but I’ve always been interested in those kind of stuff. I’ve almost finished an associate degree (kinda, let’s say it’s the equivalent of an associate degree in my country), I already had a three months internship in a pentesting company (didn’t learn much) and I’ll soon have another internship in a SOC; with that my 2-years course will end. I do feel though as I’m progressing slowly, my main problem being that I’m inconsistent in how I manage my free time when it comes to study. One day I’m into pentesting and I’m trying to do machines on HTB, another day I feel like I should focus more on defensive stuff, then I feel like I lack skills in programming and so on. There is so much free stuff and even more resources that aren’t free but still affordable, almost everything seems interesting,
I once saw a video on yt where a person suggested to look for a “mentor”, someone with a lot more experience who should be able to speed up your learning process by pointing you in the right direction, thus allowing to save time. The person on yt was probably self-promoting its own service, so they clearly had an interest in promoting that idea. But still, it makes some sense to me. Is that a good idea? If so, where should I look for (LinkedIn? Here?) and how much am I likely to spend if, let’s say, I’d like to have 1-hour sessions twice per month with someone that has senior-level experience in the field?…
My Opinion
I think mentors are great! You might benefit most from reaching out to people who have the career titles you want and learn about their day to day and the company they work for. I changed careers at 29, got my first IT job in 2020 and now I’m a Sr. Security Technical Specialist, so I can definitely relate! Cyber is huge and it’s easy to get distracted by all the options and career paths. If I were you I’d ask for a 15 minute chat on LinkedIn and give people a heads up on what you wanted to ask. For example: “Hey, I was wondering if I we could set up a quick 15 minute time to talk. I’d love to hear about your role/company and get your advice on X”.
Don’t worry if some people ignore you. Cyber has many extroverts, but it’s still tech and not everyone likes to talk lol.
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If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. I hope this blog post was helpful and informative. Stay tuned for more cybersecurity tips and insights.