Starting a Cybersecurity Career

When I first stepped into the world of cybersecurity, I was completely lost. I didn’t know where to start, what to learn first, or how people even got into this field. All I knew was—I wanted to be a part of this world where people protect, investigate, and defend against digital threats. 💻⚡ At first, everything looked complicated: hacking, tools, reports, and those mysterious terms like “VAPT” and “SOC.” But slowly, I realized that becoming a cybersecurity professional isn’t about learning everything at once—it’s about building layer by layer. So here’s how the journey begins 👇 📍 Step 1: Build your base Understand the fundamentals — Computer basics, Networking, Linux, Windows, and a bit of Programming. This is your foundation. Without it, cybersecurity concepts won’t make sense. 📍 Step 2: Explore the world of security Learn about Web Security, System Security, Network Security, Cryptography, and Cybersecurity Fundamentals. Then dive deeper into areas like VAPT, Incident Response, Digital Forensics, and Cloud Security. 📍 Step 3: Play and practice This is where learning gets fun! Platforms like TryHackMe, HackTheBox, PortSwigger Academy, OverTheWire, VulnHub, and LetsDefend are your playgrounds. Each challenge you solve teaches you real-world skills. 📍 Step 4: Find your direction You can become a Security Analyst, SOC Technician, Penetration Tester, Threat Intelligence Analyst, or even a Cloud Security Associate ☁️ Each path has its own tools, techniques, and challenges. 📍 Step 5: Prepare for your career Start building projects, upload your reports to GitHub, and prepare at least three pentest reports. Add certifications like CompTIA Security+, CEH, or OSCP. And don’t forget to network on LinkedIn — it opens doors you didn’t even know existed. 🤝 🔥 My advice? Start small, stay consistent, and document everything you learn. Cybersecurity isn’t just about hacking—it’s about protecting, analyzing, and defending. 💪 So if you’re someone who’s confused, just like I was—this roadmap is your compass. Let’s build the next generation of ethical hackers and defenders together. 💣 If you’d like resume guidance, just DM me your “RESUME.” And for more such content, follow my channel: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gGAnR_UF #CyberSecurity #EthicalHacking #InfoSec #TryHackMe #HackTheBox #VAPT #PenTesting #DigitalForensics #SOC #IncidentResponse #BlueTeam #RedTeam #BugBounty #NetworkSecurity #CloudSecurity #Linux #CompTIA #CEH #OSCP #SecurityAnalyst #CyberCareer #CybersecurityCommunity #CyberAwareness #TechCareers #CyberInternship #CyberLearning #InfosecJourney

Everyone in Cybersecurity wants “Experience”, But no one tells you how to actually get it without a job. The common advice? “Just do projects, bro.” 🤦♂️ 🚨 But here’s the problem… Most beginners do random projects that have no relevance to the industry. 🔹 Built a SIEM? Cool, but do you actually know how to use it? 🔹 Set up a honeypot? Great, but have actually used it properly? If you want to stand out and actually get hired, I'd focus on projects that align with the 5 major cybersecurity areas in demand right now. 1️⃣ SOC Analyst / Blue Teaming ↳ LetsDefend SOC Monitoring to Practice: https://lnkd.in/gUKx7njp ↳TryHackMe SOC Simulator: https://lnkd.in/gZShgdyQ ↳CyberDefenders (Blue Team Labs): https://lnkd.in/gxw84U7T 2️⃣ Network Traffic Analysis & Active Directory ↳ Hack The Box Intro to Network Traffic Analysis (HackThebox Academy): https://lnkd.in/gNT7mJwq Intro to Active Directory (HackThebox Academy): https://lnkd.in/gnyHmT2R Windows Event Logs & Finding Evil (HackTheBox Academy) https://lnkd.in/ga89NAZ8 3️⃣ Vulnerability Management (Tenable) ↳ Josh Madakor Cyber Range: https://lnkd.in/gJE2aEmq 4️⃣ GRC ↳ GRC Mastery: https://grcmastery.com 5️⃣ Cloud Security Projects ↳ Guided Projects: Security with AWS: Identity and Access Management (IAM): https://lnkd.in/gYBg8BTX Protect Azure SQL Database Data: https://lnkd.in/gpmnbPPx Utilizing IAM To Manage Permissions for S3 https://lnkd.in/gZ5XhQvP Configure AWS Network Firewall: https://lnkd.in/gEEkeAf7 Creating an IAM Role and Configuring an EC2 Instance: https://lnkd.in/gzayg7NZ 📺 Video Breakdown on how to add it to your Resume/CV → https://lnkd.in/gwdcuxfp 🔥 FREE Cyber Security Resume → https://unixguy.com/free #CyberSecurity #Infosec #GRC #CareerGrowth #UnixGuy

Go into GRC, it’s not technical. Last week, I spoke with someone looking to transition into cybersecurity. She mentioned she’d been advised to consider GRC because “it’s not technical.” And it got me thinking: How true is that? If you’ve spent any time in cybersecurity, you’ve probably heard it too: “If you want a non-technical path in cybersecurity, go for GRC.” There’s some element of truth there. GRC roles may not require you to write code, configure firewalls, or run penetration tests. But here’s what they don’t tell you: You still need to: 📌 Understand how systems work 📌 Know the risks tied to those systems 📌 Ask the right questions about controls, configurations, and gaps Because if you don’t understand the tech: 🔹 How do you assess the risks? 🔹 How do you know if the controls are effective? 🔹How do you translate complex technical issues into business-friendly language GRC isn’t about avoiding the technical side of cybersecurity.   It’s about connecting the dots between tech and business, which requires a solid grasp of both. So no, you won’t be writing code in GRC. But you do need to understand the environment where code runs, the risks it introduces, and how to manage it. Cybersecurity is a business issue, but technology is the engine behind it. Here is my advice: ❌ Don’t run from the tech. ✔️ Run toward understanding it. That’s what makes you a better GRC professional.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗼 𝗙𝗮𝗿 🚨 Early in my career, I thought #cybersecurity was all about tools and alerts. #SIEM dashboards, firewalls, #zeroday threats, the whole alphabet soup. I genuinely believed that if we had enough budget, smart analysts, and fancy tech, we could stop anything. Then came that incident. It started with a small alert. Just one. A routine login from an odd IP address. At first glance, nothing urgent. It didn’t even trigger our high-priority workflow. 48 hours later, our finance team reported a suspicious email thread. A vendor had supposedly updated their bank details mid-contract. Red flag. What we uncovered next changed my entire perspective. A third-party vendor was compromised. The attacker had obtained valid credentials, logged into our system using legitimate #VPN access, and slowly moved laterally across departments. No #malware. No brute force. Just patience and reconnaissance. They sat silently in our environment for 42 days. They knew who the decision-makers were. They studied our internal communication patterns. And when they struck, a wire transfer of nearly $2 million was moments away from being approved. That day, I found myself on a video call with our CEO, #CISO . Our #CEO asked one question: 👉 “𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴?” That question haunted me. Not because we failed. But because we assumed the wrong things. We assumed we’d detect malware. We assumed legitimate credentials meant legitimate users. We assumed our team would connect the dots quickly. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: 🔐 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵. The moment you believe you’re secure is the moment you become vulnerable. 👀 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. If you can’t see it, you can’t stop it. 🧠 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝟴𝟬% 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆. Attackers understand behavior. We need to as well. 🧩 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. Vendors are extensions of your attack surface. 📣 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. During an incident, how you speak to leadership matters as much as how you respond technically. We contained the threat. The money was never transferred. We shifted from a tool-first to a visibility-first mindset. We prioritized behavioral analytics over static rules. If you’re in the field or just entering it, remember: ➡️ #Cybersecurity isn’t just about stopping breaches. It’s about building resilience and trust, even when the worst happens. So… What’s the biggest cybersecurity lesson you’ve learned so far? Let’s learn from each other. #Cybersecurity #IncidentResponse #SOC #ThreatDetection #CyberResilience #InfoSec #LessonsLearned #BlueTeam For More Cybersecurity Updates, Follow: Kaaviya Balaji Image Credits: Cyber Press ®

Cybersecurity Career Tips #1 If you want to enter the cybersecurity field, it’s not enough to just pick a list of courses, complete them, generate certificates, and think the job will come naturally. And it’s definitely not just about adding certifications to your resume that’s only one step in the process. It’s essential to learn what is applied in real work contexts. You don’t need to study C if you’ll never use it in your daily tasks. Your studies should be aligned with your actual needs. My first recommendation if you want to become a cybersecurity professional is to understand what the market is looking for. Analyze open positions in your region or remote roles, define the requirements for each position, and identify the practical skills you need. Platforms such as HackTheBox, TryHackMe, PortSwigger Academy, PentesterLab, and Root-Me are excellent for hands-on learning. I strongly recommend investing your time in acquiring real-world skills. Write write-ups, share your journey here on LinkedIn or other networks, build personal projects and publish them on GitHub, connect with other professionals, and expand your network both online and at industry events. Also, develop your soft skills. Communication is critical, even in a job interview. Being able to translate technical issues into business impact is just as important as technical knowledge. A common way to start a career is by working in consulting firms. There are many opportunities at different seniority levels. It may not be your dream job, but it opens doors. Prepare your resume for the positions you aim for and highlight the key points that match the role especially if specific knowledge is required. A resume will only be considered if it demonstrates the right skills, relevant training or certifications (to validate your expertise), and professional autonomy. And don’t limit your job search to LinkedIn. It’s great for networking, but when it comes to landing jobs, explore alternatives. Target companies that interest you and check their career pages many positions are never posted on LinkedIn. Above all, stay focused. Don’t try to learn everything at once. Concentrate on what will land you your first job, and then expand your knowledge base to increase your seniority or pivot to other areas. But the real secret lies in how you communicate and sell your work your knowledge, your problem-solving mindset, and your ability to handle situations consistently. #CyberSecurity #InfoSec #CareerAdvice #Hacking #TechJobs #SoftSkills

𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐠 4 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲. No tech degree. No prior compliance experience. No contacts in the privacy industry. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕 6-𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒕 & 1 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒑. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 1: 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 "𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲."  I kept telling myself I needed to understand more technology before I could work in data privacy. I was wrong. I started engaging with the GDPR framework as a legal instrument — reading it the way I would read any statute. The technical fluency came through the work, not before it. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 2: 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬.  I sought out people who were actually doing the work — not just teaching it. Following practitioners on LinkedIn, reading their analysis of real cases, and asking questions in professional forums taught me more about how privacy work actually runs than any single certification. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 3: 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨.  I started writing privacy notices, DSAR response templates, and DPA clauses for hypothetical scenarios — without a client, without a job, without anyone grading me. When interviews came, I had actual work to show. Not a certificate. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 4: 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞.  Privacy professionals who grow fastest are the ones who can communicate risk to non-lawyers. I spent time learning how to translate legal obligations into language that a CFO or CTO would act on. This skill got me in more rooms faster than any credential. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 5: 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.  Certification mattered — but not at the beginning. I pursued formal training after I had enough context to ask the right questions in the room. It deepened what I already knew, rather than trying to build knowledge from scratch. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 6: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜.  I started writing about what I was learning. Sharing analysis, asking questions, taking positions on regulatory developments. This created visibility that no application could have created. Opportunities came inbound before I was even actively looking. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒑: ❌ Watching instead of doing. ❌ Spending 6 months "preparing to prepare." ❌ Reading about privacy law instead of reading privacy law. The career is available to you right now — exactly as you are. The only entry requirement is the decision to start. Where are you in your transition journey? Tell me in the comments — I read every single one or DM me! _______________________________________ → World Cyber Security Forum (WCSF)® programmes offer internships with proper practical training — the bridges I had to find manually. Link in comments.

10 things i would do today … if i were to get into cybersecurity. (Cybersecurity career week edition) 1. Ask yourself WHY you are interested to be in cybersecurity vs other field ? 2. Understand that cybersecurity isn’t one role - its very broad with wide array of domains & roles -> see which domain speaks to you most & is of your interest. linked few pathway resources ⬇️ 3. Once you know which area of cyber, start building your skills through self study, certs, formal education, extra curricular activities such as Cyber Defense competition, CTF, internships or combination of all etc -> i did a combination of all. 4. For certs i recommend to start with basics ISC2 CC, Security+ then expand on more specializations depending on your interest. I started with Net+, Sec+, Cysa+ then to CISA, CCSK, SANS GCLD, 4x AWS, 2x Azure certs etc. Goal is to build skill so do hands on labs to help stick the concepts. 5. Get on LinkedIn - look for folks with positions you aspire to be in…follow their journey, posts, listen to podcasts they were on & talks, conversations to learn about that space. Also look into the roles you want to be in, see the job requirements to make sure you get yourself ready accordingly. 6. Document your learning, school projects, internships you have done. If you are a career changer bring on your relevant essential skills. If you are pivoting to a different role or domain do make sure to translate the skills from your prior roles -> i switched from IT internship, security auditing -> infosec engineering -> cloud security engineering. 7. If you are currently in an IT or some other role consider looking for cybersecurity opportunities internally to job shadow & make connections. This can be done by speaking to your leaders & letting your intentions/goals be known for such possible arrangements -> I did this when i was an IT intern. 8. Network, make connections, request for informational interviews. Be part of a community to build your connections & confidence. Being part of communities will actually get you the mentorship you need - usually they have mentors as part of the programming. 9. Build your personal brand. It’s important to stand out from the crowd & makes it easier to be tapped in for opportunities. That’s why it’s important to establish professional online presence sharing what you do, your learning, your expertise, challenges, wins & perspectives on security topics - get on LinkedIn -> I got my current role & many opportunities through LinkedIn - I created a whole LinkedIn course on the HOW 🔗 ⬇️ 10. Refine your resume combining all to apply for roles. Even if you don’t meet all the requirements apply anyway. Keep trying while learning from each interview & working on areas of improvement. Bonus- Be a continuous learner & follow these cyber folks posting great resources & insights 👇🏾 Ps. what did I miss 🤔 #cybercareers #cybersecurity #choosecyber #cybercareerweek #cybersecurityawarenessmonth #careers

I created a Roadmap of 6 Steps to Build a Cybersecurity Career from Scratch. If you are looking to transition into a career that will change your life, this guide will help. One of the first jobs I've had in IT was helping people configure their modems to dial into the internet. Yes, I'm that old. "Back in my day" I used to install operating systems with about 20 floppy disks. Yes, times have changed. I've been lucky enough to stay in this field for over 25+ years. What have I learned? There is more opportunity in tech than most other industries and you can self study your way from start to finish if you have the work ethic. I have developed a Cybersecurity Roadmap for those who want to transition into this field. 1. Research & Identify your Career Path - There are many sectors within cybersecurity that you can learn. Red team, blue team, GRC, AI security, cloud security, and more. Research all of them and find one that really peaks your interest. Ask yourself "Is this something I want to do everyday?" 2. Build Foundational IT Skills through Self Study - Start with the basics. Learn operating systems such as Windows and Linux. Learn networking. For a bonus, learn the Python coding language. 3. Get Entry Level Certifications - There are many certs out there. CompTIA's A+, Network+, or Security+ is a good place to start. You can also look at Google's Cybersecurity Certificate, which is currently on Coursera. 4. Gain Hands on Experience - This one really matters. When I was learning, I built my own labs. I learned networking and how to use VMs just to get my labs setup. Then I'd install different offensive tools and defensive tools to get some hands on. You can also use HacktheBox or TryHackMe if you don't have the resources to build your own labs. Get involved in some CTF (Capture the Flag) events too. 5. Network, Seek Mentorship & Join Communities - As I always say, your network is your net-worth. It really is. Attend meetups, both physically and virtually. Find a mentor and learn. The more people you know, the more opportunity will come your way. 6. Build your Brand and Apply for Roles - This is extremely important. It's not about who you know, it's about who knows you. Share your knowledge with others. Build an outstanding profile that stand out from the rest. Teach others what you have learned. I guarantee you are a step ahead of someone else in their journey. By helping others, it shows your knowledge and builds your network extremely fast. None of these above are easy. However, if you have the work ethic and can buckle up for the journey, there will be opportunity on the other side. If you need help on direction or have questions on any of these, you can find me at https://lnkd.in/g2BR9myb. I'm Mike Miller | vCISO | Appalachia Technologies #cybersecurity #informationsecurity #infosec #careers

Your First Cybersecurity Job Might Surprise You, And Not in the Way You Expect. When most people imagine their first role in cybersecurity, they think: → Threat hunting from day one → Catching hackers in real-time → Breaking into red team engagements or joining security architecture calls But the reality? You might start off doing a lot of… not-so-exciting things: • Reviewing logs that feel repetitive • Writing documentation • Monitoring alerts that don’t lead anywhere • Sitting through meetings and feeling slightly lost And that can feel discouraging if you had a different picture in mind. But it doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong place. It just means you’re at the beginning. Every log you read. Every false positive you triage. Every meeting you listen in on. It’s all building your muscle. Cybersecurity takes time to ramp up. You’re learning the systems, the tools, the processes, and most importantly, the context. No one hands you critical systems to defend on your first week. And that’s a good thing. So if you’re in your first cybersecurity role and it doesn’t feel like the movies, good! That means you’re actually doing it. Give yourself time to grow. Growth starts small. Before you can chase down threats, you have to learn what normal looks like. Before you can design secure systems, you have to understand how they break. So if you’re early in your journey and feeling underwhelmed, hang in there. Your pace will pick up. Your scope will grow. The challenges will come. And when they do, you’ll be glad you built your foundation well. #CybersecurityCareers #CybersecurityCareerGrowth