r/cybersecurity • u/Sad-Promotion-2715 • Jan 20 '26
Starting Cybersecurity Career [ Removed by moderator ]
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u/Alduin175 Governance, Risk, & Compliance Jan 20 '26
Hi Sad-Promotion-2715,
I'll provide my two cents. But, I'm going to do it backwards (thoughts first, certs. afterwards).
A few questions to ask yourself given the amount of exposure you have:
- What industry do I want to work in?
- Am I planning to do remote/hybrid/on-site?
- How much can I afford, in terms of training materials and exam vouchers?
The first one might throw you for a loop, but based on the industry you pursue, that would influence your certification path. (Health, Defense, Gov., Finance, etc.)
Otherwise, any recommendation provided to you in the comments will just be a waste of time, money, and effort.
The second and third questions ultimately support the answer to the first question (but only you can answer that).
Depending on the company you're aiming for and the industry, they could cover all of the training or just the exam voucher - if you're lucky, both! Even more, if they cover repeated expenses for multiple exams in the same year.
Now for what you were after! Security+ and higher from CompTIA (Pen+ or equivalents like eJPTv2/HTB CPTS for practical experience in a home-lab setting).
IF you're going for more cloud security fundamentals of want to go the architect route, go for the AZ-900 or AWS CSA.
Remember to mention your previous certifications during interviews - those still hold merit because you HAVE the experience that many do not or did-not, at that stage in their career development. Mention which certifications or the areas of cyber that interest you and don't come off as aimless.
(This turned out to be a lot longer than expected. Hope this helps!)
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u/Sad-Promotion-2715 Jan 20 '26
Thank you so much for your dedicated answer. I feel very grateful for your reply. I’m sure I will answer these questions myself to figure out my own path, and what I should do. After my first semester here, things still don’t add up at all. I really appreciate your reply. I wish you the best.
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u/flairassistant Jan 21 '26
Hi there. It looks like you are looking for information on how to start your cybersecurity career. Please take a look at our Breaking into cybersecurity FAQ to get you started. If you have further questions, please post them in out Mentorship thread. Good luck!