My advice for those looking to get into IT

I recommend learning the material from CompTIA’s A+ and Network+ to establish a good base level of knowledge but I strongly suggest having the Security+ as your first certificate in IT. From there you should decide if you want to spend the money on networking certs (Cisco CCNA), Cyber Security (CISSP), or others like the cloud certifications from Amazon or Google. Below is my certification path and the study materials I used.

Also, for getting a job in IT, experience matters most, followed by certifications, and finally college. Finish that college degree! I have seen many people be held back in their career for not getting their bachelors.

Amhatami

IT

Currently studying for the AWS Architect and Security certifications.

Exams I successfully passed and the study materials I used:

Security+ (Achieved February 2019)

  • Jason Dion’s videos

  • Sybex CompTIA Security+ Study Guide

  • Sybex CompTIA Practice Questions

CYSA+ (Achieved June 2021)

  • Jason Dion’s Udemy course and youtube videos

  • Sybex CompTIA CYSA+ Study Guide Book

  • Sybex CompTIA CYSA+ Practice Question’s Book

CCNA (Achieved January 2023)

  • Pearson Certmaster book and practice exams

  • ExamCram pdf book

  • Boson practice exams (Highly recommend)

  • CCNA practice questions book

CISSP (Achieved January 2024)

  • (ISC)2 CISSP Official Practice Tests text book

  • (ISC)2 CISSP Official Study Guide text book

  • Boson Ex Sim-Max for CISSP

  • CISSP Exam Cram Full Course Youtube Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nyZhYnCNLA&t=3671s

CompTIA Pentest+ (Achieved August 2024)

  • Jason Dion’s Pentest+ Course on Udemy.com

Certs I Would Like To Obtain

  • OSCP - Offensive Security Certified Practitioner.

  • SANS GCFE - Certified Forensic Examiner.

  • AZ-500 - Microsoft Azure Security Technologies.

Job Search Resources

Here are some links to find IT Jobs that I or others I know have had success with.

  • Clearance Jobs - Big success if you’re looking to retain your security clearance by working as a contractor for the government.

  • Indeed - Mix of public and government jobs.

  • LinkedIn - Highly recommend setting up a profile. Military gets 1 year of premium for free. I got 2 jobs so far from LinkedIn.

  • Dice - Tech focused job posting site.

  • USAJobs - Federal jobs.

Skills

  • VMWare virtual server builds and maintenance

  • Cisco switching and routing network design, configuration, and deployment to include Meraki wireless administration

  • Vulnerability scanning using Nessus, NMAP, and SCAP CC

  • Scripting languages such as Python, Bash, and PowerShell

  • Basic digital forensics investigations using Sleuth Kit Autopsy, Redline, and Office 365 security features

  • Familiarity with basic penetration testing methods and tools such as Burpsuite, Metasploit, and Mimikatz . Top 1% of users on TryHackMe.com

  • SIEM and IDS/IPS (Splunk) monitoring

  • Windows Active Directory administration

  • Advanced troubleshooting of hardware and software components

  • Project management working in small teams of 3 to 5 personnel with cross-functional teams

  • EDR software administration such as Cylance and McAfee

  • Helpdesk ticket system administration with ManageEngine and Jira

  • Email filtering application such as Mimecast

  • Cyber security awareness training program management

  • Managed Ring Central phone system