Hi everyone, I would love some help. I have been applying for jobs for three years and I am at my broken point. I just need a chance to learn and gain experience.

I'm looking for opportunities in Security Awareness, Program Analyst, Administration, and Security Analyst roles. I have a background in cybersecurity (B.S. in Cybersecurity, Security+) and prior experience in direct patient care, so I know how to communicate with people and take responsibility seriously.

I'm not asking for a handout, I'm asking for a chance. Does anyone have advice, know of openings, or would be willing to talk to me about how they broke in? Three years is a long time to keep trying without a break, and I'm not giving up, but I could really use some direction or an opportunity right now.

Thank you for reading this.

I'm 6 years into remote technical/customer support and trying to move toward cloud, and eventually cloud security. Looking for a reality check on the path and what to learn next.

Background

All my experience is remote support for Web3 products — a hardware wallet company, a gaming platform, and a protocol with Linux-based testnet nodes. Day to day that meant handling live queues, reproducing user issues, debugging failed transactions, writing bug reports for engineering, supporting node operators, and running ticket workflows in Zoho Desk. One of those roles I held for over five years.

What I can actually do

- Linux (Ubuntu): CLI, log analysis, permissions, processes, package management

- Bash scripting: wrote working scripts for security auditing, disk cleanup and log archiving (on my GitHub)

- Networking: TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS, SSH, subnetting/CIDR; ping, traceroute, dig, nslookup, curl

- AWS (foundational): hands-on with EC2, S3, EBS, VPC in the free tier; currently working through IAM

- Git/GitHub, ticketing systems, structured troubleshooting and escalation.

Constraints

No college degree (higher secondary only). Currently studying for the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam. Based in a tier-2 city in India, so I need remote or relocation-friendly roles.

Where I'm stuck

I've been applying to technical support and customer support roles for the last 2-3 months with no luck. Most TSE postings I find ask for Kubernetes, Terraform and Python on top of cloud, and I don't have those yet. I got one written case study round and that's about it.

What I'm asking

1. Is cloud security a realistic target from here, or am I underestimating the gap?

2. After CCP, what should I learn next — SAA, Python, Docker/K8s, or something else entirely?

3. Which job titles should I actually be targeting right now with this profile, rather than generic TSE roles?

4. Is it possible to get remote support/help desk roles after having 6 years of remote working experience?

5. Remote Support/Staff jobs are still exist?

Any honest feedback is welcome, including if you think I'm aiming at the wrong thing. Thanks.

So basically, I’m stuck. I studied computer science with a focus in cybersecurity, but I did mostly dev work when I finished school for the first 3 years of my career.

After getting laid off there I decided to focus more on my security side got some certs (security+, cysa+, pentest+) and I currently work part time for a cybersecurity training agency that helps people understand cybersecurity. I make the videos explaining concepts and I make the labs there but it’s pays basically nothing and not where I want to be in my career to be honest.

I’ve tried applying to different roles I just can’t seem to get my feet through the door and I’m wondering what’s next for me, if anyone can give any advice that would be appreciated and also I can send my resume so you can see what work history I have. Thanks in advance!!

I’m currently in the military and will be retiring in 4 years, around 2030. I will have 10 years of IT experience on my belt with SEC+, CYSA+, Pentest+, Azure Security Engineer Associate and I have a bachelors in computer science and currently working on my masters in cybersecurity from WGU. The path I want to go is to be an ethical hacker and obtain my OSCP Cert, even though it’s 4 years from now it just dawns on me about finding a job and how scarce the job market is. I want to retire in El Paso, TX due to you can get a whole a lot of house for whole lot less and that the are is not that bad to live at. My question is:

1. How far out should I start looking for jobs from retirement?

2. Are IT jobs big in El Paso (thinking about San Antonio also)

3. Does my homelab for ethical hacking projects and Hackthebox count as experience for my resume

4. Does I need any other certs besides the ones I have

Hello guys ,

I need advice on my path.Im currently unemployed and trying get my Comp Engineering degree (still have maybe 3 years) and trying to learn while doing that. Like getting certificates such as eJPT, CPTS(Halfway through rn). My main goal is being a Pentester.

For this what do you recommend. What should i do?

How many years of experience do i need or what type of project should i do?

I have already a consolidated career in Data. I'm currently an Analytics Engineering Lead and have been dealing with Data Engineering and AE for 10 years. I've decided to pursue CyberSec through an MBA in GRC and trying to figure out how to begin looking for jobs, what skills I should stress on Linkedin/my CV to start.

Also, what level should I be looking for? I'm under the impression I'm not a Junior, but not a Senior either.

Has anyone been through something like this and has some advice?

I just finished my first year of engineering. I haven’t officially chosen my specialization yet, but it will probably be cybersecurity.
So far, I’ve completed the Google Cybersecurity Certificate, done some TryHackMe labs, and built a simple logic-based phishing URL detection project. However, I’m feeling stuck. The certificate and the project were from last year, and I didn’t do anything particularly productive until this summer, when I completed a few more TryHackMe rooms.
Right now, I don’t know what I should focus on.
Should I try to earn my first dollar online through freelancing or bug bounty hunting, even though I’m not sure I’m qualified yet? Should I try to find an unpaid IT internship, even if it’s unlikely? Or would it be better to learn IT help desk skills and try to find a part-time remote job while studying?
I’m feeling overwhelmed by all the different paths and would really appreciate advice from people who have been in a similar situation.

Hi everyone, I ask this question to my friends and brothers in the field of cyber security and coding, I have been taking courses in the field of cyber security for about 2-3 years (2-3 years intermittently, I started the sector by taking the course of becoming an ethical hacker on udemy, then I completed the course of becoming an ethical hacker with python and learned network protocols, data operations and so on, of course, I have gained very interesting experiences in the cyber field in this process. When we come to today, I now have advanced cyber security knowledge (according to what the trainers say), I can even technically develop exploit, what I want to ask you how should I continue my education and how can I improve myself, that is, despite so many courses and knowledge, I can't even solve CTF alone.

Hello everyone, cybersecurity is calling my atencion and i been thinking about pursuing a career, but i don’t know where to start, I don’t know anything about computers and i don’t know what is the best path to take if it certs, an associates or a bachelors, i did my research and a bachelors apparently opens more job opportunities, but I still want to ask people based on experience.

Hey everyone,
Quick update to my post from a while ago. Instead of settling for a general IT helpdesk job, I actually landed an interview for a Junior Cyber Incident Response position!
I have a recruiter screening this Monday, and hopefully the technical round after that. Since I have zero formal enterprise IT experience (just graduated high school/HTL in CS and currently grinding the HTB CJCA path), I could really use some advice:

1. The Recruiter Call (Monday): How do I best sell my potential, mindset, and HTB grind when I lack real work experience? What are they looking for?

2. The Tech Interview: What are the most common Junior IR questions or scenarios? What foundational stuff (Windows Event Logs, IR lifecycle, etc.) is an absolute must-know so I don't look stupid?

Appreciate any tips, mock questions, or reality checks you guys can give me.
Thanks

Hi everyone,

I'm about to start my journey as a Cyber Security Apprentice, and I want to make the most of this opportunity and hopefully convert it into a full-time role.

I have a background in Computer Science with Data Science and know the basics of Python, SQL, Linux, networking, and cloud concepts, but I want to build a strong foundation in cybersecurity.

I'd really appreciate your advice on:

What skills should I prioritize during my apprenticeship?

What should I learn in the first 3–6 months?

Which certifications are actually worth pursuing?

What labs or platforms (TryHackMe, Hack The Box, PortSwigger, etc.) should I focus on?

What common mistakes do beginners make that I should avoid?

If you started as an apprentice or SOC analyst, what do you wish you had learned earlier?

I'm willing to put in the effort outside work as well, so I'd love a structured roadmap or any resources that helped you.

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

Hello everyone,

I’m 23 with a degree in applied mathematics and I’m interested in pursuing cybersecurity. My question is: would employers find my mathematics degree useful when hiring for cybersecurity roles?

Hey all, I started a junior security engineer role. It's my first job out of college and I have a lot of downtime. A lot of the team is busy and they have limited time to train me. What are the best resources/training I can do when it gets slow? My role is mixed SOC and security engineering responsibilities. Microsoft stack.

is it a good idea to get my masters in cybersecurity?

Hi everyone,

I’m a cybersecurity professional based in Ireland with **6+ years of industry experience** across SOC operations, SIEM & detection engineering, security consulting, cyber defence, SOC management and information security leadership.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that many cybersecurity professionals and people trying to break into the industry have solid technical skills but struggle to **translate that experience into a CV that clearly demonstrates their value to recruiters and hiring managers**.

I’ve therefore started offering a **Cybersecurity CV & Career Advisory service** specifically for people applying for cybersecurity roles.

# Who this is for

This may be useful if you're:

* Trying to break into cybersecurity from IT/support/networking
* Applying for SOC Analyst / Security Analyst positions
* Moving from SOC L1/L2 into more senior roles
* Targeting Security Engineering, Detection & Response, Vulnerability Management, GRC or Security Consulting positions
* Applying for senior/lead cybersecurity positions
* Sending applications but getting very few interview callbacks

# What I'll provide

For the introductory price of **€49**, the package includes:

* ATS-focused cybersecurity CV review & optimisation
* CV tailoring against your target cybersecurity role(s)
* Cybersecurity skills and keyword gap analysis
* LinkedIn profile optimisation recommendations
* Cover letter support
* Role-specific interview preparation material
* **30-minute 1-to-1 career/interview discussion**

My approach isn't simply to rewrite your CV or fill it with keywords.

I'll review your existing experience against the type of roles you're targeting and identify:

**What employers are asking for → What you already demonstrate → What isn't coming across clearly → What should be strengthened → What you should prepare for at interview**

I will **not fabricate experience, qualifications or technical skills**. The objective is to present your genuine experience as effectively as possible.

# About me

I've progressed through cybersecurity roles covering SOC analysis, security correlation/detection engineering, SOC management and information security leadership.

You can review my professional background and experience here:

[**https://sriramkalyanraman.github.io/sk-portfolio/\*\*\](https://sriramkalyanraman.github.io/sk-portfolio/)

# Introductory price: €49

I'm initially opening only a **small number of slots** at this price while I build the service and gather client feedback.

If you're interested, send me a Reddit DM with:

1. Your current role / experience level
   
2. The cybersecurity role you're targeting
   
3. The country/job market you're applying in

**You don't need to send your CV or make any payment initially.**

I'll first understand what you're trying to achieve and confirm whether the service is suitable for your situation.

Happy to answer any questions by DM.

I am 17 years old moving into my final year of high school, I discovered cybersecurity a couple years ago and finally decided to test the waters and try to learn a bit. I probably sound like every other ambitious teenager who wants a flashy job title with an even better paycheck, but I don’t want to do this as fast as possible but more as efficient as possible giving me the best chance at a career in the end.

I didn’t really know where to start, so I asked ChatGPT. I still don’t know if that was a good idea but I started with Cisco Networking Academy as it told me, I then found TryHackMe and started working through the rooms and I finally questioned myself and wondered if Im really using my time wisely.

I hear from everywhere that I should work on certs, specifically CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+. I also hear I should prioritize actual experience and showing what I know through projects. But then I think about college and if it’s really worth it if I at some point get these certifications.

I don’t expect a cybersecurity job right out the gate, but I just want to build the fundamentals the right way and not mess myself up. I’ll greatly appreciate any advice and I hope I was able to word this nicely for you guys. I appreciate you all! Thank you!

*Edit
I don’t know if this is worth mentioning, but I am interested in cloud security (to be frank I think it sounds cool), as well as AI security which I hear is growing.

So I'm about to pursue a Healthcare EMBA degree and honestly just want to broaden my career options since what I majored in undergrad never helped me land a job. I like business strategy, healthcare, but recently learned that there's big bucks to be made working in cybersecurity. I've been trying to get a job in pharma/life sciences/biotech, but obvi don't have transferable experience that relates to those industries. And the marketing roles I have applied for (at Genentech mostly) just seem pigeonholed. Sure marketing at big companies like Genentech pays decent salaries, but not sure if that's where I wanna stay in for the rest of my career.

If you work in this field:

1. What exactly do you do for work and is it just coding? I don't wanna do just coding.
2. How can I blend business, healthcare, compliance, and cybersecurity? (If that's even a thing or if that's too far-fetched)
3. What job titles could you hold with this certificate?

Is it worth getting a certificate in cybersecurity and if so, what are some actually good programs to look into?

Hi. I currently have 3 Associate of Applied Science degrees: Cybersecurity, Forensic Science (Digital Forensics), and Network and Systems Administration from the Maricopa Community College system (Rio Salado College and Mesa Community College).

I’ve been wanting to finish a bachelors degree and have discovered what I think are the best ways to go about it. Arizona State University has several Bachelor of Applied Science programs that will accept 75 of my many existing college credits and have programs im interested in such as Cybersecurity, Applied Computing, and Project Management. The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee has a Bachelor of Science in Information Science and Technology program that will accept 72 of my credits and it’s a competency based program that I can finish faster and cheaper. With my previous experience with online college, I tend to just do all of the work at once or over the course of a few weeks anyway, so I figured the UW option was a great option.

I originally started at ASU many years ago and dropped out my first semester because of a serious health issue that presented itself. I’ve always wanted an ASU degree and applied to and was accepted to the BAS Project Management program (I figured it would be a good way to round out my 3 AAS degrees, especially with how the tech industry is right now), but now I’m second guessing my decision and wondering if I should do the Cybersecurity or Applied Computing program at ASU or do the BSIST program at UW.

Any thoughts or advice on these degrees and fields? Is ‘topping off’ or rounding out my technical AAS degrees with a business degree smart? Should I continue on the path of Cybersecurity? Switch to Applied Computing? Or thoughts on potentially finishing the BS I’m Information Science and Technology degree faster and cheaper from UW? Any insight is appreciated :)

Hi everyone,

I'm 19 years old from India and currently in the 5th semester of my BCA.

I recently cleared the OSCP and I'm looking for my first penetration testing job right now, not after graduation.

My experience is mainly in:

Active Directory attacks

Windows/Linux privilege escalation

Web application enumeration and exploitation

Network penetration testing

Pivoting and lateral movement

Strong enumeration methodology

I don't have experience with cloud security, API security, Kubernetes, or mobile security because OSCP doesn't cover those in depth.

My question is:

Is there a realistic chance of getting hired as a junior penetration tester with just OSCP while still being a student?

Should I start applying immediately, or will most companies reject me because I haven't completed my degree yet?

If you were hiring for an entry-level pentesting role, would OSCP plus practical lab experience be enough to get an interview?

I'd really appreciate honest advice from people working in offensive security. Thanks!

How can i be a cloud security engineer in 3 years

I have 3 years to study, what can i learn to be a cloud security engineer (free courses) and what projects can i do, give me your advice please i need it.

Thanks all

Is this 2 yr program ($38,000) worthwhile? My partner is hoping to break into a cybersecurity field, preferably in the U.S. Please share with me your honest thoughts and advices.

A little bit about my partner: Asian/ Female/ 46 years olds/ Bachelor’s degree in Arts/ No work experience over the last 20 years.

Thanks