#cyber-and-careers

1 messages · Page 4 of 1

solid lichen
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I know abit of linux as well

pseudo creek
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I would get Security+ and really start looking at interesting job listings you see and see what they are asking for

solid lichen
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Shall i do online course ?

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Are there any free course ?

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Toronto city library is offering linkdin learning

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Which offers comptia security+

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Any other suggestions?

pseudo creek
topaz forge
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I'm reviewing some Network+ videos from Prof. Messer right now for my Network+ exam.

topaz forge
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I tried to self study but the work hours I was doing just blew my focus and concentration out the door every time. I ended up taking a program at an Adult Education Center that was recommended to me, CCNA. I'm actually on Part 2 of the CCNA portion and Server+ which are my last 2 classes. Been trying to get a job this past month to get my feet wet since I got my A+ but so far no dice. I think it might be because I'm still taking classes.

solid lichen
serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @pseudo creek

topaz forge
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However, I do admit the use of Professer Messer, Mike Meyers, etc.. has helped me to understand concepts better than what I learned in the reading material with the class.

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Would starting out cyber security career in government be a good thing or bad thing? Been trying to get a job with what I have so far and actual government jobs I haven't tried touching yet...

stoic cave
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It's not bad, but you'll likely get caught dealing with technology a decade+ old. You'll also need a clearance, which you can't get unless you have a sponsor. Sponsors are employers or the gov entity you're trying to work for.

proper frigate
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For new comers, the OSCP certification should be the first objective. However, before thinking about the OSCP, the individual should first get a good understanding of IT ( hardware, troubleshooting, networking, etc. ). And on both Windows and Linux, no preference. For this reason, I would recommend trainings equivalent to CompTIA A+, Network+, Security +, CCNA. 2-6 months of XP working as HelpDesk at an IT Tech Support provider handling MULTIPLE clients to understand how companies are structured an may operate. How employees represent a risk. Where the flaws are.

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And then... go for OSCP.

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You could even try to get a Junior Pentester role before getting your OSCP cert or any other cert. Hard to do, but it's possible.

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So, OSCP isn't an objective that people should be able to complete in 3 months. More like ... 3 years.

topaz forge
# proper frigate For new comers, the OSCP certification should be the first objective. However, b...

I've been in an Adult Education program since end of Jan. this year for CCNA. I'm on my last two classes, CCNA part 2 and Server+. I got my A+ in September this year and just passed the Network+ exam earlier today before class. After the holiday I'm going to hit the ground running to prep for my Security+ and hopefully have it before classes end or Christmas. I've had quite a few job interviews for entry level positions but no job offers. I suspect it's from still attending classes, but not really sure since I'm unable to get feedback other than they've all went in a different direction.

cobalt escarp
proper frigate
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Not OSCP. Penetration testing.

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And Red Teaming.

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It allows you to see how businesses are managed, setup, protected, organized, how information and data is stored, etc.

pseudo creek
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does it tho? IT Help desk as a first job in general in IT isn't a bad move but really it isn't required if you can get other jobs. But one thing to remember is that all IT even penetration testing is a support organization to the business

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the only ones who may not feel that are people doing tooling work, but even they may

proper frigate
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Not saying it is required. However, for having myself acquired that experience, I would say it would be smart and/wise to get that XP.

For the same reason I think it is great to build a Windows Server to see how Active Directory is setup, DNS, DHCP, Organizational Unit, services, etc. And you can make your own home labs with VMWare.

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Wanna test something? Learn how it is built.

broken idol
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That would be great, assuming the person knew how to build the thing.

pseudo creek
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that is true with everything in IT though, getting hands on practice, if you can, is great. has nothing specifically to do with those whose goal is to be a pentester

proper frigate
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Pentesting literally sits on top of everything else.

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You want to play with SQL queries? you cant do that unless you understand SQL

pseudo creek
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no, you are really just talking about building a foundation... which is useful in many IT fields

proper frigate
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The foundation for Pentesting is not the same as other fields.

pseudo creek
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it depends on the field... Most cyber careers start out very specific, focused in on one area, then you broaden out and need to learn a variety of technologies, then you start to specialize in one aspect

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so the foundation, the broadening out, is very common among various cyber fields

proper frigate
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There is no limit to ethical hacking or pentesting as in... it basically goes to infinity. the more the better. Which is humanly very challenging if not impossible to achieve.

pseudo creek
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it may feel that way, but its not. It is really concepts.

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the concepts are repeatable. Now maybe you are thinking about security researchers but even security researchers specialize. That data is used by a number of professionals within cyber security including ethical hackers/pentesters

hot spire
pseudo creek
warm hinge
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So i'm also "new" to IT but I'm working for an IT staffing firm on the bench (Long story) I'm torn between blue team and red team, so i'm doing Pre-Sec, Intro to CS, Jr pentester, Offensive Pentester and Soc Analyst 1. That should give me the best of both worlds correct? I'm also working on my certifications (Mainly blue team at the moment but I am getting my PNPT soon)

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P.S. I'm coming from a programming background of self taught for almost 10 years JS Stack.

broken idol
warm hinge
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so learn to defend before you attack.

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i can get behind that one.

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mainly i'm doing stuff for try hackme and my CCNA

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going this route : ITL -> CCNA -> Sec+ -> BLT1 -> BLT2

broken idol
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BLT kekw

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I'm joking, btw, It looks a good road map for you.

warm hinge
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thanks.

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that's the plan

pseudo creek
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(there are more teams than blue and red and not everyone starts in blue)

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but blue team is more entry level cyber friendly than red team and there are a ton more jobs in blue team but there are a variety of other positions available too

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if you've done web development, application security may interest you

maiden thunder
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blue team and red team are available at rather large companies with dedicated SOC

sterile kelp
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Anyone have personal/portfolio websites related to cybersecurity/programming? Looking for inspiration for my own project (learning JavaScript so might as well make my own site where I put some CTF write ups/my homelab/certs/projects etc

weary chasm
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yeah probably there are some typos, my english is not my native language

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and at skill bars you refer only at bars or effective at skills

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is more good with circles?

image.png
alpine marsh
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here's mine, to see what you can maybe do differently

image.png
weary chasm
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ok

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Instead of these bars, are there other problems?

alpine marsh
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write a little introduction about yourself

weary chasm
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OK

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this looks more good?

image.png
alpine marsh
weary chasm
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and I eliminated CAPSLOCK

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Now I will add a description

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other tips?

weary chasm
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I think this is better

broken idol
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I think you need to do a better job of drawing over your address.

stiff lodge
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You really should work on the censoring. Use a rectangle or very thick pen.

weary chasm
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give me a review at CV, not at how good I censored my contact details :)))))

broken idol
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@austere fractal

Are you around?

broken idol
static tide
austere fractal
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I mean, if they wanna dox themselves, it's up to them tbh 😄

broken idol
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Okay, just thought I'd ping you in case 😄

broken idol
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Or is it in English for us to read?

weary chasm
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wait I think I dont understand the problem

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the guys told me that I dont censored very well my contact details

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done

broken idol
weary chasm
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I dont know what description to put

broken idol
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"And I have 17 years"

Is that 17 years experience, or you're 17 years old?

austere fractal
weary chasm
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yeah, but the contact details didnt see

weary chasm
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years old

weary chasm
stiff lodge
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just noticed thatyou have "languageS" (plural) but only one listed. probably should put your native language as well?

weary chasm
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the recruiter is roumanian

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so is not necessary

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I will delete the S

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I dont know why I am so dumb at writing in english

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I still making some mistakes

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@broken idol

stiff lodge
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and I think in english you say "I am 17 years old".

weary chasm
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yeah, I translated from my native language in english

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oops

stiff lodge
weary chasm
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Ok now, I modified thiese typos

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Other problems?

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or is ready to send

glacial wolf
alpine marsh
broken idol
weary chasm
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yeah yeah, I modified

broken idol
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Sorry, I just looked at the latest s/shot.

weary chasm
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no problem

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I sent my cv in this stage

Screenshot_2022-11-24_231258.png
boreal zephyr
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Don't give a personal photo of yourself. It is the first thing someone is going to judge. I dont know what ROCSC is. I don't know what Unbreakable is. I dont know what Acadnet is. "some learning from some tryhackme room". No. If you want to use THM or other challenge-based platforms as experience, create a portfolio and guide walk the room. You can't demonstrate knowledge by saying "I've worked in this platform". You have to develop a portfolio that demonstrates these skills, especially if you have no previous work experience.
"I dont hesitate opportunities" is improper english. I know it isn't your primary language but if your CV says you know English, your CV should reflect. It should say "I don't hesitate to engage in new learning opportunities and try new things" or something similar.

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@weary chasm

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I googled, and figured out that "ROCSC" is the Romanian cyber security challenge. Just spell it out, hiring manager is not going to look it up like I did. A general rule, spell out acronyms the first time you use them.

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Additionally, you have labeled "courses" and have CCNA1 and CCNA2 listed. I assume from this that you don't actually have a CCNA certification, but have only taken some courses on it. I would not list it at all unless you have the cert. At best, you are showing that you took a class. At worse, a hiring manager might see it as an attempt to pass a course off as a certification, in which case they will question your integrity without even meeting you. I don't think the value to risk trade off there is worthwhile.

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Okay: now some suggestions for improvement.

  1. remove your picture. Don't give any non-technical reasons to not select you. People are shallow.
  2. Spell out the ROCSC acronym, and below it in subtext give a short explanation to your rank. "I ranked 32nd overall and hacked/defended from hacking x devices" or something similar. Give context to the wins to make them sound impressive
  3. Create a portfolio website for yourself to demonstrate your skillsets. If THM has a "red team" room and you want to show that you completed it on your CV, do the room and document it. Explain your thought process and demonstrate your understanding of the material. Post the link to your portfolio on you CV.
  4. Certifications should be listed above courses on your CV, and ideally you should remove courses altogether.
  5. Volunteer Works should be towards the bottom of your CV, and you should go into greater detail about what the work was. "I met nice people" does not tell a recruiter what the volunteer work was. Tell me what you did, and how it is relevant to the job.
    I hope this helps!
weary chasm
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Thanks blobheart

hidden hamlet
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Hello good ppl,
I’m new here but just trying to get some insight from anyone who is in the cyber security job functions already… I’m seeming to have a hard time landing a role these days.

hidden hamlet
rugged delta
# hidden hamlet ?

You should probably tell us a little bit about you, your experience, what you're looking for, what you've tried, maybe ask some questions?

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And maybe verify yourself...

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!docs verify

dire rivetBOT
hidden hamlet
hidden hamlet
rugged delta
rugged delta
boreal zephyr
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Mandatory "I strongly dislike CEH" comment.

rugged delta
boreal zephyr
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If it is the desired cert in your region, go for it. But content and quality-wise, I think it's a terrible cert. If you've done Sec+ and have tinkered around in THM for some time, just shoot for Pentest+. It is a much better entry-mid level cert.

rugged delta
hidden hamlet
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My bad here is my resume

hidden hamlet
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I am in the USA TX area to be precise

hidden hamlet
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Yea I can’t post in here I’ll have to send it to someone because pictures not an option here

rugged delta
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!docs verify

dire rivetBOT
rugged delta
hidden hamlet
hidden hamlet
hidden hamlet
stoic cave
hidden hamlet
stoic cave
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Your spacing is misaligned on your Test & Eval position

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Technical skills section should also be reorganized. Instead of bullets, it should be a bold header and a comma separated list

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Everything you list you should also be able to discuss at length and depth for 20+ minutes

hidden hamlet
stoic cave
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Hardware and networking sub sections can also go, imo unless juun or others say otherwise

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Over displaying is just as bad as under displaying

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Your resume should be a precise and to the point document

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I should be able to scan, preferably a single page (always exceptions), quickly and get the information I need

hidden hamlet
stoic cave
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Start looking at LaTeX resumes to see how others are formatted. Plenty of free templates

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Personally, I think it's too much. Technical skills should be pruned down and you should keep each job at 3 bullets, preferably, 4 absolute max.

hidden hamlet
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Ok.. far as interviews go should I explain and answer questions in deep details or go straight to the the situation the task and how I resolved it?

stoic cave
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I think that would depend on the questions

hidden hamlet
warm hinge
# hidden hamlet

Hello, 👋🏾

Something to help.

I learned that the summary part should be brief and concise.
Use bullet points in the summary and not just full length notes.

Put Education right after summary. No need to list the Windows versions, Microsoft Office versions and others.
You want to tell what and or how you used those Software & systems, Hardware and Networking for and how they are important to the job you're hunting, use bullet points.

Consistency and Attention to detail: If you must use full stops (periods), use them everywhere.

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Order:
SUMMARY
EDUCATION
CERTIFICATION
TECHNICAL SKILLS
ETC

You can already see that if you put up CEH or Networking+ in CERTIFICATION, I know you know about those Networking technical skills you put up hence I don't want to see them.

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In your CERTIFICATION, no need to put where you got your certs from, just put the full name and the acronym or abbreviation in parenthesis, they serve as Buzzwords to be easily spotted.
E.g THM Certified Ethical Hacking (CEH)

warm hinge
undone shore
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CEH is useful only if you have to get it as a HR hoop to jump through. That's common in India. If you see it anywhere else, think long and hard about whether that company is likely to be a good place to work (and not, say, stuck in the dark ages).

little plume
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is pentest + useful?

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could u just go straight to OSCP

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after like sec +

undone shore
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I can never remember if it's PT+ or Sec+ that the US DoD request. Whichever one of those it is, yes, that's useful.
Tbf, CompTIA certs have a pretty good reputation anyway. They're often used again as HR checkboxes, but the certs themselves are also usually considered valuable, yes.

little plume
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ah okay thx, how much study time do you think would be needed

undone shore
# little plume could u just go straight to OSCP

I mean, I did 🤷‍♂️
OSCP was my first cert. Not the most useful for the UK necessarily, but still packs a punch, has decent training materials, and doesn't expire (I.e. very good for a uni student looking for their first cert) kekw

little plume
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for net +, sec + and pt+

little plume
undone shore
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No idea I'm afraid. I haven't sat any of the CompTIA ones personally.
Everyone will take a different length of time to study for them as well, but there's probably a recommended length on the website?

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@remote mauve did you not do a few of those?

little plume
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ah ok thanks

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btw

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did you find the OSCP hard lol

undone shore
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Heh, literally all of the ones you asked about he's got. Hopefully he'll wake up soonish.

undone shore
# little plume did you find the OSCP hard lol

Yeah. I passed it before they changed the layout though, so not sure about the new one. I would imagine it's a little easier now that a big chunk of the points come from AD rather than having to scrabble for them through rabbit holes though 😆

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Again though, I haven't seen the new format myself, so 🤷‍♂️

little plume
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respect haha

remote mauve
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afternoon

little plume
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afternoon

undone shore
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Morning Chev

little plume
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12am for me

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so morning tbh

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xD

remote mauve
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it's not morning anymore mate, i'm up for the last 4 hours 😄

undone shore
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Wax lyrical about PT+, Net+, and Sec+ please

undone shore
remote mauve
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wrong order mate:
Net+ -> Sec+ -> CySA+ -> PT+

undone shore
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Oh, unless you've gone back to the continent for a bit, in which case you get a pass

undone shore
remote mauve
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But give me 2 mins to reply to the man

remote mauve
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They are also really good to build a solid foundation on vendor neutral things which make them worth

little plume
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tbh I think you've got every single cert i've read of

remote mauve
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but best if you have student discount making them 50% off

little plume
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oh ok, would u recommend doing them all?

remote mauve
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if you have the finances and don't believe in yourself like me, then yeah, otherwise nay

little plume
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im thinking of just doing net +, sec +, then OSCP, but maybe i should do CySA+ and Pt+ in that order u recommended

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5 certs

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pog

remote mauve
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yeah, trust me, there are very few people that actually understand networks in the security industry (or i've been working with the wrong people)

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all of them are good to be fair. i've done PT+ because i was beta testing it

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i had no materials and sat the exam and passed with a good score looool

little plume
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will keep in mind, surely networking would be pretty interesting tho?

remote mauve
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i still meet people that don't understand NAT-ing...

little plume
remote mauve
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i don't advise, i'm just an idiot in 99% of the cases

little plume
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0x1 speaks for itself

undone shore
little plume
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i responded to the wrong message

undone shore
little plume
little plume
serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @undone shore

little plume
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LOL

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ok free rep

remote mauve
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but jokes aside (or facts in my case) KEKW ; learn your networking bits (NAT, DNS, rDNS, private/public addressing) other things worth noting is understanding how encryption and channels work for networking devices, i still speak to networking staff and don't understand algos which make me frustrated ....

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and subnetting ofc

fallow silo
little plume
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right, shall do 👌

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thanks for help

remote mauve
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my pleasure, i've been absent for majority of 2 years but i'm back here haha

undone shore
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Uh

remote mauve
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OI

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WHY DID YOU REMOVE TWILIGHT SPARKLE

undone shore
fallow silo
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natting belongs to the basics brev

undone shore
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There we go. Much better than that monstrosity.

remote mauve
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yeah, when she transformed the look was quite meh to be fair

undone shore
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I will take your word for it smh

remote mauve
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you have networking staff that don't understand networks

fallow silo
remote mauve
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then you need to baby glove the information to them so they understand haha

remote mauve
little plume
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also quick question, do you still have to resit all the exams every 3 years for all the compTIA certs u have @remote mauve ?

remote mauve
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yes, unless you do a cert that is higher than the previous one

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then the answer is no

undone shore
little plume
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ah ok thanks

remote mauve
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np np, as a matter of fact i'm studying for my CASP+

little plume
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oooh

remote mauve
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but if you need pointers or help feel free to @ me 🙂

little plume
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i haven't heard of that one before, but best of luck, and yea will do, really appreciate ur time

remote mauve
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prep work i advise: youtube - professor messer and for practice questions they are on udemy 🙂

little plume
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cheers i will check it out

remote mauve
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don't waste money on the expensive bundle from CompTIA; buy the books from Amazon or second hand

remote mauve
little plume
remote mauve
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i like torturing myself so yeah...

little plume
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hahaha I can see

remote mauve
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But as i said, give me a shout if you need anything else

little plume
serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @remote mauve

undone shore
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Ta Chev ♥️

remote mauve
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no worries, if you want i'll share my cert page when i'm done with it, i talk about the compTIA certs

image.png
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and a few others haha

little plume
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ayy notion gang

remote mauve
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i use joplin as well lol

little plume
remote mauve
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Cool, i'll try finishing it off over the next few days, at least this page haha

little plume
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cool, looking forward to it, @ me when its done

remote mauve
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it's part of a bigger project anyway haha

image.png
little plume
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solid solid

remote mauve
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but it's a pain cri

little plume
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looks cleaner than my notion

remote mauve
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oh, that's just what's public haha, my actual private notion is a mess

little plume
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ohh lol

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i see

remote mauve
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benefits of being a student bwahahaha

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i got the personal pro for free

little plume
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how did u get it free

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being a student?

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xd

remote mauve
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yeah

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you register with your uni account

little plume
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ah nice

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imma be at uni in 2 years

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still some time

remote mauve
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if you have an ac.uk or whatever email address it should work

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github does the same btw

little plume
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oo i see, yea that is very useful

remote mauve
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yeah, i'm a cheapass

little plume
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i mean ive been using this bitdefender link which gives u 90 days free everytime

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its like for new members

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but it just doesnt expire lol

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can i send a link here

remote mauve
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nah, it's okay 😄 i have bitdefender for 5 years

little plume
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oh lol nice

remote mauve
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yeah, it's frustrating as it seems to intercept my VM connections

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and if i set up a webserver it sometimes doesn't deliver my payloads

little plume
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in the middle of running a VM?

remote mauve
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yeah, lol

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it sees it as a C2

little plume
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that does not sound good lmaoo

remote mauve
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yeah.... it was fun during my OSCP KEKW

little plume
remote mauve
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i was like. I'm 99.9% certain this payload should work

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then i check my AV logs and the files were blocked

little plume
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damn

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ive been thinking imma probably go to somewhere with super speedy wifi when i sit OSCP

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cant imagine uni wifi

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lmao

remote mauve
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yeah, probably not

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i mean i have 4G at home... and i have to do my OSEP in less than 3 months

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that'll be fun

little plume
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F

remote mauve
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yeah

stoic cave
undone shore
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Ta

sleek sedge
neon oasis
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Has anybody here ever participated in Google summer of code?

bold owl
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hello. I'm a final-year student. Is there any thing I should know or do in order to ace the cyber security interview and get a job as a security engineer? im currently learning python and penetration testing, create a simple security project such as port scanner, SIEM in azure and setup active directory.

rugged delta
rugged delta
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!docs verify

dire rivetBOT
pseudo creek
remote mauve
warm hinge
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Hey

fallow silo
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wondering if someone landed a job only with the Tryhackme Cert!

rugged delta
# fallow silo wondering if someone landed a job only with the Tryhackme Cert!

Your ability to land a job might depend on other things, such as your other experience, certifications and qualifications elsewhere and your ability to talk about skills and tools and how you have used them, in your study or in the real world and how they would apply to a role you're seeking.

There's a difference between certs and certifications. THM certificates indicate that you have answered questions in a series of rooms on a path and you've practiced some of the things people do in a cybersecurity environment. You need to be able to discuss some of the tools you used in some degree of depth, show that you understand the processes that might lead to using these tools etc...

Also, a certificate isn't the same as a certification exam. The knowledge you gain will be worthwhile but the certificate isn't going to have the same weight as, say the Sec+, Pentest+, OSCP, CISSP etc.

It might indicate to an employer that you're showing an interest in a particular domain in cybersecurity but you need to be able to demonstrate knowledge/skills to show you know some aspect of the role or you're working to learn and improve yourself.

Check out the THM blog success stories https://tryhackme.com/resources/success-stories

TryHackMe
TryHackMe | Cyber Security Training

TryHackMe is a free online platform for learning cyber security, using hands-on exercises and labs, all through your browser!

warm hinge
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True. It does reflect well still 🙂 Just had some Security Engineering Managers/Head of SecOps commend the other day about one of their new joiners in the SOC being "1% on THM!"

cobalt edge
undone shore
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It's... worth not mixing those up on your CV / in interviews. Often doesn't go well.

remote mauve
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So yes, it works, it depends on how much you time you invest into actually understanding the core concepts of the rooms/paths etc

sterile ocean
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@undone shore I agree but I would say it would be something to put on LinkedIn right?

undone shore
sterile ocean
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@undone shore Right but to tell your employer or potential employer that you have hacking certs is a no no 😂

undone shore
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I mean, not unless you actually do have hacking certs

#

THM Certificates of completion:

I have completed the TryHackMe X,Y,Z learning paths and can prove this with the provided certificates of completion
Certs:
I have passed the A,B,C certification exams provided by D,E,F, earning me G,H,I qualifications

sterile ocean
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@undone shore well I am just beginning my journey and was referred here to learn along with my masters program. I definitely will share to LinkedIn but CV no.

undone shore
# sterile ocean <@650476435269484549> well I am just beginning my journey and was referred here ...

That is up to you. Personally, I agree. I wouldn't put THM/HTB learning on my CV, but I've, uh, got developing the content in under professional experience, so it wouldn't really make sense.
If your CV is a little sparse (e.g., first cyber job or whatever) then it could make a lot of sense to include it as proof that you are a self-starter and place emphasis on your own learning.
Very much depends on circumstances.

sterile ocean
#

@undone shore True im working on my LinkedIn profile now getting it just how I want it so I’m focused on that

stoic cave
#

If you want to show your doing THM, make posts about it. Imo, it doesn't belong, Muiri you're a different case, in experience or skills and I think education is a stretch. Extracurricular activities would be the best place, again imo

sterile ocean
#

Thank you @stoic cave

serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @stoic cave

merry matrix
#

I always say to go take what you learn from THM/HTB/[insert course here] and go do some project related to it to demonstrate the skills you have

#

Example: I did The Cyber Mentor's Practical Ethical Hacking course a few years ago. Instead of listing that I did the course on my resume (because anyone can just kind of click through and say they "did it"), I had the Active Directory Lab listed under "projects", because that shows some level of understanding of configuring Windows and Active Directory.

hidden hamlet
#

Does anyone know if interview questions that are really specific to a particular issue can prevent you from getting the job? It seems to be always one question I can’t answer being sooo specific to one issue.

pseudo creek
#

or like something basic

#

but generally when we ask specific questions, we are looking for more how you answer

hidden hamlet
pseudo creek
#

but say you were going for a senior networking job and someone decided to ask you the difference between TCP and UDP (which I would hope they wouldn't because... that is a waste of an interview question) and you didn't know, do you think you would get the job if you got the answer wrong?

undone shore
# hidden hamlet Mind games GREAT!!! 🙄😒

Welcome to humanity. Society functions on mind games. Get good at them.
Interviewers are looking for a certain set of traits. Adopt those (and not just for the damn interview. In general).

flat sedge
undone shore
#

And that's one of said traits

distant pier
odd sparrow
#

Hey all, I currently work in a non-IT field (clinical pharmacist), looking to pivot into cyber. I did my deep dive and have my cert plan lined up: sec+, net+, cysa, AZ-900 at least to start. My problem is that I am struggling with figuring out how to get experience, since I read that is a huge barrier in landing that first job. Is there a way to show experience other than pursuing an IT job (documenting THM, documenting learning on other sites, building a home lab, building a portfolio, other suggestions)? I did build and upgrade my own computer (pc master race!).

I'm not looking to leave my current job right away, rather I'm waiting until a cyber/cloud related job opens up in my hospital and I'll apply internally, or apply to a government job that a few of my friends currently work at.

spice helm
#

Of the 7 "specialisations" listed on THM (security analyst, security engineer, incident responder, digital forensics examiner, malware analyst, pentester and Red teamer), which ones are in highest demand? I know it will vary from one country to another, but I work internationally so I'm asking in general.

pseudo creek
#

security analyst / security engineer are probably highest

#

just because of pure open positions

spice helm
#

I have 5 years experience as a sysadmin and 12 years of consulting experience as a developer and architect, so that's pretty much perfect for me then

pseudo creek
#

well and also how those job titles align, may differ per country, like I'd probably flip how how they define cyber security engineer / analyst... based on working for a US company

#

do you have any cloud experience? I know this is my primary bias

spice helm
#

Yes

pseudo creek
#

I'd look to see if you can find any cloud security engineer positiions

#

you could also look into app security based on your dev experience

spice helm
#

I've been working with azure and MS saas solutions the last 8 years or so

pseudo creek
pseudo creek
spice helm
#

Nice, ty

spice helm
lavish shore
#

Hello everyone I'm new here

rocky bear
topaz forge
#

Heyas, I could use some advice regarding my resume. I'm just finishing up a technical certification for CCNA and I've been applying for IT jobs, have gotten interviews but nothing solid I think because of my current availability schedule. I want to get into cyber security/digital forensics in the long-term, but right now looking to get into the workforce with minimal experience. I've only started really doing THM lately when I got the discount applied, so I'm working on that cyber security skills part. Thanks!

📎 CJGResume1Red.pdf
static tide
#

i’s make a new section for the “projects” though and expand on them instead

#

also tie your work history into what you wanna do

#

did you do anything that helped security in your previous role?

#

my hands are too cold to expand further

topaz forge
#

Other than the occasional hardware setting up, I guess security-wise, followed HIPAA and Controlled Substance Compliance....

static tide
#

put some of that compliance stuff in there

#

mention standards if you can

#

but dont just list them

#

say how you applied it

topaz forge
#

Best response I got is "I kept my mouth shut using HIPAA regulations and Controlled Substance Compliance when processing prescriptions."

#

I guess I'm not following how to say how I applied government regulatory standards to my work history?

pseudo creek
# topaz forge Heyas, I could use some advice regarding my resume. I'm just finishing up a tech...

I think your education section is a bit confusing, maybe because you have it blacked out... but I would expect you would have
"IT program at XYZ"

  • bullet points

Now specifically for your program, I don't particularly care to list training programs for certifications... You got the certifications already, so your first bullet point I would get rid of. I'd also get rid of "Learned" at the start of each line.

What is CCNA under education? Is that outside of the program? Is that self study?

Did the program have you do something like set up a github? Do you have anything that potential employers could review?

On your skills, I know you might not agree but I'd get rid of anything that is subjective so your first item about being communicative should not be there. But you don't list linux, you don't list networking, think about other skills you believe you possess

Also, think about being more concise or putting more powerful words in general on a resume... like "Spending time learning about cyber security with TryHackMe", I'd just put "Developing cyber security skills using sites such as TryHackMe". That makes it more active than passive.

topaz forge
#

I guess this whole time I've been looking at it wrong... I thought the program itself was CCNA, but it's actually "Cybersecurity and Networking." Definitely need to change that part then.

#

Yeah, guess soft skills don't mean squat anymore, so I can get rid of that stuff.

pseudo creek
#

ahh ok that makes sense

#

soft skills do mean something but they get tested in an interview and really everyone could put "communication" as a skill

topaz forge
#

I hate resume building... was always good at writing, but resume building... bleh....

pseudo creek
#

its ok, its a bit of an art form

topaz forge
#

I'll go through it again later today and make changes. Thanks.

#

I did create a small interactive trivia program about dragons with Visual Basic 2013 as was for the Programming logic class final... I think I still have it on the USB drive I saved it on. But no, we didn't do any github stuff.

topaz forge
# pseudo creek ahh ok that makes sense

Just confirmed with my classmates... the program WAS called "CCNA" when we had started in February... now it's been changed to "Cybersecurity and Networking." I've updated that much on my education since it is more fitting for a program name.

warm hinge
pseudo creek
languid briar
#

Do you think ccna certf worth it

#

In finding job and pratical in general

full prawn
#

networking knowledge is definitely worth it. Knowing OSI model, how arp, routing, and BGP works, etc.. subnetting, is always useful, even in cloud.

#

I guess the real question though is how it compares to other certs, and what specifically you want to do. If you want to work somewhere on premise over cloud, its probably going to be even more useful

abstract knoll
#

do you guys think doing fulltime helpdesk is possible while also being a fulltime student?

rugged delta
abstract knoll
rugged delta
abstract knoll
#

im probably not ready for anything else

stoic cave
#

Keep in mind that just because subtlety had a job that was flexible, it's not always the case

rugged delta
lilac sierra
#

Hi, hopefully this is the right channel to get help with this. My friend and I are looking to start a cyber security club here at my university. We would like to set it up with a professional organization like the ISC2 student associations. Right now we are just trying to see what is out there and I was wondering if anyone here might have any suggestions for us. Really what we are looking for is a good student association that has some name recognition behind it.

#

Any help given would be greatly appreciated!

warm hinge
warm hinge
lilac sierra
#

Yes and no, we are currently finishing up the minor for Cyber Security this winter and we have been working in IT for a few years. We are trying to find a way to help boost our schools foot print for those that want to get into cyber security or are looking for individuals like us on campus.

warm hinge
#

Ok. Took 1 year to learn things to place 999 aka top 1% here. Now I heard its no juice! What else I need to learn to get teh job? I learn to code with 6502 assembler about 39 years ago....

full prawn
#

John I'm not sure what exactly you're saying or asking here

#

Are you saying that your skills you learned from tryhackme haven't been enough to get a job? What jobs are you applying to? And how many?

warm hinge
warm hinge
#

Just saying that even in top 1% here dont give any positive signals here In Finland. Maybe in some other coutry? Wondering!

topaz forge
#

Sounds like they only care about that you know the stuff, not how you rank on some website.... which can be pretty common in a lot of places.

vernal sleet
thin cape
#

many employers are looking for experiences or degrees, sometimes both but not all. Sometimes they let you the opportunity to prove yourself but theyr not gona hire you only because you are top 1% in thm ahaha

#

you def should pass some recognized it cert like cisco or comptia

warm hinge
thin cape
#

you can study by yourself and only pay the exam which is 150 for entry level and 350 aprox for associate cert approx

#

or make your teeth in another IT field and pass certifications with the sponsorship of your company, there is many solution my friend just don't give up continue to learn and grind

thin cape
warm hinge
# thin cape i mean for cisco cert

Well I mean I have no extra money to buy anything. Even 150 is like half of my monthly budjet! And I was hoping to make portswigger's acedamy but they asks company email to get burp to work with they academy. I mean that if you are broke and dont have a job its damn hard ... Period finito caput 🤪

quick forum
vernal sleet
# warm hinge yeah.... just dont have money to pay those exams 😿 So I think this is hopeless...

Creating a blog is free, you can do write-ups there and write in general about what you are doing/what you know.
Setup a GitHub account where you can help out people on projects or create projects yourself.

Link both of those to your resume after you've built them a bit.
This will at least show the employer that you are dedicated to learning, growing and that you most likely know what you say you know

#

Stay strong and don't give up 💪

warm hinge
stark plover
#

Good morning everyone!

fallen kettle
#

anyone know of any remote cybersecurity jobs?

pseudo creek
#

you gotta be more specific like... what type of job? what country?

#

This isn't the place for this

fallen kettle
pseudo creek
fallen kettle
quick forum
#

Remote work across borders is even more difficult

pseudo creek
#

which is why I ask location

topaz forge
#

It seems a lot of remote positions I'm finding are really not remote positions at all... some say remote but description will say "at a facility," some are more hybrid than remote, and then there are the ones that are actually hybrid but require you to be in that area to work remote... I'm guessing for tax purposes.

#

Kind of like when a job is advertised as entry level and require mid level experience for entry level pay.

rapid kettle
#

What are the min. Requirements to get a intership in Cyber security.. as a college student?

hot umbra
rapid kettle
hot umbra
#

It really depends on what the internship is for... CyberSec is a broad industry. Anything more specific you are looking at?

formal hill
#

Was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction I’m looking to go the threat intelligence route and was wondering what certs/training would be best to get there.

vernal sleet
fierce belfry
#

anyone know how to volunteer to get some experience?

rugged delta
fierce belfry
#

asking because i have no exp and i keep getting rejected for entry level. kinda discouraging

#

but i wont give up

pseudo creek
rugged delta
topaz forge
#

I've had some folks tell me to try to get internships... issue is I'm not going for any bachelor degree programs which has almost always been the requirement for applying... I've gotten lucky a few times that didn't require it but I think it was a matter of my availability despite the coursework I was completing.

marsh steppe
#

rather than internships, try looking for apprenticeships.

topaz forge
#

I haven't seen any of those.

hushed bone
#

hey guys, i got a question to pentesters, do yall got a college degree? if yes do you think that it makes that much difference? i'll finish high school soon, and i really wanna know if i should dedicate myself to a cyber career as fast as possible, or get focused on a informatics engineering degree for example

rugged delta
# hushed bone hey guys, i got a question to pentesters, do yall got a college degree? if yes d...

A lot of people do get a degree in Computer Science or IT or Cybersecurity when aiming for a career in cybersecurity but a degree isn't essential. A degree will teach you a lot about the field and the skills involved in cybersecurity, as well as skills like writing reports correctly, learning how to learn in an organised and effective manner and other things. It isn't essential to do a degree but it is encouraged and most large organisations will expect you to have a degree or higher.

A lot of cybersecurity skills are learned on platforms like THM but most recruiters will also expect to see certifications in areas related to what you want to work in. Penetration testing is certainly a fascinating pursuit but it isn't the only role you can do in cybersecurity and most cybersec folks don't end up working as pentesters.

There are only a limited number of pentester positions for every org that needs them and the skill level and expectations are quite substantial. Hacking skills, though, will teach you a lot about how cybersecurity really works and having hacking certs shows your interest and evidence of your skills/potential to future employers. I would suggest reading the 'Tribe of Hackers' books to get an idea. They're currently part of one of the cybersec book deals on Humble Bundle atm

hushed bone
# rugged delta A lot of people do get a degree in Computer Science or IT or Cybersecurity when ...

Thank you for the tips, I'm aiming to do a Cibersecurity level 3 degree, I was thinking about pentesting mainly because it's an role that requires more knowledge and i don't see many pentesters on my environment, looks like the market needs it, Yeah i can also try SOC but looks like there's a lot of people on defensive security to a small portion of pentesters tell me if im wrong, also thanks for the book recommendation i was looking for a book to read aswell

serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @rugged delta

rugged delta
# hushed bone Thank you for the tips, I'm aiming to do a Cibersecurity level 3 degree, I was t...

It is still worth it learning the skills needed to be a pentester and to aim for it as a role. Everyone here is working hard to improve their hacking/pentesting skills because even if you don't end up working in pentesting, you learn a lot of really cool things and it's a lot of fun. There's a whole culture around this business full of fun things going on. And yeah I'd recommend getting both of those book bundles (Wiley and No Starch) because they're full of books we discuss and recommend all the time in #bookclub

hushed bone
serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @rugged delta

hushed bone
#

farming reputation with me lol

wind prairie
# fierce belfry asking because i have no exp and i keep getting rejected for entry level. kinda ...

Volunteering is good, but you do not have to do that for experience. Working THM exercises is experience too. You need to put that on your resume. Anything you do, home setups to learn, it all counts as experience in the IT world. Also, get an entry level certification. Even if you have a degree, prove to potential employers that you are willing to learn and put forth the effort. They complain there is not enough talent to fill jobs, but the problem is not the applicants, it is the HR people doing the hiring. The "Purple Squirrel" syndrome is a real thing.

stoic cave
#

Things on the side go into the projects or extracurricular categories

wind prairie
stoic cave
#

No, I dont

fierce belfry
wind prairie
stoic cave
#

Experience is a very narrow and specific category. It's what you've been paid to do in a professional setting. So in the US that would be W2 or 1099, anything you've done that has those two forms is professional experience and belongs in the experience category. Projects and Extracurriculars are not experience on a resume. They show interest, but doing it on your own for fun is entirely different from doing it in a professional setting.

warm hinge
#

They're asking how to get professional experience & you're saying by having that same professional experience that you're looking for

#

cause Im curious too what to put as experience

#

maybe just certs?

stoic cave
#

By certs I mean certifications

warm hinge
#

And volunteering doesn't count as experience? Or I suppose you shouldnt volunteer

stoic cave
#

Volunteering can be it's own category, also in extracurriculars if applicable. I don't want to say all volunteering isn't experience, because that kinda gets messy with 501c3 stuff where you're doing legitimate work, but not getting paid

flat sedge
# warm hinge cause Im curious too what to put as experience

If you were compensated by the organization that you are filling the position for, it counts as experience. Usually, this is getting paid. Some internships or apprenticeships will compensate in other ways (food, living stipend or credits) but this is very rare. In the US, you can count volunteering as experience in very rare cases.

Usually though, if you cannot demonstrate some kind of meaningful compensation for your time, it does not count as professional experience and should not be listed.

#

The first time I was in college, one of my friends was in a CompSci program and volunteered as an IT person for the local multiple schlerosis charities - that definitely counted as professional experience, as he was doing legitimate work for the charity that required expertise and some amount of skill and training

wind prairie
#

So, what I am hearing and do not agree with, if you did not get paid, it is not experience. Unless it is specific volunteer work. OK, with that thought process no one, or very few, would have a job in IT or Cyber. Put your learning on your resume. Put your certs on your resume. Put your messing around on your resume. If you have not had true job experience you have to prove some kind of knowledge in the field. Learning on THM, HTB, Code Academy, what have you is experience. Anybody that say it is not is the same person that says you have to memorize all the troubleshooting steps for help desk or processes for pen testing. Off my soapbox. Good night.

distant pier
#

Perhaps differentiate between work experience and general experience based on learning.

stoic cave
#

You're using a word that means a specific thing, in a resume sense, for things that are not.

#

We're not saying not to put those things on the resume. We're saying that none of those, besides the paid *sometimes volunteer work, are experience.

flat sedge
warm hinge
#

Nah thanks for saying that cause Im applying to things soon... Im going to just leave experience blank other than some teaching things Ive done in technical fields maybe... maybe if I write a kind of potent cover letter explaining

#

definitely not trying to get roasted in an interview lol that would be horridd

stoic cave
#

It doesn't have to be cyber related, it can be any job you've had

flat sedge
#

I've had to do it to a candidate. How they slipped by the recruiter is a mystery. Dude showed up 2 hours late for his interview, stoned out of his mind, and then couldn't actually talk about anything on his resume except his name and address.

stoic cave
#

I had lifeguarding on my resume

flat sedge
#

Until I landed my first job in industry, I kept my food service and tutoring as work experience, because there were useful soft skills I learned in that field. Also, it showed continuity of employment

warm hinge
#

Hmm, so even if all Ive done is waitressing and teaching some things?

stoic cave
#

Yes, both of those require an immense amount of soft skills

#

Relating things you've learned at those jobs to the job your applying to is a good idea

flat sedge
stoic cave
#

Yep

warm hinge
#

bet that makes sense honestly

dense dagger
#

i got a good offer on this so im weighing if its a good option https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/certified-it-associate/

Linux Foundation - Training
Caitriona Mulholland
Linux Foundation Certified IT Associate (LFCA) Exam

The LFCA is a pre-professional certification intended for those new to the industry or considering starting an IT career. This certification is ideal for users interested in advancing to the professional level through a demonstrated understanding of critical concepts for modern IT systems including cloud computing.

warm hinge
#

It is a basic cert. Stuff definitely worth knowing, but idk if cert is necessary. If you go through materials, you can see which way you want to go, and just get higher certs maybe, like lfcs, cka, etc. I got it because I had voucher bundled with lfcs.

dense dagger
#

oh thanks man, i was thinking of picking it up since i got a $90 voucher

warm hinge
#

A+ is a helpesk cert. This is intro to enterprise IT cert. I am not a man :P

#

I mean... it will not hurt you, but I would rather learn what it covers, and pick some higher cert if you like LF :)

dense dagger
warm hinge
#

It happens, all good.

dense dagger
warm hinge
#

I would skip it. Go through these courses, learn what it covers, and put money into lfcs. It's kind of like linux essentials with added cloud and devops. I don't think it has much job market value.

#

But! If you have to pass exam to force yourself to learn, go for it. These courses give you noce foundation.

dense dagger
#

hmm, i guess i will focus on LFCS then

warm hinge
#

I picked up vim cred, bahahaha. It's so geeky that I had to have it : D

#

That knowledge will be very useful for you, but you do not necessarily need to spend 90$ on exam. You will have to learn that stuff sooner or later anyway.

dense dagger
#

oh its, $90 for the courseware and exam

#

and then a free opensource course idk

warm hinge
#

These courses I linked are free.

#

These are official prep materials.

#

It is really up to you. Courses are definitely worth to go through them.

stoic cave
dense dagger
stoic cave
#

Yes, the cert I was talking about was LFCS

#

Is your org having you take it or are you taking it just to get a cert?

dense dagger
#

Im taking it to solidify my knowledge with sysad stuff and linux

#

just to get a cert yea

stoic cave
#

Have you considered Red Hat's offerings?

#

I would just make sure that the cert you're choosing will provide some form of value in the form of HR checkboxes and name recognition.

dense dagger
#

oh, can I ask how you searched for jobs that look for a certain certification

dense dagger
stoic cave
#

LFCS had 29 results and Sec+ had 1 mil

dense dagger
#

Ah,, so Sec+ is more worth it when im already in a security job

stoic cave
#

Security+ is a fundamental cybersecurity cert

#

It's the entry level for cybersecurity and then OSCP is the entry level for pentesting

dense dagger
#

Alright alright, should I also take Net+ ?

#

or just go in Sec+ then OSCP

warm hinge
flat sedge
warm hinge
#

LFCS is also 100% practical. They are both good, imo. Which one you get is a matter of a preference. But yeah, if somebody takes them purely for HR, RedHat is more popular. However, I am getting job offers with LFCS, so it definitely is recognized. It is a well established cert with a rep of being difficult, and you need to be very proficient to pass it because timing does not leave much room for playing around, and you need to be careful to not mix nodes (I did, lol). Exam was really fun to take. My 2 cents.

#

But I think other certs from Linux Foundation are more popular, like Kubernetes certs, and all that.

warm hinge
#

for anything entry level

lime ember
serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @boreal mesa

desert sonnet
#

Just wanted to share that I got confirmation of my first cyber security entry level job today! I'm a physicist by trade so this is a big change
I think talking about tryhackme really helped me in the interview so I just wanted to share it here

remote gale
loud marsh
tired bluff
#

Hi !
I'm looking for a career where I can solve problems/"mysteries", where I can use osint (search for missing persons or criminals...) and at the same time do pentesting. I don't know what career would meet these criteria. Do you have any ideas? :p
I would also be happy if you could suggest a path to follow on THM to train myself.
Thanks in advance! blobheart

tired bluff
loud marsh
#

take a look at your local investigator job in your city

#

Pentesting is mostly done on the computer. The job you describe, like search for missing people. It is like FBI or GBI kind of stuff, which can be done by joining government agency or local police

desert sonnet
#

Thank you for the congrats!

#

And I would have to agree with Dec, that sounds like forensics, there is an area of cyber called data forensics that some companies offer (like insurance companies) or threat analysis might be similar, but otherwise yeah, a police station or your govt

tired bluff
#

thanks for your answers 🙂
I did a little research on forensic and came across some jobs that seem to fit (Forensic Analyst or Computer Crime Investigator).

warm hinge
lone nova
#

Tried breezing through the pinned messages in hopes of finding somebody who has asked my question before with no avail, so if somebody already has a detailed response or answer already posted, please direct me there.

I'm currently majoring in a 2-year Cybersecurity AAS degree (it's my 1st year), and I am completely lost at deciding what end-game job I want to strive for.

I don't know what area I want to specialize in: programming, networking, hacking, ect. Is there any video or website that helps narrow jobs down rather than just the average descriptions of "you will write code!" or "you will make a network!"?

Thank you!!

flat sedge
#

Look at the job reqs in your area - but don't let that define what your 'end goal' should be.

#

Community colleges typically have events with local employers - part of the point of post-secondary vocational education is to directly prepare students for job roles

#

Talk to your department head and instructors, often they have industry contacts who may be looking to recruit from your program

warm hinge
#

Hey this is Oxyahsefer here !

#

Looking for skills required for a job as a red teaming !

#

I am beginner level in the field

#

What should be my approach to get to my goal

maiden thunder
#

it gives you some nice skills

warm hinge
#

😄

#

Thanks

maiden thunder
#

do you have any IT background / training?

warm hinge
#

Do i need to complete Web Fundamental path before doing it ?

warm hinge
maiden thunder
#

that's a great start

#

it's an overall view

warm hinge
#

I have done this 👍

maiden thunder
#

do you have an IT job?

warm hinge
#

No currently a student

maiden thunder
#

back in the time i got a job in IT and i had great mentors in the office, that's a very great way to learn

warm hinge
#

I am 17 now

maiden thunder
#

oh, ok

#

you have plenty of time then

warm hinge
#

Yeah

#

I spent my much time in learning only

#

But sometimes due to assignments 🤣

#

Its sucks

maiden thunder
#

the #1 rule in this field is to learn and research every day

warm hinge
#

Reading Blogs and Write-up daily

maiden thunder
#

the technology changes day by day and we must stay sharp and up to date

warm hinge
#

And POC 👍

warm hinge
maiden thunder
#

and learn documenting skills

#

it is very underrated

warm hinge
maiden thunder
#

but clear, tidy documentation helps a lot

#

document systems, processes, your learning, everything

warm hinge
#

I will look to this on web today thanks for the info

#

Ok it mean making notes of things i learn

#

!

maiden thunder
#

you can follow my blog (it's in my profile) if you want

warm hinge
#

I already reached you blog 🤣

maiden thunder
#

i try to write beginner friendly posts too

warm hinge
desert sonnet
# warm hinge do you know what type of job you applied to? im a college student atm but still ...

It's not help desk, no, in my country some companies will run graduate schemes, where they will take in graduates across a range of degrees and train them in a specific area in their company
This job is a grad scheme that will cycle me through a few different areas of cyber and I'll start to specialise after I've cycled a few areas and can then work for the company in that role
So say I get cycled through threat analysis, pentesting and blue teaming and I like pentesting the most, I can chose to be trained in pentesting in more detail and then work for the company as a pentester
Grad schemes are jobs that try to bridge the gap between uni and work, and usually are popular for people with non-specialised degrees, or in my case, degrees in a different sector, I'll be graduating with a masters in physics next year, which doesn't exactly help in cyber

quick forum
#

They do grad schemes here in the UK too, aimed less at people with nonspecific degrees or unrelated and more for people without the experience yet

desert sonnet
#

I am from the UK, I kinda assumed I was speaking to someone from the US

#

Just because of them saying they're a "college student" which is something I only hear americans and sixth formers say

pseudo creek
#

In the US, some companies have that too... grad scheme isn't what I'd call it, its a entry level type thing

#

but its not really meant for bridging but to get more exposure, see where you might fit best and what you like

desert sonnet
#

That makes sense, I don't know what classes as entry level in the UK tbh, half the stuff listed as entry level I saw was for like kids just finishing sixth form, the other half wanted you to have a CompSci degree or something similar
The grad schemes were like my only in

warm hinge
#

thats cool tho

topaz forge
#

I like how I've been given aptitude and technical tests applying for j obs... like more than half the questions have nothing to do with the job and the questions that have to do with the job, I barely remember or hadn't learned about what the question asks. LOL

flat sedge
#

That's pretty normal.

#

The same role across different orgs may have very different day to day responsibilities

pseudo creek
#

but job applications are more than technical prowess

flat sedge
#

Questions that have nothing to do with the job are also likely to give you insight into the non-technical challenges of the job; collaboration, coordination, esclation for blockers are all likely to come up as well

broken idol
#

I've hat some talks with JP Morgan and BBC, but they mostly want software engineers.

topaz forge
topaz forge
#

While I was on the phone to schedule an interview for a different job unrelated to IT and more to my own work experience, I got an email response back on that IT job w/ the tests... I must've passed because they want to schedule an interview.

olive forge
#

wow congratulations!

desert sonnet
desert sonnet
topaz forge
#

Kind of hard to get into smaller businesses for IT around here... lots of big businesses and govt contractors... the contractors are a bit worse... they won't sponsor you for clearance... which is understandable...

stoic cave
#

Not sure who you're dealing with, but it's very common to get a clearance from a contractor. Several even have College to Workforce Pipelines that handle all of that before you graduate. I find it a little odd they won't sponsor people in your area.

topaz forge
#

Money reasons.... what if I end up not working out?

#

I mean as far as I know, I should have no problem getting cleared. I've held other types of clearance/registration that required background checks.

stoic cave
#

Are you US?

topaz forge
#

Yep

stoic cave
#

Are you within 5-7 years of your last held clearance?

#

I'm talking Federal level clearance

topaz forge
#

I've never had the same type of clearance for IT. I'm just saying the registration/clearance I got involved background checks.

stoic cave
#

If so, it's still there, just not active. Can be picked up by a sponsor

topaz forge
#

My clearance was state registration.

#

for Pharmacy

stoic cave
#

Oh, so you've never had a clearance

#

Ok

topaz forge
#

No, never had the kind of clearance we're talking about... just similar in background checks.

flat sedge
#

Getting clearance for a government context is a very very difference process for Secret and higher than anything you've gotten 'cleared' for in civilian jobs

topaz forge
#

As in it required a background check... fingerprinting and all.

stoic cave
topaz forge
#

Ugh... nevermind...

flat sedge
#

Public Trust is kind of similar to a typical criminal background check, but they are looking for different things

stoic cave
#

I don't think ive ever met anyone with a Public Trust

topaz forge
#

I have...

light ledge
#

somewhat related question, if youve previously held a fed clearance like confidential, how "easy" is it to get higher clearances later on?

stoic cave
#

Depends on the level

topaz forge
#

Yeah, I'm told depends on level and requirements...

stoic cave
#

You're still going to have to go through a redo of your SF86

light ledge
#

secret is usually the level the jobs which im applying are looking for

topaz forge
#

Like you could end up filling out a 100 page form, a polygraph test, specimen test, etc... LOL

flat sedge
light ledge
#

ah word, interesting. thank you

flat sedge
#

SF86 is always a pain

stoic cave
#

Secret is just computer checks mainly, unless the system flags something

flat sedge
#

it's never not a pain

light ledge
#

even confidential was a bit of a hassle but i dont mind a hassle from time to time lol

stoic cave
#

SSBI is every stone looked under by actual agents

flat sedge
#

Some kinds of Public Trust processes require interviews, Treasury in particular loves to do that shit

topaz forge
#

Wonder if FBI job application is worse than clearance... I remember a classmate talking about a family member applying and she had to fill out forms as thick as a Yellow Pages phonebook.

light ledge
#

my ex had ts-sci and i dont envy that process at all.

#

lots of hassles

stoic cave
#

Poly is split into Counter-Intel and Lifestyle

#

SCI isn't a clearance technically, it's still just an SSBI investigation. Then you're read in on the SCI

topaz forge
#

Just like owning and operating a gun shop, getting clearance is opening your life up to the government on demand...

#

sadface emoji

light ledge
#

he had to do the whole polygraph thing, sounded like a pain. but good to know the rest, appreciate the knowledge drop

stoic cave
#

So, not going to get into the legal side of it, but that's technically not true

#

You're still a private citizen

#

You just need a really good lawyer

topaz forge
stoic cave
#

You said you were a Pharmacist, but what's your education background? If you can't get a clearance through tech, you may want to trying going in through the government research route

topaz forge
#

I never said I was a pharmacist.

#

I said "for Pharmacy".... and my not getting clearance in Tech isn't me... I have to have a sponsorship, but to get sponsorship, I have to get the job. But yes, I've been working with a recruiter in the gov't sector. Just sent them an updated resume w/ my skills and certifications. They're going to reach out to a couple of their hiring managers looking for hiring students/recent grads.

pseudo creek
light ledge
#

Until the chronic anxiety gives them funny illegible lines xD

stoic cave
topaz forge
#

I'm probably too honest to the point I wouldn't pass the poly.

#

Might answer a question everyone tells you to answer the opposite of what you'd normally say and it'll flag me.

pseudo creek
stoic cave
#

Doesn't sound like the lifestyle poly

broken idol
stoic cave
#

Lifestyle, at least from someone I know, was them getting grilled for 8 hours by a psyc and an interrogator

pseudo creek
#

ahh no, this was pure poly, and was related to things on your SF86

#

I mean it is all lifestyle questions

stoic cave
#

Lifestyle is the one that is done in the "full scope" package

#

Then you and the person I know had very different experiences lol

pseudo creek
#

maybe they worked for one of the 3 letter orgs

stoic cave
#

They were going through the application

pseudo creek
#

I already had a SCI and this came afterwards

stuck ore
#

Anyone in the industry that can proof my resume so I can get out of being a Desktop Analyst

#

I know that's usually a paid service, but you'd be doing me a big favor 🙂

stoic cave
#

You can post a redacted copy as an image here

#

You'll need to verify

#

!docs verify

dire rivetBOT
stuck ore
#

sure, thank you 🙂

#

Ok don't laugh, I've been coasting jobs by recommendation for like a decade, so the resume hasn't been a big factor honestly >.<

#

But really without any security related certifications, or any at all, I need a way to express that I've got functional knowledge of some pretty specific security concepts, but I don't know how to make it not verbose as hell

stoic cave
#

Right off the bat, I'd get it into some form of LaTeX resume. You can find good templates online. Machine readable and easy to read as a human

#

Awesome-CV is a common one

#

Juun or Zojja are definitely more qualified to review the resume. I'm still starting my career lol

#

I'm more used to fresh out of college or still in college resumes

stuck ore
#

I will jump on the awesome-cv train, it does look better for sure, I've been using the same PDF for a long time 😄

stoic cave
#

Yeah, LaTeX does export nicely to PDF

#

Sometimes though, it can go to a non-standard paper size. So just be aware if you try to make a physical copy

stuck ore
#

I don't even know where I'd go to make a physical copy lol 😄

#

but thank you 🙂

pseudo creek
#

Profile
you put detail-oriented but then have a pretty vague resume. Do you have an interest in security or do you want to develop your career in cybersecurity?

Skills
Please put a descriptive skills section like what you do with each of the skills or level of experience.
"Deployed Windows 2019 and RHEL 8 servers within AWS environment"
as an example

Experience
Level 2 desktop analyst and other positions - very vague and really needs more details. Please add technologies used and other specifics.

Security Researcher - I'm reading between the lines and thinking this is bug bounty hunting which isn't work experience. Doesn't mean you shouldn't include it elsewhere in your resume but you need to put details such as how many bug bounties have you found? THM/HTB/HackerOne shouldn't be part of experience either.

stuck ore
#

thank you 😄

#

How would you explain a gap where you lived off of your savings and did nothing but study o.O

#

just wait until they ask about it?

pseudo creek
#

yeah exactly

stuck ore
#

See I was always under the impression that it just gets tossed if there's a big gap, but mine is probably getting tossed for other reasons lol 😅

#

I appreciate your input, I'll get to work rewriting it to be more specific and less "give me a job please" vague

pseudo creek
#

nah, there are a variety of reasons people have gaps

flat sedge
#

so long as you aren't hiding a prison sentence in that gap, you should be good

stuck ore
#

Nah, just wanted to explore my interests, see if I could turn something I used to enjoy as a hobby into a job

#

I'm trying to move away from supporting like... in-house software and stuff.

desert sonnet
# stoic cave Awesome-CV is a common one

Speaking of LaTeX, do people use LaTeX when writing reports in cyber? Say a pentester writing their report of a test, could they use LaTeX? Are there specific document type packages for cyber reports?

karmic hare
#

ty @carmine jolt

serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @carmine jolt

warm hinge
#

are the CompTIA exams all multiple choice? I just looked over the example questions for Sec+ and PenTest+ and they seem very simple, but I feel that this is probably not indicative of the actual exam

hexed magnet
warm hinge
serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @hexed magnet

stoic cave
#

Sorry, but these are for you to do. We cannot assist or provide insight with this sort of stuff.

stark marlin
#

my man these are normally under NDA be carefull sharing such stuff

#

Also yeah, this all on you to see your level so no point in us helping

hidden hamlet
#

Cool thanks

solemn marsh
vivid flume
#

CV tip for you all regarding any "Personal & Hobbies" sections from one of the recruiters at my place of work


Today's tip is about your HOBBIES & INTERESTS

This is one of the most under-used sections of most people's CVs. I have seen hundreds of CVs that just say "Hobbies: I enjoy running & playing the guitar" - Not being funny, but that adds NOTHING to your CV, you might as well not include it.

Apart from your personal statement, the hobbies & interests section is the only other part of your CV where the interviewer gets a glimpse into your personality.

It can also be another way to stand out from the competition, so think of this section as your “achievements in your personal life”, so include hobbies that show your commitment, perseverance and success.

If you don’t have any time outside of work to attend tech conferences or study technical certifications, what hobbies are best to include?

My rule of thumb is, anything interesting.....Have you run a marathon or are you a treasurer for a local charity that’s close to your heart? Do you have any random world records or a YouTube channel? Have you climbed Ben Nevis? These types of hobbies are always good to include because they show you are committed, plus they are a real talking point at the interview.

If (like me) your hobbies are things you do to relax, still mention them, but put more detail...

🎸 If you play guitar - Do you play in a band? What kind of music? Have you written songs together? What's the best gig you've played?

👾 Maybe you like gaming - What's your favourite video game? Why do you love it so much? What's the best score you've got? How long did it take you to get that score?

You get the gist.

Personally I watch a lot of true crime & cult documentaries in my spare time. In my own CV I went as far as to include who my favourite serial killer is & why... and I still managed to get a job here at BJSS 😂```
#

1/2
CV tip about cover letters again from one of our recruiters


For me the answer is yes. But only if it's written specifically for that role, not if it's a generic, copy & pasted email that adds nothing of value to your application.

Yesterday I rang an applicant who only met 1 of my 3 requirements, because he wrote a brilliant cover letter that made me want to know more about him. His passion shone through & it felt like he could have all the right attributes of a BJSSer. It turns out he isn't right for that specific role but I agreed to keep in touch & let him know if a role more suited to his skill-set comes up here at BJSS.

So makes a good cover letter? For me, it needs to explain why you want the job & evidence why your skill-set/personality are relevant for it.

When I was an agency recruiter I submitted thousands of CVs to jobs, and I always wrote & attached a cover letter to each CV application. A typical cover letter of mine would say something like:

"You said you wanted someone who could do X, Y and Z - well Sandra has done X & Y in her most recent & previous role with THIS and THIS positive outcome, and they are studying Z in their spare time in the hope to get some practical experience of Z in their next position. On this basis they seem to meet 2 of your 3 main requirements, plus they have the self-starter mindset you are looking for, as is evidenced in THIS relevant example.```
#

2/2


If you're applying directly to a role you can use this knowledge to your advantage. Pick out the 3 or 4 main bullet points from the job description & ensure you back up what you're saying about yourself with examples - this is key.

And if you're applying via an agency, I'd recommend you speak to them about the role first to check it's right for you, then write your own cover letter & ask them to submit it as part of your application. This will really help you stand out from the crowd. (Plus unfortunately not all agencies will go into this level of detail on your behalf).

The main downside to cover letters is when you spend a lot of time putting the effort into writing a relevant, tailored cover letter, only to receive a generic rejection email. Especially if you've applied for several roles, spent a long time tailoring each application & then still get nothing. It can feel like a real blow.

My advice in that situation would be to call/email the person who sent you the rejection email to ask for more information as to why you've been rejected. It could be that there is a reason you weren't aware of, such as you might be seeking a visa sponsorship but the company can't provide it.

I hope this helps someone today.```
#

Alright fine, another tip.

When looking for jobs using LinkedIn, you may have noticed a filter for the experience level. Be mindful that LinkedIn by default will classify a job as "Entry Level" if the poster has not entered a value. This has led to a lot of jobs incorrectly being classed as Entry Level.

In turn, if you happen to be looking for a start in the Cyber field, chances are that only a small percentage of those jobs are actually entry level. Even then when you find one, that market is so oversaturated it's extremely difficult to get that job.

Get your head down, study and gain experience. You'll get there 💪

pseudo creek
quick forum
vivid flume
quick forum
quick forum
quick forum
young root
vivid flume
# young root what is a cv

A CV is a document that shows your previous job experience, education, hobbies, etc. There are some examples that can help

young root
serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @vivid flume

flat sedge
vivid flume
#

Juun just posted what the 2 letters stand for

flat sedge
#

It's kind of like a resume; it's a little bit different but it's often interchangeable enough

topaz forge
#

"Fetti Wop".... that's a name I haven't heard in a long time... LOL

flat sedge
#

CV is more common from academia, and I had a professor and lab director who had a CV that was over 50 pages

topaz forge
#

Let me try that again... Resume update 2.1
Better? Suggestions?

image.png
sullen rose
#

Hi, I am currently in a French engineer school specialised in computed science. I am doing my 4th year and will soon finish my internship. I just had an offer by my company to work as an application security engineer junior, payed around 55k. I must take it now, or never (because they look for a permanent employees).
I have no diploma yet, not even a bachelor as I did an integrate class. If I stop my studies now and start working as an engineer. How restricted can become my future if I am good at what I am doing ?

I don't want to bother, but my job says 'no restriction' and my school says 'your high level career will stop the minute you leave us'. So I need profesionnal advices...

Any advice is welcome, thanks for your time

stoic cave
#

I'm not sure how it works in Europe, specifically France, but if you're 99% of the way through your degree, I don't think it's smart to leave.

stuck ore
#

alright I'm ready for round two, utilizing the awesome-cv thing (i'm gonna restyle it a bit later, working on content for now)

#

be gentle @pseudo creek 😎

#

also that's not the whole thing, just the meat that I actually want judged by pros

distant pier
#

One item: Only your bottom job has quantifiable/scaled information. Try to implement that at least once for each job, so it shows the scale/size of your work accomplishments. It adds extra value when demonstrating the size of environments/projects you worked on. 👍

stuck ore
#

So I should mention like... size of user bases? that's a hard one for me >.<

#

I dealt with users the most so far in my career, which is why I'm trying to be less... user-oriented lol

#

I know exactly what you're saying but I'm struggling to find a way to represent that 😢

distant pier
#

For example: the size of the network you automated testing for.

stuck ore
#

roger that, that makes sense, thank you 🙂

#

I found an article that discusses the different types of quantification for resume purposes, so I'll read this and revise

#

thank you @distant pier 😄

serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @distant pier

desert sonnet
#

Personally, I'd recommend finishing the course because it's a higher level qualification and you're probably just under halfway through your final year. The job sounds good, but there will likely be others like it. But, if you really want to take the role, I'd try to get your university to award you the BSc instead, if they allow that.

odd sparrow
#

Figured I'd try posting again since my last msg got no responses:

What would be a good substitute for work experience if I want to pursue blue team/government/healthcare? Would a home lab/VMs and playing with various tools and documenting my process be good, or should I pursue a weekend or part-time job in IT to go along with my pharmacy job? I prefer not to leave my current job just to get a full-time entry IT job since it might be too much of a paycut for me, but I would not mind an entry cybersecurity job (~70k+). I also built and upgraded my own computer a few times for gaming.

Background: I have a doctorate degree although it's non-IT (pharmacy), currently working full time at a hospital. Just got my sec+, planning to take net+ and AZ-900 within the next few months, and CySA sometime after that. Maybe in 3-5 years get the CASP. I spoke to the AVP of cybersecurity at my hospital who said he only really looks for security+ or gsec for entry level, and that knowing the hospital is already a plus. My plan is to either wait for an opening internally (they had 2 but on a hiring freeze atm), or apply to DoD where I have a couple connections. Any suggestions on gaining experience in my situation would be appreciated!

stuck ore
#

I went into Healthcare IT without any previous anything, I assume you're a foot in because you'll have a firm understanding of HIPAA

#

No clue though, I've never worked a day in cybersecurity

stuck ore
#

Alright, my final shame. Sorry I couldn't fit like... a rating system into skills, still trying to work that out

#

Any critiques welcome 🙂

pseudo creek
# stuck ore

so a few things... does the top of your resume show your clearance cuz I don't see it here...

Summary
I wouldn't say "cleared defense contractor", just defense contractor.. Also, I would not say "who chooses nano over vim every time", no one cares and it is such a weird thing to put in a resume. Besides if you want to go into offensive security, sometimes vim is all you got. This form of rigidity is just not attractive.

skills
I really like to see more descriptive skills, like what can you do vs a bunch of keywords thrown on the page. Besides that, I wouldn't throw outdates systems on the list such as Windows XP/7. An example of a descriptive skill is "Deploying and maintaining Windows Desktop and Ubuntu Linux systems" "System administration of Windows Server 2019" or whatever.

I would not consider Active Directory, AWS/Azure, Python or Powershell to be software. I would also not call out AWS/Azure VPCs separately.

Work experience
Would agree with Tim here, maybe need to show more scope. Also I wouldn't call out things like "Awarded for Charity contributions"

Certifications
Never try to explain what a cert is, get rid of the line below the cert

rustic gulch
#

Im currently on the waitlist for a cyber security bootcamp and they'll help me find work after it ends (through a va benefit called vettec) in the meantime i'm doing tryhack me and other free online resources. What sort of entry level roles should i look into ?

stuck ore
#

Got it, upwards and onwards again

pseudo creek
# odd sparrow Figured I'd try posting again since my last msg got no responses: What would be...

so there is no real substitute for work experience, your best bet is to try to build a portfolio, showing things you have done. Lots of people do this in github or other places. Write a blog post about your home lab, talk about things you are learning, post writeups of things you've done on THM/HTB and others. Other than that, network, network, network. I don't see why you couldn't get a job in cyber for $70k+ unless you really live in a super low CoL location

pseudo creek
pseudo creek
#

also splunk knowledge is useful

stuck ore
rustic gulch
serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @pseudo creek

stuck ore
#

feels like I'm trying to cram a novel onto one page lol >.<

pseudo creek
#

but if you decide to go forward, I'd call it "Scripting languages"

stuck ore
#

ok so put that under descriptive experiences

#

like under the jobs

#

but not generically o.o

pseudo creek
#

no, so.. I think the skills section is useful as a highlights section, things you want people to see when they look at your resume

stuck ore
#

I can probably drop extracurricular activities too and save some space

pseudo creek
#

I didn't even touch on that... you can but also if you put THM/HTB, it should really just be 1 line

stuck ore
#

Roger that, I'm just trying to use it in an attempt to show that I'm not sitting on my ass doing nothing

pseudo creek
#

like "Self learning through cybersecurity learning websites such as TryHackMe and HackTheBox"

stuck ore
#

but I don't know how it looks from the hiring side of things

pseudo creek
#

It is a positive but it shouldn't take up that much space

stuck ore
#

got it, thank you @pseudo creek your advice has been priceless

serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @pseudo creek

stuck ore
#

especially now that I can't rely on people I know just being like "submit a shit resume and I'll get you hooked up"

pseudo creek
#

never a good plan

sullen rose
serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @desert sonnet

vivid flume
warm hinge
#

i have looked at the search and couldnt see much in the way of feedback

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about the CAPSLOCK course/bootcamp being ran in the UK? Please feel free to DM me if its easier

livid ember
odd sparrow
#

for an entry level CV/resume with no IT job experience, is it beneficial to put that I built and maintained a PC (and home lab when I build one)? and that I troubleshoot coworker computer issues at my pharmacy job? the simple ones, not the ones that need real IT assistance

stoic cave
#

You can put your homelab in a projects section of your resume.

#

Not sure about the troubleshooting a pc at your pharmacy job. I'd probably leave it to things you actually do day to day

odd sparrow
clever rain
misty musk
#

@pseudo creek When you make an appearance, I would love your thoughts on what you think an entry level job in Australia would look like: I've tried looking at SOC Analysis on both LinkedIn and www.seek.com.au -- but as of yet, haven't been able to find what I would assume would be entry level. I do want to mention that I have A+, Net+ and Sec+ but with no "on the job" experience, I feel like I'm going to be left out of the recruitment pool in terms of the jobs that I could do.

E.g Job posting: https://www.seek.com.au/job/59449299 -- Not that I think this is entry level but I did read somewhere that anything between 0 to 3 years is considering entry level somehow.

Thanks for all your advice and help, sorry if it's rude to at you directly at this time, its 11:30PM here so I need to hit the hay.

DM Me if you need to.

serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @pseudo creek

pseudo creek
# misty musk <@740248496283713617> When you make an appearance, I would love your thoughts on...

I wish I had more insight for you, I've heard the Australian market is extremely tough. If you ever see Varg around, pick his brain as he would know better than me.

In the US, there are a variety of avenues and I'd hope they are similar. Getting your foot into IT, if not cyber, is where I'd like. Lots of people apply for help desk positions or junior network/sys admin positions.

I would keep searching, like this position I found on the surface seems entry level friendly
https://www.seek.com.au/job/59420533?type=promoted#sol=c8deed14ecb4269c3b85fda2215cd47e64133294

The primary issue would be that... who are you competing against? even if a job looks entry level-ish, other people may be applying that have experience and kick you out of the hiring pool.

SEEK
Cyber Incident Response Analyst Job in Melbourne VIC

Great Immediate contract for a strong Incident Management Analyst

viral spruce
unique helm
#

hello

#

newbie here

#

im in interested in cybersecurity and now i have started learning in Tryhackme !

warm hinge
candid terrace
#

Should I do an MS in cybersecurity or Computer science after my bachelors? Is it worth it?

clever rain
# candid terrace Should I do an MS in cybersecurity or Computer science after my bachelors? Is it...

@candid terrace what kind of work do you want to do in cybersecurity? The answer to this question will almost always be "It depends". Bona fide, hands-on, production experience will almost always win over degrees and certs unless the field/company that you want to work in requires it. If not, I'd focus on getting experience under your belt; an even better win would be a company that will support your MS studies and tuition as a benefit. This way, you get experience and that advanced degree in parallel. Again though, it really depends on where you currently are at and what your goals are.

hexed magnet
thorn drift
#

I got an interview at a security consulting company on monday for a junior pentest/ethical hacking consultang position. The interview is only going to be half an hour, but they said it's going to contain a few technical questions.
The job description didn't give much information except that knowledge of common tools like nmap and burp suite are desirable.

Any tips on what I should prep for?

quick forum
thorn drift
serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @quick forum

thorn drift
#

currently going through their website to understand every nook and cranny of their business.

candid terrace
serene umbraBOT
#

Gave +1 Rep to @clever rain

candid terrace
clever rain
# thorn drift currently going through their website to understand every nook and cranny of the...

@thorn drift without knowing any specifics, it sounds like the consulting company is willing to hire junior staff. This likely means that the company is not expecting (hopefully not anyway) in depth knowledge but instead, someone that is trainable. Your approach to know everything about the consulting company is a good one. My guess is that the company wants to hire someone that is well spoken, presentable, and can figure out the problems when given time to research more that knowing the "correct" answers at the interview. Try to focus on how you'd provide good value to clients and more importantly, options to choose from, which in turn, gives clients' agency and makes the consulting company more revenue. Think about why a client would even want a pentest/ethical hacking client to begin with besides "required for compliance" or "because bad things will happen and you'll be in the news". Remember, businesses manages all kinds of risks everyday; cybersecurity is just one of many (e.g. market conditions, competitors, IP theft, etc.). IMHO, if you focus on helping the client understand and manage risk by giving 3 ~ 5 potential solutions in order of cost vs benefit vs risk mitigation, you'll have a head start over the candidate that can only speak L337 and how she'll get root on your containers. This is obviously a huge discussion but I hope my comments help a little. Good luck my friend!

thorn drift
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they're focused on fintech companies, so those need to be certified according to some standards.
I also have broad experience talking to people in understandable ways (science communicator for children and museum guide) and am fluent in 4 languages, so I hope that impresses them.

thorn drift
serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @clever rain

clever rain
# candid terrace I reside in India and it's really necessary to do an MS to get a better job, a B...

Are you looking to get a job in India or outside of India? If the latter, all I can say is that I currently lead a TCS team from Asia (fully remote), have actually been to India (as well as other countries), and work with/and have hired many fine folks from India (and other countries) and of all the folks I've worked with (any nationality actually), their degree/cert status was never a deciding factor. My experience is of course anecdotal but as a person that has B.A., M.S., and a bunch of alphabet soup of certs, being able to communicate well, think flexibly, and tie cybersecurity into business outcomes (e.g. revenue, profitability) always wins over technical knowledge. Note that I'm absolutely not suggesting technical knowledge isn't important (of course it is!); I'm just suggesting that being a good communicator and working well with others might be more valuable than an MS degree. And if you aren't a good communicator but extremely technical, that's fine too. Just decide if you are okay with that (vs want to improve) and position yourself to be a gold mine of technical knowledge and show how that is valuable to clients/employers/etc.

thorn drift
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plus they have a really good on-boarding process where you basically get a company-specific syllabus and need to pass their own internal certification before you can take your own projects with clients. sounds really good and I'm really looking forward to working with them.

clever rain
thorn drift
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thanks!

candid terrace
# clever rain Are you looking to get a job in India or outside of India? If the latter, all I ...

My preference is outside India, but as I'm aware, I'm in between the more communicative and more technical side as I'm still on intermediate level, might change later but as you said that communication, flexibility and tie cybersecurity into business outcomes work as well, I might just as well work on them too. I have a plan, but anything I can get, I do it. Like I didn't know that I could do this too, I mean, it might be different in other places? Anyways, so anything that benefits me or my improvement.

clever rain
# candid terrace My preference is outside India, but as I'm aware, I'm in between the more commun...

@candid terrace you will be fine! The fact that you are on this forum is a testament of your dedication! Just one word of caution.....when you are interviewing, please do not express how the role will benefit you. You gotta play the game my friend...you have to express how you will benefit the company! I'm not saying you have to kiss butt or be disenginious...but...you have to let them know how you'll make them more profitable/better (i.e. by reducing risk and/or more revenue). Yes, in private, you will become more awesome but for your future employer, they need to feel comfortable with how their investment in YOU will be beneficial to THEM.

candid terrace
serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @clever rain

sudden hawk
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Hey, I am a student currently in my 3rd year of cybersecurity studies looking for unpaid internships if anyone has any connections to any companies or any sort of help would be appreciated.

stoic cave
pseudo creek
stoic cave
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If you're in your third year, start looking for paid internships in your area through your countries primary job board

sudden hawk
sudden hawk
serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @stoic cave

pseudo creek
sudden hawk
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Well, yeah, hahab

pseudo creek
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but looks like Finland is part of the EU so at least you can look at other EU countries?

sudden hawk
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Yup!

stoic cave
# sudden hawk Thank you, however I dont think my knowledge is enough to land me a paid positio...

Interns aren't supposed to know anything, if we're being honest. Sure, the things you're learning in your degree you should know and be able to explain. However, the point of an internship is for you to gain industry experience in an environment that's both beneficial to you and the company. You get the experience and the company potentially gets to hire you if they think you are a good fit.

clever rain
sick rain
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I'm looking at jobs and everything I'm seeing needs degree's and experience, how can I land a job without having either of those?

stoic cave
# sick rain I'm looking at jobs and everything I'm seeing needs degree's and experience, how...

If you're talking about Cybersecurity, you're going to need one or the other. Security is not an entry level area within the Computer Industry. Many that don't go the Bachelors degree route work in IT to gain experience in order to then move to a security role after a few years. Those in degree programs will generally search for internships and then look for work after schooling.

sick rain
serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @stoic cave

hexed magnet
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Anyone here in the Netherlands?

uncut salmon
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Advice me aslo

warm hinge
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is there any experienced QA person that can recommend some certification to switch more to the cybersec (without loosing 50% of your salary 😅 ) ? I was thinking about CompTia Pentest certification.

quick forum
warm hinge
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@quick forum I am located within Europe and European market is most interesting for me to work with. I am just wondering, would like for example to do more with penetration testing, but this requires some kind of "downgrade" from my current position when it comes to the salary range. Most companies they do not have own pentesters, but are delegating security checks to external companies as "external audit". Or do you think there might be companies to have all in one position?

wispy scarab
vagrant socket
#

Hey everyone. I'm an American college student looking to get my bachelors and beginner certs in cyber from WGU. I'm a bit nervous looking at the job market that I won't have much experience once I graduate and may not be very competitive. Other than school, certs, and looking for IT work and internships, what should I be doing to advance my career? Also, when should I expect to actually get my first job in cyber?

rugged delta
# vagrant socket Hey everyone. I'm an American college student looking to get my bachelors and be...

If you're doing a bachelors in cyber, a lot of companies coordinate their recruitment and internship programmes to coincide with your graduating. Because cybersecurity is not considered an entry level topic, most people do spend some time in tech support, QA and other IT positions to gain experience when looking for cybersec roles. If you combine your experience with some cybersec certifications, companies are more open to onboarding you but you will need to show understanding of some area of computing, such as Linux, Windows, Networking, Coding... Perhaps start a github/gitlab and/or a blog about your experiences

vagrant socket
# rugged delta If you're doing a bachelors in cyber, a lot of companies coordinate their recrui...

Thanks for the reply. I don't have much coding experience yet but I know it will come with my degree. I have A+ and I am working on Net+ at the moment so my IT fundamentals are good. It is pretty hard to get jobs in my area, I live rural with my parents and don't have the money to move out just yet. I am hiring myself out as freelance IT since our little town doesn't have anywhere to go for computer help. Is it reasonable to think that that experience will be seen as comparable to a couple years of helpdesk as long as I actually learn the skills?

serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @rugged delta

flat sedge
warm hinge
# sick rain Thank you!

Also learn and understand the fundamentals, network+ sec+. This is what I did to get a job, with no experience. There’s a lot of free equivalent material and courses out there. Good luck 🙂

sick rain
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Thanks, I'm working on learning network+ now and I have been programming for as long as I can remember because I've found it's something I'm good at. I have fun solving problems and creating things with code. Now I'm trying my best to learn security and get a job in this field. I just hope it all works out

inner elm
quiet pine
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is it possible to go from security engineer to system administrator? it seems like its a step backwards but im only starting off in my career and trying to get a feel for everything. i enjoy active directory & the security aspects to it so im trying to go down a path where i can work alot in that area

sullen agate
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What we need to learn. To become a ethical haking

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Java or python

pseudo creek
quiet pine
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I try to mess around with my home lab so practice those skills but that’s about it for sys admin practice. But at work & outside of work, I do work in a lot of AD related stuff and IT work, with a focus in security ofc. Idk maybe I’m just rambling or some shit lol cuz I’m stressing or something

pseudo creek
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its basically system administration at scale

quiet pine
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Ah I see

pseudo creek
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but honestly, I wouldn't worry about it too much, you don't necessarily need to be a sys admin to succeed in cyber

quiet pine
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Vice versa as well?

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I would think having a good foundation in cyber security would help in a sys admin role in some areas

pseudo creek
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sysadmins do need to know security

quiet pine
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Right

flat sedge
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i'll caveat onto what zojja is saying, sysadmins don't need to know all security, they just need to know how and why to apply hardening.

#

A majority of security policy comes from security teams, and it's up to admins of various types to ensure that things meet those policy requirements as written

pseudo creek
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and it depends but sysadmins may need to not only know OS security but also application security and some networking security concepts

#

but yes, it wouldn't be the sole job of the sysadmin, they should be working with security teams

quiet pine
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They ensure systems & apps are up to standards while the security team essentially “enforces” the policy /standard

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If that makes sense

pseudo creek
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or provides guidance

flat sedge
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Often, the admin team will get a report of findings. And it will be up to them to work with the security team to know which ones are false positives, which are true positives, and which of the true positives it is possible to remediate that doesn't expose more risk

pseudo creek
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I work a lot with our sys admin teams to determine how we are going to deploy systems as well as changes in security controls to those systems and various nuances

flat sedge
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Unless there is unlimited budget for that, the negotiation of what's fixable may have shifting goalposts as well

quiet pine
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English is hard…

stable oasis
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Hello everyone. Is it possible to get a internship in Cybersecurity when u are a 3rd year btech student, if so can anyone guide me how to get one?

loud marsh
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There is no special sauce.

misty musk
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@tribal flicker Ping pong! Zojja advised that I should pick your brain in regards to career in cyber in Australia. Please dm when you can!

warm hinge
warm hinge
stark marlin
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agree with kakashi on this one

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and likewise i got a full time job in my 2nd year

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you just need to have a good resume/blog under your belt

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so you can show to the possible emplyeers

crisp herald
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Blog or homelab

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I just got an offer for a SoC t1 job, and half the interview questions were about my homelab xD

stable oasis
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can you please tell share your experience and the skills that you had when you applied for internship, also please share how you approached the companies and how did you know that so and so company are hiring cyber security interns @warm hinge @stark marlin

stark marlin
# stable oasis can you please tell share your experience and the skills that you had when you a...

I luckily got my first job as a full time employee instead of an intern, but ideally look at Linkedin and your local job boards. I would recommend participating in CTFs/Hackathons around your place as well as that really gets your name across, i got my current job through a hackathon. I personally just had eJPT at that time, and had a website for my notes : https://enotes.nickapic.com/d7b12ee8bd954df6a3bcc335f5de26b7 , mostly thats it

Ethical Hacking Workspace on Notion
Ethical Hacking Notes

Made by : https://github.com/nickapic

stable oasis
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thank you nickapic

stark marlin
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No problemo coolguy

warm hinge
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Guys is there anyone can help me with PolyU CS Interview? What they generally ask or what should I say them etc :// Im kinda nervous and I really wanna get accepted to the uni

frail copper
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Hi everyone !

I want to share an achievement badge in my linkedin profile ; the only issue is the badge reference by (Username) WHICH might found improper reference in professional zone.

The question is:

  • COULD I change the badge details to refer my name instead of username ?

  • IF I CANT, how I change my USERNAME as it cannot be edited in my public profile ?

Pls advise with SUPER THANKS in advance,

broken idol
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!email

dire rivetBOT
frail copper
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Well received & noted.

loud marsh
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If you are young, stay in college folks and work on your side projects. I got 3 job offers as new grad. I didnt even expect it.

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Dream is possible

frail copper
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I am TMT lawyer in fact

scarlet silo
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anyone know if its a good idea to apply to multiple jobs at Boeing?? I know some companies have a limit, for example with amazon once you hit 5 concurrent applications, anything past that is disregarded without you knowing. At least internally.

loud marsh
scarlet silo
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neato, thanks 🙂

stoic beacon
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anyone interact with or know someone affiliated with Lockheed Martin or etc? was considering contactor work with the government once all my ducks are in a row

pseudo creek
stoic beacon
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that kinda is the question

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just wondering what it's like doing contractor work and how to get into it, etc

pseudo creek
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you apply like any other position

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if you are in college, various contractors will have recruiting websites for college students

stoic beacon
serene umbraBOT
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Gave +1 Rep to @pseudo creek

clever rain
# stoic beacon anyone interact with or know someone affiliated with Lockheed Martin or etc? was...

@stoic beacon I have worked in military contracting but not from college. I can't speak much to the link that @pseudo creek provided however, please note that you'll typically need a clearance (secret or top secret) for cybersecurity jobs; I'm guessing the internship/coop is put in place so that you can gain experience while you are getting cleared which is a good thing as it can take a while. Actually, I took a peek and it seems that processing times have gotten a lot better (https://news.clearancejobs.com/2021/10/25/how-long-does-it-take-to-process-a-clearance-q4-2021/). Anyway, there are many opportunities in military contracting so keep applying. If you can score a top secret clearance and get a few years experience at a defense contractor, you'll be positioned to have many options/opportunities. The reason I mention the clearance is that if you have any "blemishes" on your record (i.e. felonies) it might be a challenge to get cleared so heads up. Good luck!

ClearanceJobs
How Long Does it Take to Process a Clearance? Q4 2021

Top Secret clearance processing times saw a slight uptick in Fiscal Year Q4 of 2021, thanks to an increase in adjudication times, increasing to 181 for a DoD/Industry Top Secret security clearance.

stoic beacon
clever rain
# stoic beacon im a veteran myself so i can get a ts clearance easy

Nice! I'm glad that they sped up the processing times. I haven't worked for a defense contractor for a long time but the last time I did, it took almost 10 months to adjudicate a secret...I'm a veteran and held a secret before however, I've also been overseas pretty much my whole adult life so I probably get more scrutiny. TS was 24 months around that time too so I pretty much gave up. I'm still toying with the idea of going back to defense contracting but FinTech has been treating me well so far.

stoic beacon
clever rain
# stoic beacon what do you do currently?

CISO/ISO/Offensive Security and bunch of other stuff. lol IMO, the good thing about working in FinTech, particularly startups, is that you get to do a lot of different things vs defense contracting where you might get stuck doing only a few things. One of the main reasons I left defense contracting was I got bored. But now I'm usually so busy that I miss being bored sometimes. lol

stoic beacon
clever rain
# stoic beacon how'd you break into it though?

I was working help desk a long time ago for CSC in Asia and got tired of not being able to move into networking or server admin. I had really strong metrics for support so my managers didn't want to let me transfer so I got tired of the BS. "hey, get your MCSE and you can transfer"; I do it and then it's, "oh but you need to get your CCNP then you can move"; I do it and then, oh <insert next excuse> . Anyway, I just applied and applied and kind of got lucky; a hiring manager interviewed me and he happened to be a former marine. It was a finance company and since it was a small team, I got to do pretty much everything, including cybersecurity, and then moved up and up from there. Just keep trying my friend; all you need is one good opportunity and then make the most of it. I will say that one thing that definitely made my transition into cybersecurity a lot smoother was having experience outside of infosec and understanding how the businesses make money. There have definitely been A LOT of bumps along the way and still so much to learn it seems though.

stoic beacon
clever rain
stoic beacon
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will do, thanks again man!

stoic cave
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If you're in school, GDIT, Raytheon, Lockheed (from Zojja), and I think BAE have College clearance to Workforce Pipelines

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As a contractor, the work can vary wildly and it's rare that you'll get to touch new "cool guy shit"

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Tech a decade behind is common

pseudo creek
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also there are jobs that don't require clearance at contractors, working for internal IT although cyber jobs will still tend to want a clearance 'eventually' but it doesn't mean you can't do work without it

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although I have seen it where someone was given a job with contingency that their clearance would go through and it didn't... so they were let go

stoic cave
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Yeah, I don't think ive seen an IT job at one of those companies that doesn't require a clearance. However, I'm also not looking. The contingency people will usually be put on other projects until they their clearance and they can start work.

pseudo creek
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We definitely do but because we have a large unclassified network / infrastructure/ data centers and clearances are expensive. First 7 or so years, I didn't have a clearance but I also only worked in unclassified facilities supporting an unclassified environment.

stoic cave
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Interesting

warm hinge
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hi

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i am 16 yo from switzerland, i would move to USA to get graduated there but i need a plan

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my dubt is: should i get a associate degree on CS (computer science) just to learn the foundamentals of how pc works and why etc and then go for a bachelor/master in cyber sec?

radiant jasper
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yes u should

pseudo creek
radiant jasper
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i guess

rugged delta
pseudo creek
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The issue is if you want to stay in the US or go back to Switzerland? I don't know immigration requirements but although masters degrees without experience are not recommended, I think masters degrees might help with immigration. If you get to that point, I'd talk to an immigration lawyer

warm hinge
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but before it i need bachelor

pseudo creek
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Like I said, masters degrees generally aren't recommended in the US without industry experience

warm hinge
warm hinge
pseudo creek
warm hinge
#

ah comptia

pseudo creek
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Comptia A+

warm hinge
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i got it

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@pseudo creekanother thing, i would go to public school coz cost issue

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standford takes about 60k$ x year and f that

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there are better university with less costs in my opinion

pseudo creek
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Public school is only cheap for people who are instate

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I would definitely recommend applying to private universities, they have more money for scholarships

warm hinge
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pre-test

pseudo creek
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Last I looked, University of California was more than $60k for people outside the country

warm hinge
#

my english is not C1 grade

warm hinge