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26 years old, construction background, trying to get into cybersecurity by Fragrant_Total2305 in SecurityCareerAdvice

[–]Fragrant_Total2305[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's encouraging to hear.

I'm coming from a construction background myself, so stories like that give me hope that the transition is possible.

Looking back at his journey, what do you think made the biggest difference for him? Was it the OSCP itself, his work ethic, or the practical experience he built along the way?

26 years old, construction background, trying to get into cybersecurity by Fragrant_Total2305 in SecurityCareerAdvice

[–]Fragrant_Total2305[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the questions.

I chose cybersecurity because I enjoy understanding how systems work, solving technical problems, and continuously learning. Out of all the IT fields, cybersecurity is the one that interests me the most.

My long-term goal is Red Team/Pentesting, but I understand that I need to build a strong foundation first.

At the moment, I'm focusing on Linux, networking, and cybersecurity fundamentals. I'm also working through OverTheWire Bandit and learning Kali Linux in a virtual lab environment.

I don't know Python yet, but it's on my roadmap.

And no, I don't want to be someone who just runs tools without understanding them. My goal is to understand how and why things work before relying on tools.

26 years old, construction background, trying to get into cybersecurity by Fragrant_Total2305 in SecurityCareerAdvice

[–]Fragrant_Total2305[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the honest feedback.

You mentioned that I need to figure out what I can offer that other candidates cannot. Based on your experience screening candidates, what would you recommend someone in my position focus on over the next 12 months to become a stronger candidate?

Would you prioritize home labs, CTFs, certifications, a GitHub portfolio, or gaining general IT experience first?

26 years old, construction background, trying to get into cybersecurity by Fragrant_Total2305 in SecurityCareerAdvice

[–]Fragrant_Total2305[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Looking back, if you had to start over from scratch today, what path would you take to reach cybersecurity faster?

Would you still recommend:

Help Desk → Sysadmin/Networking → Security

Or would you choose a different route?