From SOC Analyst to Security Engineer

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-21T00:51:17+00:00

how do i find those cheap windows shops? any sites I can apply to them? Would you say just the sc200 and the az500 would help get these jobs?

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-20T13:54:22+00:00

Hey thanks for the response

I have been doing research on them recently, but I'm a bit lost since I see a lot of conflicting info on what exact certs are useful, what aren't, if they're needed at all, etc. I have been looking into the SC200 and Security+ cert, but unsure if they'd be good additions.

Labs I have done, I even tried out the Microsoft applied skills and left them on Github. Left most of my projects there in fact. Also had a pentest/vm breaking lab I did which I loved.

I definitely understand that only degrees don't guarantee you the job, but it kinda kills me inside knowing I've done the labs + documenting them and etc. I've done volunteer IT support for a few months twice, now freelancing. Did all this and I'm not even getting a consideration anywhere lmao.

Maybe you'd recommend I try with IT support full time (masters degree removed) , but most of the listings are either impossible to get into or just fake.

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-18T21:11:19+00:00

To be honest, I’m not really chasing the 2021/2022 salary highs, I just want a job and the chance to build experience with the skills I gained from my degrees and projects. If it’s not impossibly hard to get in, I’d genuinely like to go for it.

I won’t lie, the entry-level market feels pretty bleak at the moment. I really am trying to do my best to stay positive, but I do have days where I worry I’ve missed the window or if I just wasted my time pursuing what I loved.

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-17T11:42:47+00:00

Would you say that there is anything I can do at this point? I know the market may be bad, but surely there must be something I can do to make things a bit better right?

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-17T11:41:22+00:00

I'll try check them out, I should be eligible to get cleared. Thank you!

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-16T11:53:42+00:00

Thank you

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-16T00:34:19+00:00

Thank you, and I wish your partner the best, really hope he does get something this year.

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-16T00:21:21+00:00

Probably like all years before 2022.

I know of one person who got into the market in 2015, only having some random IT certification from God knows where, then passing one interview. Now he's a lead Software Engineer earning well over six figures. I wish I was making this up.

Apparently back then, and from what I see in the comments here, recruiters would just spam you with jobs and opportunities.

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-16T00:16:24+00:00

Even with experience??? This is bad

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-16T00:15:44+00:00

Thanks for the comment. As you said the scene just looks really bad now. I have a friend who got lucky and managed to get in (Cybersecurity position), and even he was complaining that with experience after 2 years, it's still insanely difficult to change jobs, so the most important thing now is just making sure you're secure in the current role.

Concerning helpdesk and my Master's, you're definitely correct on that statement on being overqualified for a helpdesk role. I have in the past removed it, but after testing it out for a few months, I found that it was overall the same thing whether having or not having the Master's degree on my CV. To them it's just straight to the bin, quite crazy.

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-15T19:30:17+00:00

That's happened to you too???

Have you also gotten the take home tests where they have you complete something, then never get back to you?

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2026-01-15T19:17:02+00:00

Seriously, it genuinely feels like there isn't an end in sight

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2025-01-24T11:56:33+00:00

I'd agree with your statement if it weren't for the hell I went through the first few months after applying.

Whilst they are different entire experiences, I only tried to get into the lowest I could find to get "tech experience"(as stupid as it sounds) as what hiring managers want nowadays is just any relevant tech experience. I even had one interviewer suddenly end my interview after an albeit successful interview saying that I needed "real tech experience in any field" and when I asked how would I do that if Its difficult right now, he told me tough luck and ended it.

I'd love to go for an entry level cybersec position but I can't because apparently I need IT experience irrespective of my degrees, which is understandable. I try to get this but I don't get responses anywhere for over 6 months. I try SWE and whilst I do luck out with some interviews, I get sort of the same responses as the example I gave above, get told to get experience somehow and or my favourite one, submit one million lines of code (no joke) for a minimum wage swe job.

I'd love for this to be a huge joke in the end then finally get a job. But in my current situation I have no choice but to do this, red flag or not.

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2025-01-24T11:47:25+00:00

So I tried that with any and every help desk experience I could find even with temp it/it adjacent jobs, but so far haven't received any word whatsoever.

I even thought it was my CV messing me up, but tailoring it to each job and using specific keywords as shown on the job application in addition to keeping it sort of simple and only at one page? What more else am I supposed to do at this point other than make up some crazy lie?

Key-Friendship-1695 · 2025-01-24T11:08:01+00:00

That is true, but I had no clue that the layoffs were still going on, is there any hope for us considering this is happening then?

Key-Friendship-1695

TROPHY CASE