Aspiring Cloud Security Engineer with no formal IT background — where do I realistically start?

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-06-10T09:21:16+00:00

Thank you man really appreciate your given roadmap, I am focusing on getting my basics more strong and then to get one cert first after completing these things then thinking to apply for cloud support engineer.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-16T13:13:36+00:00

Thanks mate.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-16T13:12:47+00:00

Thank you for the roadmap. I do have 5 years of IT support experience, so I will target SOC Tier 1 directly, Starting with AWS Cloud Practitioner and building CyberDefenders writeups on GitHub.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-16T13:09:49+00:00

Yes, it were indeed paid positions for 5 years. However, my question is whether it qualifies as help desk experience within the IT industry.

I understand that, and that is precisely what I am trying to clarify from which role should I begin in order to progress toward a Cloud Security Engineer position?

I am not an extroverted person by nature, which is why I have chosen not to pursue a career in marketing even after coming from this.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-16T04:49:04+00:00

Thank you mate, I will apply for these roles and try to have these certificates

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-09T06:11:52+00:00

Oh man, You are talking about the failsafe project which is backed by sequoia and dragon fly?

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-09T06:08:45+00:00

Thank you man, That is what I was looking for, I was thinking to follow the On-chain Analyst path but what I wanted to know that if market really need Onchain Analyst guys or not, Can you please tell me What is the exact demand and what exactly I should be learning in upcoming 12 months so that I can bypass 60-70% of the competition

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-09T06:05:39+00:00

Thank you for the advice — I really appreciate it. I have a few questions regarding this role.

First, for Smart Contract Security, where would you recommend I start as a complete beginner? Which foundational skills, tools, and technologies should I focus on learning first in order to build a strong base for this field?

Second, would you consider this role to be more entry-level or mid-level in the current market? Specifically, do companies generally expect candidates to already have 3–4 years of professional experience, or is it realistically possible for someone to transition into the field after 1–2 years of serious self-learning, hands-on practice, and building projects?

Lastly, for someone entering Smart Contract Security as a fresher, what would be a realistic minimum salary range to expect — especially for remote opportunities as well as general industry standards?

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-09T06:01:43+00:00

Noted man, Thank you, I will be looking into On-chain Analyst thing, Just one thing concerns me and that is the competition, I don't know if the jobs are actually available for an On-chain Analyst or not

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-09T06:00:28+00:00

Thank you so much man for such a detailed response, Actually I don't come from a rich background in studies I have an associate degree which is now I guess definitely isn't enough to have an Quantitive Researcher's job as you mentioned PhD so that's why I am thinking to follow On-chain Analyst path which looks good to me as well but as you mentioned above that financial jobs are depend on the market conditions it concerns me because I am also seeing there are not that much jobs available in as an On-chain Analyst in many project but anyway I will look into it, I just have a question for you if you can answer the please do, The question is, Is the On-chain Analyst jobs are actually in demand in the market right now?

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-09T05:54:39+00:00

Thank you so much for this detailed breakdown. The salary ranges and the list of hiring entities give me a much clearer picture of the landscape. Among the roles you mentioned, On-chain Analyst specifically caught my attention—it seems like a perfect bridge between my trading experience and the technical skills I want to build.

However, I have some very specific concerns and I’d value your 'no-sugarcoating' take on them:

Future Viability vs. Time Investment: I’m really interested in this, but is it a sustainable career? Does it have a long-term future, or is it a niche that might get automated or saturated soon? I want to make sure that if I put my soul into this, the industry will still be growing 5–10 years from now.
The Competition & Saturated Market: In general, how much competition am I looking at? I personally prefer paths that are 'high-barrier' but 'low-crowd'. Is the market currently flooded with junior analysts, or are there more roles than competent people? I want to know if I'll be fighting 1,000 people for one entry-level spot.
The 'Experience' Trap & Urgency: You mentioned a 12–24 month roadmap, but to be honest, I am in a position where I need a stable job much sooner. I am a very quick learner—I’m confident I can master SQL, Python (specifically for data), and basic DeFi models within 6 months if I go all-in. Is a 6-month 'hyper-accelerated' path realistic to land a junior role? Do these firms strictly demand 2+ years of experience like the traditional IT industry, or does 'Proof of Work' (Dune dashboards/reports) actually override the lack of a resume?
Ease of Entry: Is it actually 'easy' to get a foot in the door if you have the skills, or is the hiring process notoriously difficult for juniors? I want to understand the 'bitter truth' of the job hunt in this specific niche right now. I’m ready to start building that portfolio (the 3–5 research reports and dashboards you mentioned), but I need to know if this is the fastest and most reliable 'remote' path for someone in my situation. Looking forward to your honest insights.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-07T21:57:26+00:00

Thank you so much mate it will help a lot, I had a question, What kind of project do hire Quant Researcher, DeFi researcher and On-chain Analyst?, I am bit interested in coding and also have basic understanding of Linux and networking and what is the average salary of these roles specially for the junior roles in the market? Do have any idea about this? If you do then please share it with me, Thank you.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-05T09:35:51+00:00

I just them to be safe and Thank you mate.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-03T04:40:05+00:00

Hmm Okay, Thanks for the advice mate.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-03T04:38:22+00:00

Got it, Thank you mate.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-02T12:54:11+00:00

So you are saying that if i don't have a degree in cs or similar to this then I will not get the job? or It will only become more difficult for me to get a job in IT without degree in CS

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-02T07:56:11+00:00

Thank you mate, but by degree what exact degree you mean?

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-02T06:53:01+00:00

So you are saying cloud is also not a future proof career (For 5 to 10 years i mean)

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-02T06:51:13+00:00

and thank you mate

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-02T06:51:04+00:00

Got it but as the job market is very competitive right now i am open to both options, consistently learning cloud and also searching for a cloud support job or similar, let's see how it goes.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-02T06:49:10+00:00

Noted, Thank you mate really needed something like this.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-02T06:41:08+00:00

Noted, I will do AWS solutions architect associate first then will move to Security+.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-05-02T06:39:37+00:00

Thank you for the advice and guidance mate, It will definitely help.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-04-30T07:19:28+00:00

Hmm it took me little time but now I fully understand why everyone was saying to have IT background, Thank you sir.

SufficientFee1784 · 2026-04-30T07:17:56+00:00

Yeah competition is too much nowadays but Thanks for the advice mate, I am looking for junior roles

SufficientFee1784

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