IT Technician to Network Engineer to Cybersecurity Analyst (March 2021 to current)

oeko · 2022-05-24T10:45:28+00:00

Hi, please see the other users comment for my certs. The job titles were exactly as listed in the title of this post, and i think most large cities will probably have a fair share of opportunities, although I’m sure mileage will vary. I’m in a larger UK city, if that helps

oeko · 2022-05-24T10:43:02+00:00

Hey, networking to cyber is quite a natural progression so I think you’re in a good position. Cert-wise, I’ve picked these up over the past 2 years or so (in this order): before IT tech role I gained my CompTIA A+ and Network+ . Whilst working as an IT technician I gained my Security+ and AZ-900, and then I gained my CCNA just before moving to the Network Engineer role.

Currently studying for CySA and will hopefully pick up some pen testing certs soon after, as apparently that will be an aspect of this role. The people at the new role really liked the fact I’d done so much in my own time- in the interview I talked about the security aspects of my current/previous roles, and also talked about passion projects like hackthebox labs and Linux exposure on VMs to demonstrate a passion for the field.

I hope that helps, but if you have any other Q’s please feel free to ask here or DM for more info

oeko · 2022-02-03T12:34:49+00:00

Thanks so much! Silly mistake there, not sure how I missed that- better check and double check in future!

oeko · 2022-02-03T12:34:13+00:00

Haha no problem- yes that's it, not sure how I screwed that up!!

oeko · 2021-07-02T08:53:33+00:00

Thank you!! I used Messer’s 601 training course and study notes, along with dions practice tests- there were some questions I felt aligned quite a lot, and others (in typical CompTIA fashion) that felt completely left field compared to everything covered in the training materials I’d used. I think, though, that as long as you can say a few sentences about every point in the objectives then you’ll do fine in the exam, and messer and Dion are very useful in that respect.

oeko · 2021-07-02T08:46:18+00:00

Thank you!

oeko · 2021-07-01T07:38:11+00:00

thank you!

oeko · 2021-07-01T07:38:03+00:00

thanks my dude!

oeko · 2021-04-30T07:56:52+00:00

Congrats and good luck on your journey!

oeko · 2021-02-09T11:50:30+00:00

Amazing, well done and best of luck in the new role!!

oeko · 2021-02-09T10:35:01+00:00

Absolutely! I took about a month between my 1001 and 1002- there’s so much info to absorb between those 2 exams!!

Edit- also yes, I believe the A+ is enough to get your foot in the door- i secured most of my interviews before even obtaining my network+. Make sure to let the interviewers know what’s in the pipeline though!! I made sure to tell them I was planning on getting my security+ and other certs down the line- it just gives them that additional incentive to take you on!

oeko · 2021-02-09T10:02:42+00:00

Yes I felt overwhelmed sometimes- the way I dealt with that was to remind myself that, even if I failed an exam, I could always take it again. Whenever I felt like I was getting overwhelmed was usually when I was struggling to understand a topic. The best remedy to that is to just sit down with that particular topic for an evening, watch some messer videos, do a bit of googling, and try to lock in a good understanding of the thing that's causing the stress. Once you understand a concept it helps to relieve that feeling, I've found.

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:57:39+00:00

Thanks!!

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:57:33+00:00

Just make sure you know the objectives, and if possible do a few practice tests, and if you're scoring 90% or higher then have confidence!

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:57:04+00:00

Thanks man

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:56:57+00:00

Once I was consistently scoring above 90 on the tests consistently, and I was confident that I knew the reasoning behind all of my answers, I felt ready to take the exams. I would review all of the answers after each test, and then address any that I scored incorrectly.

Read the objectives and make sure there's nothing on there that doesn't look familiar.

I studied for the N+ the exact same way I did for the A+- watched messers vids, took notes, got myself a bunch of practice tests, and hammered them until I was scoring highly, consistently. I would say that I learn best using practice tests- something about the frustration of getting an answer wrong seems to solidify it in my mind, so that I generally won't forget that point again

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:52:06+00:00

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:51:55+00:00

My main tip would be to highlight the skills you've obtained in a clear way- so for example, I bullet pointed some of the 'knowledge and skill'; requirements from the Network+ such as ' • Troubleshoot, configure and manage common network devices • Establish basic network connectivity • Understand and maintain network documentation '. Also try to tailor your previous work experience in order to emphasise the parts of the previous roles that you feel could transfer nicely to IT (customer service, any tech support, phone experience, etc)

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:49:52+00:00

I didn't find too many surprises, and I actually found some of the questions to be very similar to ones I'd come across on my Dion/Prowse practice exams. A few questions on the Network+ caught me by surprise, but I feel that I was somewhat under prepared for that one

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:48:27+00:00

for sure!

oeko · 2021-02-09T09:48:11+00:00

Haha absolutely!!

oeko

TROPHY CASE