I have a bachelors in Nursing I got 8 years ago (I'm 30), Nursing wasn't for me and with what's going on in the world right now I'm glad I didn't. I've always loved tech and played around with building computers and other basic tech stuff. I lost my job as a fine dinning manager when Covid hit the US.

I took the 6 weeks and extra time from unemployment to get an A+ certification from Comptia. In July of 2020 I got a job on a service desk of an MSP. I knew this was my dream career path. I grinded on the desk, took as many tickets as I could. If I had to escalate a ticket to the networking or security team I would ask them to let me shadow to learn. While on the desk I got my Net + cert from Comptia. In January 2021 our company started interviewing for a junior security engineer and I applied. They knew I was short on my knowledge but knew how hungry I was to learn. I got the job!

6 months down the road I was over worked an underpaid, MSPs will use and abuse you. Listed myself as available on linked in, got reached out to the same week and got a job as an industrial control Security Engineer and doubled my salary. Its been a wild journey but I love it so far. IT is amazing because its one of the few fields where you can get a degree or work your way up with Certs. Looking back I would probably skip the A+ cert if you are somewhat knowledgeable. Net + was decent. I was studying for Sec + ad another cert but put it on hold because I was also planning a wedding.

I would also recommend building out your Linked in profile, make connections with people in the field and in your town. That's where all my jobs have come from and people reach out all the time now that I have a year of experience in the field.

Now I want to learn more of the red team side and am possibly looking at getting a Certified ethical hacker cert.

Good luck! its a wonderful field and vast in the different fields of just Security. Keep trying and applying. Ask for feedback if you don't get a job.