Introduction
Cyber Security is a real hot field right now. Everyday you hear about network breaches and ransomware. Some people may view that as a bad thing and it is really. Who would want to wake up to find that their pc or database has been encrypted. Certainly nobody wants their identity stolen or even their bank account drained. Certainly not me anyways. The reason why this is such a hot field is because of black hat hackers and just people in general. In a sense we have to thank them.
Step 1 - Get a Degree
Some people may argue with me over this saying its not necessary but hear me out. A degree might just be a piece of paper but its a piece of paper with a name backing it. When you have a degree from say the MIT it has the weight and reputation of that wonderful institution. Most hiring managers these days will instantly recognize a degree from MIT while they might not have a clue what OSCP is.
Step 2 - Get Certified
When it comes to basic must have certs CompTIA rules them all. A+, Network+ and Security+ are must haves if you're just getting into IT. When it comes to cyber security all of those certs are very valuable to you. The folks at CompTIA have provided a very nice roadmap. You can find it here. It's in PDF format. The part you want to focus on is in blue. The information security track. After you grab those CompTIA certs you're going to want to grab a cert from a recognized vendor. Cisco is always a good choice. An example path you could follow is
A+
Network+
Security+
CEH
OSCP
CISM
CISSP
I strongly recommend you stop at 4 or 5 the most. You're going to need to gain some verifiable experience and the perfect place to do so is a job.
Step 3 - Start Applying to Jobs
There are many job sites out there but from personal experience Indeed.com has gotten me the most phone interviews. Dice.com is also very good and of course there is Monster.com. A lot of places will turn you down. When I say a lot, I mean a lot. Try to weasel your way in with a help desk job and move over to networking and from there move over to information/cyber security. Do not get disheartened if you get turned down over and over and over again. It's literally part of the process. Someone, somewhere will take you in. Never give up, never surrender.
Step 4 - Network
There really is no way around this. If you are really interested in this thing join a few facebook groups. Go to cyber security events in your city. Go to big events like Defcon and others. You'd be surprised how much it helps.
Conclusion
Nothing beats a degree combined with certs and experience. With all 3 of those you can get a job anywhere. Don't forget to network and put yourself out there. On a side note there is always freelancing or you could start your own company. If you can't get a job make sure you create one.
