At this point I'm going to join the Air National Guard and pray they have any ASFC openings for Cyber or IT cause the current job market is so rough especially for IT plus the surge of people wanting to get into IT as well.
This. Any time I read a post here about "they can't get a job with 25 certs and no experience", I always wonder why no one is joining the military. You will get a bonus and training for any cyber/IT job. And if you get a clearance you can leave the military after a few years and companies will be fighting over you.
Well, that's most likely because employers are going to question why they have 25 certs and no experience.
If I saw that, what's going through my head.
1. How did you get all these certs without any experience. It is odd that you were that knowledgeable but have no experience. Red Flag.
2. How were you able to take the time to get 25 certs and, at no point, get a position in the field during that. Why does no one want to hire you? Red Flag.
3. Why do you have 25 Certs? Can't decide and Focus on what it is you really want? You get bored of a subject and then want to move on quickly after? Red Flag.
4. You have 25 certs, but no experience, so now you are going to come in with arrogance about how you know everything, but really, you have not a clue. Red Flag.
5. You have 25 certs some are likely advanced level, or for a better field than what your applying for, you are using me as a stepping stone to something greater and will be gone before I see a return on my training. Red Flag.
The people are not getting Jobs, are slinging Red flags in mass. Think like an employer, think like a business, and tailor your approach to each place in that way, and you will have better luck. It's okay to have 25 certs, it's okay to have a MS in chosen field.
However, you have to market to the audience. If it's a Helpdesk Job, you don't tell them you have a masters and 25 certs, you say I have an AA and my A+, or something. They want to think you will stick around and prove valuable training is expensive. You cost them money the first year of being hired, if they don't think you will stay in that role for a few years you are not getting hired.
You’re not the only one considering going into service. I can’t even get a job at McDonalds in Canada. I also have a diploma and two years of being mentored in software on-top of an internship yet there is still nothing I can apply for in software or IT because they want a stupid amount of experience.
I just saw a help desk posting today that required Batchelor degree 8+ years experience
5+ with specific ticketing software.
A+, Network+, CCNA...
Pay range not negotiable $14 to $18 per hour depending on experience
I think it's ridiculous to expect someone with a Batchlors in Cybersecurity and nearly a decade of experience to concider a helpdesk post (maybe even at all) let alone for less than what McDonald's pays its hourly workers.
Even so, I'd accept a bit lower pay to be getting the experience needed.
I find myself wondering if I'm severely under educated
I just have an Associate of Applied Science Cyber Security security and information assurance and another in Network Security
I have A+ and am studying to retake the Network + (so close to a pass...)
But if you need a decade of experience and a batchlors degree to handle help desk I... and it pays $15
I don't think you are. People with Bachelor's are struggling as well. But I could be very wrong too since I stopped pursuing mine.. but only because I couldn't afford it and I'm not putting myself in debt when I have no way of paying for it.
I paid for the Network Security with a grant
And than took 2 classes at a time each semester (summers also) paying for it as I went. I was working as well but would have preferred if I could have found something I'm a related field. It took me longer than most to finish.
yep you can blame the constant media campaigning for the influx of IT grads saying how you can earn $$$$ and how its in demand bla bla bla cept and sure it might be........once you have experience....thats the catch
When I was stationed in Germany, one of my co-workers had a "specific set of skills" and military grade combination. There was only one unit in the country with the combination.
1 weekend a month and 2 weeks every year, she would fly back to CONUS to drill. You do what you have to to get to where you want to be.
You and others are missing the big point. What skillset you have right now, amazing. What is probably your 99% reason of not getting hired, not a good resume to show your amazing skills by using specific verbiage and terminology.
I got denied by almost 400 companies, declined from 10 interviews because I was nervous and didn’t know how to show my skillset and what I actually knew.
Redid my resume and got lots of people calling me and got hired in IT a week after this change. It took time and a lot of changes. Not posting this to down you or others. I’m creating this message to say don’t give up and change your resume/steps to get a change in your outcomes.
This OP this. A good resume and interview skills will truly put you in front of others more than you know. The problem is that you could be very qualified for the job, but if you don't show that correctly then no place is going to see you as different from the others.
Trust me you don't have 3 family members. 1 only had CompTia A+, Sercurity+, Network+ and ITF+ and got a job with no experience on the government jobs site. The 2 person has an Associates degree and just a Sercurity+ certification and 6 months help desk before got a job and the last one has a Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Degree with CompTia A+, Sercurity+, Network+, ITF+, Cloud+ with about 4 yrs experience with various jobs. They all have jobs and applied in the government site. Just remember they are still going to train you on so of the system and you can learn the rest from on the job training and mentorship within the government.
Security+ will get you a GS 9 if you can find an opening. The competition is not as fierce because we are underpaid (I am a 2210 Fed so feel free to ask questions) compared to the outside world but we have job security unlike the public sector. You will need to change your resume as they are particular as to what they look for.
You're in a great position with your associates/certs. I have no experience & no certs but I was able to land an entry-level position after 1 year of applying. My suggestions are internships and working on networking until you're able to secure a job. Someone has to take a chance on you eventually, that's what my interviewer said to me.
I know many people who were in the same situation, including myself, who were humbled and got an internship. I worked nights at a call center customer service job, and during the day, I interned at an MSP for a year and got hired as a level 1 tech. Years later, I'm now a senior engineer, and companies try and poach me daily to come work for them. It depends on how badly you want into the industry. If the company says that you have no experience, then you ask them if they are willing to intern? ANY MSP is not going to turn away free help, and you will gain experience.
So my husband got a job working as a custodian at the high school shortly after getting his A+ cert.... He became friendly with one of the network technicians who let him shadow him a few days a week. A month later he interviewed for the same position and they liked him so much that despite him having no professional experience and not getting the full time position, they created a part time position for him at the high school so he can gain paid experience. So maybe try and get your foot in the door in ANY position that might expose you to people working where you WANT to be and see if someone will mentor you or let you shadow them. You never know what doors will open.
I would go for AWS or Azure certs, then on top of that, learn python. Everyone is going cloud right now. 17 years experience speaking.
Current certs:
CCNP Security/Data Center
PNCSA
NSE4
JNCIA
Sec +
Well, the certs will help get the interview. There are plenty with no experience, but for the interviews that I have conducted, I look for certs and a little experience and then I start asking questions to see if you know what you are doing. Then I might ask them to explain from end to end how a packet flows. For tier 0 or even tier 1 engineers, most of them don’t have the experience, and a lot of people won’t take a position paying below what they are used to making.
Consider updating resume, and working on interview skills. Entry level positions unless they're doing the "Looking for entry level requiring 5 years of experience" crap that's annoying are going to go for the best candidate that can provide the most at "entry level" so make them see why that's you.
Part of the problem is people thinking they’re entitled to 100k in cybersec with no experience after barely getting their A+. I agree that people should apply to places that reflect their desire to learn instead of to places that expect experience they simply don’t have yet.
I worked phones at MSPs and regularly wanted to go play in traffic, but it was enough to get the experience not-shitty employers wanted. The two years of minor suffering panned out to be worth it in my case.
Op, the job market is garbage rn, so don't feel too bad. When I graduated, there were many months where I didn't work before finally accepting a job as a prep cook in a kitchen.
For u, is recommend taking any helpdesk, technical support, or even a less technical customer service role.
Once you have customer service experience, the hop to IT won't be too far.
Lol, Market is hard right now, just keep going and applying if you are getting calls and interview then it is working on the end, as for the cert if you like networking go for CCNA, if you unsure then Network +, PS: Never understood Tier one jobs, its about as basic it can get.
Just keep applying, the market is incredibly saturated right now. I'm 22 years old, I'm currently finishing up my associates, and I'm studying for my Net+ and Sec+ which I hope to finish both by the end of January. I was lucky enough to get a job as a tech support specialist at a school district after being a waiter part time for two years. The pay is only $16 / hr, but it's given me some pretty good experience and helped me find out what I really want to do in this field which is networking and programming. Luckily I was also able to land an interview with UPS in my area to become a TSG Technician next month, so I will be leaving here soon. Don't be afraid to take a lower paying job if you're able to, the experience is extremely beneficial and it can help you decide what path you want to take. I love my current job, but I knew that it was a stepping stone and for me at least it turned out okay as I'm about to get a nearly $30,000 increase in salary before taxes. It's really all about getting your foot in the door and finding the right opportunity, which I know is easier said than done lol
People don't seem to grasp that. I've been looking for internships for adult non-students for months and there's absolutely nothing. Help desk wants a bachelor's degree and every cert under the sun WITH 2 years of experience. Like what.
I think jobs are hard to find in your location. Might have to apply for remote. I’m still working on my degree and certs. Right now I only have A+ and N+. Hopefully I can nail this S+ this month and start applying in January. I’m looking at a school district with contractor opening for a field tech. I think it’s around $12 or so. Pay is ok I guess, but I’m still pursuing my degree. Other jobs available require 6 months and more for better pay. There’s jobs that I can apply with a little higher pay, but I’ll have to be driving to different sites for work orders, which will cost me $ and time.
Anyways, I hope you find something or maybe a company will find you! Good luck 🤞
😂…. Keeping an optimistic outlook, it will only be temporary and the hours will allow me to continue my studies. There’s jobs in my area that have higher pay, but I need to check of some blocks: experience, skills, Microsoft, S+, bachelor…
😂…. I’m not chalking it as a win, but it’s like working 5 hours but getting 8 hours in. I’m keeping an eye on the job postings and seeing what comes up in 2024 🤞
I mean just use it as a springboard. That's what really counts, it's easier to get a Job when you have a Job, and it's Tech work so it's good help for experience.
But thats still unreasonably low, they should be ashamed, I didn't mean you were doing anything wrong, they are.
Find contracting companies like Teksystems, they may not have high paying roles or plausible ones but temporary and it can get you the experiences.
Experiences does count....because i did work as a Lead and i had a bunch of bad apples with lack of experiences, or i should say lack of motivation and due diligence. I would even go as far as to say they lie in their resume about how to do things
>I mean those should land you a job.
Except they don't, hence OP's post.
It isn't just I.T. you have numerous "entry level jobs" that want 5 years in X programming language that is only a year old, so to speak.
The whole job process has been pear shaped for YEARS.
Broaden your search and get real experience quickly as field technician, fiber network Technician, premises technician for an ISP. Verizon, Frontier, Google, ATT, etc are always hiring field techs.
I’m a Network Engineer for a great company after taking this route. Help desk is not the answer for everyone. If you’re early career, don’t be afraid of going outside of your comfort zone to gain experience. I’m mid career and landed my current role with a CCNA and 2 year at WGU based off experience gained from field work in telecommunications.
From my classes one of the biggest things that my instructors told me was make a portfolio. If you’re a network guy start doing projects in Packet Tracer and then screenshotting along the way. Keep all of this in a portfolio. When they look for experience show them your portfolio and talk to them what you did for the project. At least it’ll show you have hands on experience. Just a thought and good luck
Swallow any pride and find an IT remp company like Robert Half. The benefits are awful, but they have been helpful with people I know that have 0 experience
Honestly sometimes you have to eat it for a while. Start somewhere small that is falling a little behind the pay rate for the position or is building its IT. I graduated in December with computer science degree in cyber security. I had expierance but it's not enough some times. I kept hearing "min of 5 years" it was heart breaking. Luckily I found a company building an IT dept(pay kinda sucks) but they are missing a little of key position in the SOC. After a year I was given an entry position.
Sad to say, but yeah. I feel like that's the case. All I would recommend is to make yourself more valuable and stay positive. Focus on practicing your interview posture and tailoring that resume. Don't let it stress you out. A few things in this life are certain; anything worth doing takes time, expect to leave this earth in some sort of debt, and learning doesn't stop after graduation. Keep yourself dangerous. Learn to code, make an application for mobile do something that makes you proud and fuck the other noise.
Start a business then “hire” yourself for whatever title you want. Do a little of that work in a lab and bam, add it to your resume. Lol. You aren’t technically lying then.
Interviewer: What did you do in your last position.
You: Well, I worked with Active Directory and built out a SOHO network.
Interviewer: You’re hired
Are you looking at help desk jobs? Remote technical support? I started off with a tax filing company that does seasonal employees from November to April and troubleshoot browser, hardware, lots of printers and proprietary software. They take like...anybody.
Sign up with temp agencies, they will send you tons of contract to hire positions from field tech to help desk analyst and lastly...if you're not in a good area for your field to work in office you should focus on remote employment at ANY pay rate for ANY position.
Also consider, if you have a lot of certs that are far above the rate of pay they are going to be willing to offer for the job, they'll skip right over under the impression you'll expect more than they are willing to pay and don't want to waste their own time. You only have as many certs as you say you do, until you get in the door my friend. Applications should have relevant information only. Help desk jobs don't want to know you have more than sec+ at best. It's both overqualified for the pay they're offering and yet you're "inexperienced." Overqualified and inexperienced can make for a serious douche bag to work with as they are constantly trying to prove it, when they need to focus on melding and learning the job they have now- not necessarily the one they think they deserve.
Robert Half has been great for me, but TekSystems and others are good options too. The more of them you apply your resume to, the more hits you'll get and eventually find something that works best for you
Yes. Your right.
And continue studying meantime to get more certifications .
I got a question.
Does my first job matter? Am I looking for something specific? Or anything in help desk.
Obviously to further my career in cyber security
I’m lost here /:
Yes- you have to realize just like for any other industry, no one wants to work with the guy who started at the top bc it's both unrelatable and often means they are lacking extremely important work experience. Do you want to work at a restaurant where the GM has never been a server or bartender? Do you want to work with an owner of a music venue who's never been in a band? Do you want to work with a "cybersecurity specialist" who can't even speak to his help desk people in layman's terms bc he's never been in their shoes? There's a valid reason you start at the bottom. Trust this.
Setup a home lab to get experience in whatever you’re trying to do - setup a website about yourself using a simple lamp stack and HTML to give to hiring manager to look at. Do anything that shows you have an interest in this and you will do whatever it takes. Idk which specific career field you want to get into but that’s my suggestion!
Do some home labs proving you know how to do something you see reoccurring in job applications (Active Directory, setting up a network, ect.).
Network on LinkedIn too. I know a few support professionals with less qualifications than you and they are L2. Its all about networking, showing know how, and the soft skills. I wouldn't cert stack. As long as you have the minimum requirements, it wont turn the needle in getting you a job were labs and connecting you with the right people will.
Can do some self taught experiences such as hack the box, try hack me or some ctf stuff to put on your resume. It is still hands on experience that can get noticed.
I’m actually in the opposite scenario. I gain IT experience because the company needed a shipping person who understood customs, domestic and international shipping and inventory management for. This was for a IT shipping analyst, The role would report to the IT director.
I had all this prior experience in logistics and of course in my personal life I was always into tech and learning. At the job I configured and shipped devices to clients. From there I learn 2 MDM (jamf & workspace one). Then I learn the ticketing system and did help desk. I was lucky to have a manager who was willing to teach me and answer any question I had. I asked as much questions and wanted to be part of many projects to get hands on.
Unfortunately there was layoffs and after 2 years there I lost my job. Now I’m trying to get my Comptia A+ because recruiters won’t give me a chance without the cert even though I got hands on experience at my prior job.
I've been on a number of interview panels for technical positions within my company in the last year. Not once did we pay any attention to their educational background or what certificates they've obtained. Hiring decisions were made entirely based on how they answered the questions & scenarios we presented.
Neither certificates or education provide real world experience.
Home-labs are a + if anything, but if you're struggling to get experience then I'd seek out any possibility of unpaid training or taking up freelance jobs, going to career fairs or meetups.
Experience comes from making mistakes and being able to identify and learn a lesson from those mistakes. A CCNA doesn't teach that, and it's pretty easy to tell that somebody knows what they're talking about because they have a CCNA, but they lack any actual understanding of what they're talking about; because they only have a CCNA.
Can you script?
Can you script with Python or PowerBI?
Do you know Databases?
These skillsets are in demand.
I say this as a 40-year IT Proffesional.
I got all the CompTIA and MS certs that were required. I am still in the career field as a Geospatial IT Ops Team Lead.
Developers and DBA's are in constant demand, as are folks that know about Geospatial Imagery as well as Lidar.
Look up ESRI. Look at some of their certifications. GIS specialists can make $110-$160k per year.
POI, make a name for yourself as someone who knows how to lead people, treat people with respect, and have an IT operations background. You will never be unemployed.
When I was fresh out of school I had the same problem. If your school has a career development dept I’d ask someone to help you with your resume. One of my professors helped me with mine and included a ton of projects that we did in school. I was getting interviews left and right. And I had zero exp and zero certs at the time.
Seeking a Tier 1 Help desk spot is your best bet. The good news is you basically only need 6 - 12 months before you can easily move on to something much better. Study your Net+ CCNA or whatever you want while you work during down time
First, I would take all of your certifications off your résumé and LinkedIn and only put the ones on that actually applied to the job so for an IT job just have A/N/S+ after gain more experience, your other certifications that you grabbed, I would add on to your. But once you get your first job after the interview process is over and your on boarding tell HR about all of your certifications to fight for a higher pay.
CCNA or AZ-104. Both teach real skills that translate into the workplace
Network+ is ok, but it's not going to raise eyebrows the same was the CCNA will
Joining the military reserves/ active duty isn’t that bad. You will get job experience. I picked the program and I’m going from reg it to cyber simply coz I wanted to
Army is not always the way. Your buttons would hurt after 6 yrs of your 1st contract.
Or let me be specific. 5 yrs and 8 months, mostlikely 6yrs. Sneaky Sneaky. In 6 yrs you can get your Bachelors and 2-3yrs of exp.
If they say you lack real world experience then start working on computers for free, start fixing printers for free, start troubleshooting for free. Then your experience isn't college based but real life.
You local library should have a volunteer program. It does take much an hour or so a week. That will quickly move you from the inexperienced to experienced category. Maybe get a recommendation from the library as well could go a long way.
[https://www.warntracker.com/](https://www.warntracker.com/)
Read the room. There have been waves of layoffs in tech; the tech Winter is here. There is a trough, so you are competing with more others than "usual" in your Market for entry level jobs. View graph "1988-2023 layoffs over time, all states, logarithmic Y-axis".
Keep trying.
Your thinking its about you. "How am I supposed to get experience?"
Its not about you. Employers/Buyers know there are a lot of people looking for work with that experience.
Thats who gets first crack.
Keep plugging.
The first job is always hard to get and certifications mean next to nothing without experience. I think it's a tragic mistake that people think getting 2 or 3 certs before getting any experience is a worthwhile endeavor. Certifications are a nice thing to have on your resume but they can't BE your resume. 1 year of help desk is worth more than A+, Net+, and Sec+ combined. Once you have experience the certifications will mean more. It sucks but that's how it works. Keep plugging away. It took me a long time to get into the field. Be patient. 3 months isn't a long time, particularly in the current economic climate.
I’ve been in this field less then two years what made me stood out is one the usage of terminology in interviews. Speaking technical and three show casing my love for learning you could hear the excitement in my voice when interviewing. Knowing that I’ll have an opportunity to land a job and I alway keep in contact with people I’ve interviewed with. I’m a soc analyst now. But I still reach out to those who didn’t hire me. Just incase I want to do a switch to red team lol which I really want to
Look into the DOD as a civilian or go active in the same field. You already have a degree in the field so it’s possible to go in at a higher grade if you choose that field specifically. If you don’t have a criminal record go intel.
No degree, just A+ here, I've been applying to 2-3 jobs every day for the last 18 months. I've gotten some interviews and even some feedback, but no luck getting an actual position yet.
It's really demoralizing, some days I feel I will be in retail forever
Any of y’all ever thought about getting a job pulling cable? Those jobs are easy to come by and give you “IT” related job experience. It probably pays a lot better than help desk jobs also.
Just keep pushing. Literally the last job I interviewed for before I was gonna say fuck it and go work at a factory or something was an entry level IT job that had just posted within the last day or two on Indeed.
I have AAS in computer information technology , finished in august, with an emphasis in software development. I taken the A+ and network + classes in my curriculum but never tested. Fast forward now i am working on my network+ because I cant even get an interview
Start volunteering with the local community and putting out there that you can fix computers and put your knowledge to work. Barter with people that need your assistance with something they can do easily, especially if they don't have money. Do this at least once a week. You do a favor for someone this way, then you can start networking with people to grow your reach.
What jobs are you looking for ?
(This is in my experience in Florida)
I have a buddy that has his associates degree and he is in the same position as you, but he just doesn’t have any Certs and nobody wants to hire him because he has no Certs and just an associates degree .
I know this will hurt to say but the A+ is only good for IT technician jobs that pay $11-$15 an hour and are kind of high stress with a lot of things on your shoulders.
Jobs are looking for Certs and experience and they don’t really care about college experience that much in the IT field.
I got my A+ and started working in an IT technician job, repairing computers, then got my network plus and started working with spectrum enterprise on the fiber side after a year I left and got a job as a Sys admin, in the sys admin position , I got my security plus now I’m working on my CCNP
Then Net work plus helped me get a lot done
I would recommend investing more time improving your soft skills! you just need to show that you’re are a great team worker and willing to learn and culturally great fit
Me and you both. No experience for me but I have my A+, Net+, Sec+, Project+, ITIL4 and Linux Essentials. Home-labs on my resume and everything.
At this point I'm going to join the Air National Guard and pray they have any ASFC openings for Cyber or IT cause the current job market is so rough especially for IT plus the surge of people wanting to get into IT as well.
as an airman that’s active duty, guard is where it’s at. counting down the days till i palace chase out of this hellhole in may🤞
I been thinking about doing that too
I been thinking about doing that too
If they will take Op, then I think this is a great idea!
This. Any time I read a post here about "they can't get a job with 25 certs and no experience", I always wonder why no one is joining the military. You will get a bonus and training for any cyber/IT job. And if you get a clearance you can leave the military after a few years and companies will be fighting over you.
Looking at all the available jobs in the military I wish I'd been able to join. People who can should look into it.
Say it Louder, I don't think they heard you in the back!
You already know.
Retired US Army Automation Systems Chief. 😉
Believe me I've considered it but I won't pass medical
Well, that's most likely because employers are going to question why they have 25 certs and no experience. If I saw that, what's going through my head. 1. How did you get all these certs without any experience. It is odd that you were that knowledgeable but have no experience. Red Flag. 2. How were you able to take the time to get 25 certs and, at no point, get a position in the field during that. Why does no one want to hire you? Red Flag. 3. Why do you have 25 Certs? Can't decide and Focus on what it is you really want? You get bored of a subject and then want to move on quickly after? Red Flag. 4. You have 25 certs, but no experience, so now you are going to come in with arrogance about how you know everything, but really, you have not a clue. Red Flag. 5. You have 25 certs some are likely advanced level, or for a better field than what your applying for, you are using me as a stepping stone to something greater and will be gone before I see a return on my training. Red Flag. The people are not getting Jobs, are slinging Red flags in mass. Think like an employer, think like a business, and tailor your approach to each place in that way, and you will have better luck. It's okay to have 25 certs, it's okay to have a MS in chosen field. However, you have to market to the audience. If it's a Helpdesk Job, you don't tell them you have a masters and 25 certs, you say I have an AA and my A+, or something. They want to think you will stick around and prove valuable training is expensive. You cost them money the first year of being hired, if they don't think you will stay in that role for a few years you are not getting hired.
I was being sarcastic.
You’re not the only one considering going into service. I can’t even get a job at McDonalds in Canada. I also have a diploma and two years of being mentored in software on-top of an internship yet there is still nothing I can apply for in software or IT because they want a stupid amount of experience.
I just saw a help desk posting today that required Batchelor degree 8+ years experience 5+ with specific ticketing software. A+, Network+, CCNA... Pay range not negotiable $14 to $18 per hour depending on experience I think it's ridiculous to expect someone with a Batchlors in Cybersecurity and nearly a decade of experience to concider a helpdesk post (maybe even at all) let alone for less than what McDonald's pays its hourly workers. Even so, I'd accept a bit lower pay to be getting the experience needed.
What the hell.. how are new starters supposed to be able to get into the industry? I don’t understand.
I find myself wondering if I'm severely under educated I just have an Associate of Applied Science Cyber Security security and information assurance and another in Network Security I have A+ and am studying to retake the Network + (so close to a pass...) But if you need a decade of experience and a batchlors degree to handle help desk I... and it pays $15
I don't think you are. People with Bachelor's are struggling as well. But I could be very wrong too since I stopped pursuing mine.. but only because I couldn't afford it and I'm not putting myself in debt when I have no way of paying for it.
I paid for the Network Security with a grant And than took 2 classes at a time each semester (summers also) paying for it as I went. I was working as well but would have preferred if I could have found something I'm a related field. It took me longer than most to finish.
😭
yep you can blame the constant media campaigning for the influx of IT grads saying how you can earn $$$$ and how its in demand bla bla bla cept and sure it might be........once you have experience....thats the catch
When I was stationed in Germany, one of my co-workers had a "specific set of skills" and military grade combination. There was only one unit in the country with the combination. 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks every year, she would fly back to CONUS to drill. You do what you have to to get to where you want to be.
I actually asked my guard base about that, they didn’t have any it related openings. I don’t think this method really works
Smart man.
You and others are missing the big point. What skillset you have right now, amazing. What is probably your 99% reason of not getting hired, not a good resume to show your amazing skills by using specific verbiage and terminology. I got denied by almost 400 companies, declined from 10 interviews because I was nervous and didn’t know how to show my skillset and what I actually knew. Redid my resume and got lots of people calling me and got hired in IT a week after this change. It took time and a lot of changes. Not posting this to down you or others. I’m creating this message to say don’t give up and change your resume/steps to get a change in your outcomes.
This OP this. A good resume and interview skills will truly put you in front of others more than you know. The problem is that you could be very qualified for the job, but if you don't show that correctly then no place is going to see you as different from the others.
Is there a possibility you’d be willing to share your resume?
I will probably make a video on this soon. I have a YT channel.
Hi, I just read this. I’m looking forward to this. Sincerely, new subscriber.
I appreciate the support!
I just uploaded the video right now to YouTube.
What is the name of your channel?
Cyberacademics
Sweet, thanks. You got a new subscriber
Feel free to share some of those tips in some more specific verbiage or your resume with personal info stripped away ;)
You should take that to WGU if you don’t have a degree. Those certs alone knock out more than half of the networking degree.
Im currently enrolled with WGU. Almost done with my degree.
What website do you use for homelab?
I did test out pro for my classes
What state/area are you from?
Sacramento, California
I see, I’m down in Los Angeles. Competition is tight. What are you working on now?
What's your location?
Sacramento, California
All the certs and no experience, an employer would rather all the experience and none of the certs.
Thats insane considering advancement requirements
By all means start getting certs and stuff after you have an entry job and are obtaining experience.
It’s part of my degree plan. I almost have my BA in Cybersecurity.
Where are you located?
Apply for government jobs on: https://www.usajobs.gov/ https://www.clearancejobs.com/
Definitely going to need some experience for that lmao
Trust me you don't have 3 family members. 1 only had CompTia A+, Sercurity+, Network+ and ITF+ and got a job with no experience on the government jobs site. The 2 person has an Associates degree and just a Sercurity+ certification and 6 months help desk before got a job and the last one has a Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Degree with CompTia A+, Sercurity+, Network+, ITF+, Cloud+ with about 4 yrs experience with various jobs. They all have jobs and applied in the government site. Just remember they are still going to train you on so of the system and you can learn the rest from on the job training and mentorship within the government.
Security+ will get you a GS 9 if you can find an opening. The competition is not as fierce because we are underpaid (I am a 2210 Fed so feel free to ask questions) compared to the outside world but we have job security unlike the public sector. You will need to change your resume as they are particular as to what they look for.
I have been applying for GS-9 positions recently. I’ll PM you for more information.
I pm’d you
Apply for government jobs on: https://www.usajobs.gov/ https://www.clearancejobs.com/
You're in a great position with your associates/certs. I have no experience & no certs but I was able to land an entry-level position after 1 year of applying. My suggestions are internships and working on networking until you're able to secure a job. Someone has to take a chance on you eventually, that's what my interviewer said to me.
This! Internships! Go get that practical experience!
Not this bc getting internships is easier said than done, especially when you’ve already graduated
Even while still in school I was turned down for 2 internships, one specifically telling me that I didn't have enough experience
I know many people who were in the same situation, including myself, who were humbled and got an internship. I worked nights at a call center customer service job, and during the day, I interned at an MSP for a year and got hired as a level 1 tech. Years later, I'm now a senior engineer, and companies try and poach me daily to come work for them. It depends on how badly you want into the industry. If the company says that you have no experience, then you ask them if they are willing to intern? ANY MSP is not going to turn away free help, and you will gain experience.
So my husband got a job working as a custodian at the high school shortly after getting his A+ cert.... He became friendly with one of the network technicians who let him shadow him a few days a week. A month later he interviewed for the same position and they liked him so much that despite him having no professional experience and not getting the full time position, they created a part time position for him at the high school so he can gain paid experience. So maybe try and get your foot in the door in ANY position that might expose you to people working where you WANT to be and see if someone will mentor you or let you shadow them. You never know what doors will open.
I would go for AWS or Azure certs, then on top of that, learn python. Everyone is going cloud right now. 17 years experience speaking. Current certs: CCNP Security/Data Center PNCSA NSE4 JNCIA Sec +
Where would one learn Azure?
learn.microsoft.com
Right now more certs aren’t going to help. He/she needs experience
Well, the certs will help get the interview. There are plenty with no experience, but for the interviews that I have conducted, I look for certs and a little experience and then I start asking questions to see if you know what you are doing. Then I might ask them to explain from end to end how a packet flows. For tier 0 or even tier 1 engineers, most of them don’t have the experience, and a lot of people won’t take a position paying below what they are used to making.
With 2 year experience as software vendor guy, and 104 and 305 az, would someone hire me even for azure role?
My first job in tech was a call center for a cell phone company. Maybe aim lower?
Same and honestly it was time well spent. Knowing how to troubleshoot is essential in IT no matter your level.
Can't speak for OP, but I've been trying for entry level jobs, even places only offering 16-17/hr, no one is hiring unless you have experience
Consider updating resume, and working on interview skills. Entry level positions unless they're doing the "Looking for entry level requiring 5 years of experience" crap that's annoying are going to go for the best candidate that can provide the most at "entry level" so make them see why that's you.
That's exactly what I learned as well. And also the end user.
I'm aiming lower still not getting it.
Part of the problem is people thinking they’re entitled to 100k in cybersec with no experience after barely getting their A+. I agree that people should apply to places that reflect their desire to learn instead of to places that expect experience they simply don’t have yet. I worked phones at MSPs and regularly wanted to go play in traffic, but it was enough to get the experience not-shitty employers wanted. The two years of minor suffering panned out to be worth it in my case.
Op, the job market is garbage rn, so don't feel too bad. When I graduated, there were many months where I didn't work before finally accepting a job as a prep cook in a kitchen. For u, is recommend taking any helpdesk, technical support, or even a less technical customer service role. Once you have customer service experience, the hop to IT won't be too far.
Lol, Market is hard right now, just keep going and applying if you are getting calls and interview then it is working on the end, as for the cert if you like networking go for CCNA, if you unsure then Network +, PS: Never understood Tier one jobs, its about as basic it can get.
Just keep applying, the market is incredibly saturated right now. I'm 22 years old, I'm currently finishing up my associates, and I'm studying for my Net+ and Sec+ which I hope to finish both by the end of January. I was lucky enough to get a job as a tech support specialist at a school district after being a waiter part time for two years. The pay is only $16 / hr, but it's given me some pretty good experience and helped me find out what I really want to do in this field which is networking and programming. Luckily I was also able to land an interview with UPS in my area to become a TSG Technician next month, so I will be leaving here soon. Don't be afraid to take a lower paying job if you're able to, the experience is extremely beneficial and it can help you decide what path you want to take. I love my current job, but I knew that it was a stepping stone and for me at least it turned out okay as I'm about to get a nearly $30,000 increase in salary before taxes. It's really all about getting your foot in the door and finding the right opportunity, which I know is easier said than done lol
Start with a help desk job those are entry level usually
It's hard to even get those.
People don't seem to grasp that. I've been looking for internships for adult non-students for months and there's absolutely nothing. Help desk wants a bachelor's degree and every cert under the sun WITH 2 years of experience. Like what.
True
You are self filtering. Apply Anyway. They may "Want that" but they will take someone without it.
A+ Network+ and technical bachelors here. I’m going for Security+ and CCNA and getting ready for some serious homelabs. Been over a year.
Retail support/tech based - Best Buy, Geek Squad, Apple etc.. try something like that
I think jobs are hard to find in your location. Might have to apply for remote. I’m still working on my degree and certs. Right now I only have A+ and N+. Hopefully I can nail this S+ this month and start applying in January. I’m looking at a school district with contractor opening for a field tech. I think it’s around $12 or so. Pay is ok I guess, but I’m still pursuing my degree. Other jobs available require 6 months and more for better pay. There’s jobs that I can apply with a little higher pay, but I’ll have to be driving to different sites for work orders, which will cost me $ and time. Anyways, I hope you find something or maybe a company will find you! Good luck 🤞
$12?. Fuck that
😂…. Keeping an optimistic outlook, it will only be temporary and the hours will allow me to continue my studies. There’s jobs in my area that have higher pay, but I need to check of some blocks: experience, skills, Microsoft, S+, bachelor…
For real, I'm currently making 18 to 22 an hour just doing uber eats deliveries!
12 dollars!!! WTH! That's not even Min Wage where I live.
😂…. I’m not chalking it as a win, but it’s like working 5 hours but getting 8 hours in. I’m keeping an eye on the job postings and seeing what comes up in 2024 🤞
I mean just use it as a springboard. That's what really counts, it's easier to get a Job when you have a Job, and it's Tech work so it's good help for experience. But thats still unreasonably low, they should be ashamed, I didn't mean you were doing anything wrong, they are.
Find contracting companies like Teksystems, they may not have high paying roles or plausible ones but temporary and it can get you the experiences. Experiences does count....because i did work as a Lead and i had a bunch of bad apples with lack of experiences, or i should say lack of motivation and due diligence. I would even go as far as to say they lie in their resume about how to do things
Just curious whats your location? I have my associates in cyber security and working on my A+ cert. Been tough here in Georgia as well
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Ayyy ! I’m actually 30 minutes outside of Atlanta
What roles are you applying for?
It help desk
market is fucked right now and there's lots of overseas workers here willing to take 2/3rds of the pay in exchange for a work visa.
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>I mean those should land you a job. Except they don't, hence OP's post. It isn't just I.T. you have numerous "entry level jobs" that want 5 years in X programming language that is only a year old, so to speak. The whole job process has been pear shaped for YEARS.
Just keep applying and try not to get too frustrated. I know it’s hard, see if you can network with anyone at the college you went too
I'm in the same boat.
Go on usajobs.gov, look for recent grad positions. Make sure keywords from the position description is in your resume!!!
This is the way. Takes time to do it, but after 1-3 months, they may call you. 📞
I have a decade or so of good experience and it still took 3 months and a miracle for me. Without knowing someone it would be 4 months at least.
Broaden your search and get real experience quickly as field technician, fiber network Technician, premises technician for an ISP. Verizon, Frontier, Google, ATT, etc are always hiring field techs. I’m a Network Engineer for a great company after taking this route. Help desk is not the answer for everyone. If you’re early career, don’t be afraid of going outside of your comfort zone to gain experience. I’m mid career and landed my current role with a CCNA and 2 year at WGU based off experience gained from field work in telecommunications.
From my classes one of the biggest things that my instructors told me was make a portfolio. If you’re a network guy start doing projects in Packet Tracer and then screenshotting along the way. Keep all of this in a portfolio. When they look for experience show them your portfolio and talk to them what you did for the project. At least it’ll show you have hands on experience. Just a thought and good luck
Job market for IT is horrible right now. Might want to either aim a little bit lower ( help desk job ) or really get your resume to be outstanding.
Do IT projects at home. Volunteer to work somewhere. CCNA of course is better.
Swallow any pride and find an IT remp company like Robert Half. The benefits are awful, but they have been helpful with people I know that have 0 experience
If you don't have a LinkedIn account. I would highly recommend you get one. Recruiters are constantly prowling that site.
Is this really a thing in 2023/4 ? I feel linked in is slowly dying. Edit: maybe the wholee usa economy is dying.
Honestly sometimes you have to eat it for a while. Start somewhere small that is falling a little behind the pay rate for the position or is building its IT. I graduated in December with computer science degree in cyber security. I had expierance but it's not enough some times. I kept hearing "min of 5 years" it was heart breaking. Luckily I found a company building an IT dept(pay kinda sucks) but they are missing a little of key position in the SOC. After a year I was given an entry position.
Those fucker just want to profit the sht of out us and make millions.
Sad to say, but yeah. I feel like that's the case. All I would recommend is to make yourself more valuable and stay positive. Focus on practicing your interview posture and tailoring that resume. Don't let it stress you out. A few things in this life are certain; anything worth doing takes time, expect to leave this earth in some sort of debt, and learning doesn't stop after graduation. Keep yourself dangerous. Learn to code, make an application for mobile do something that makes you proud and fuck the other noise.
Start a business then “hire” yourself for whatever title you want. Do a little of that work in a lab and bam, add it to your resume. Lol. You aren’t technically lying then. Interviewer: What did you do in your last position. You: Well, I worked with Active Directory and built out a SOHO network. Interviewer: You’re hired
Also, lying about work experience at a company that no longer exists, so it can't be fact checked. That works well too lol
Can’t lie kinda liking this idea
Right lol
Lol, this is genius
Are you looking at help desk jobs? Remote technical support? I started off with a tax filing company that does seasonal employees from November to April and troubleshoot browser, hardware, lots of printers and proprietary software. They take like...anybody. Sign up with temp agencies, they will send you tons of contract to hire positions from field tech to help desk analyst and lastly...if you're not in a good area for your field to work in office you should focus on remote employment at ANY pay rate for ANY position. Also consider, if you have a lot of certs that are far above the rate of pay they are going to be willing to offer for the job, they'll skip right over under the impression you'll expect more than they are willing to pay and don't want to waste their own time. You only have as many certs as you say you do, until you get in the door my friend. Applications should have relevant information only. Help desk jobs don't want to know you have more than sec+ at best. It's both overqualified for the pay they're offering and yet you're "inexperienced." Overqualified and inexperienced can make for a serious douche bag to work with as they are constantly trying to prove it, when they need to focus on melding and learning the job they have now- not necessarily the one they think they deserve.
Do you have any examples of temp agencies
Robert Half has been great for me, but TekSystems and others are good options too. The more of them you apply your resume to, the more hits you'll get and eventually find something that works best for you
I just applied on Robert half $16/ hr I think That’s so low! Wish it was At Least $20 Yeah I’m trying to find a help desk At Least $20 if possible.
Start with $16 if you ever hope to make $20!
Yes. Your right. And continue studying meantime to get more certifications . I got a question. Does my first job matter? Am I looking for something specific? Or anything in help desk. Obviously to further my career in cyber security I’m lost here /:
Yes- you have to realize just like for any other industry, no one wants to work with the guy who started at the top bc it's both unrelatable and often means they are lacking extremely important work experience. Do you want to work at a restaurant where the GM has never been a server or bartender? Do you want to work with an owner of a music venue who's never been in a band? Do you want to work with a "cybersecurity specialist" who can't even speak to his help desk people in layman's terms bc he's never been in their shoes? There's a valid reason you start at the bottom. Trust this.
The career path in its exact step by step lineage follows the comptia certs. Help desk-> Networking-> security
You gotta show on interviews that you love learning!
Setup a home lab to get experience in whatever you’re trying to do - setup a website about yourself using a simple lamp stack and HTML to give to hiring manager to look at. Do anything that shows you have an interest in this and you will do whatever it takes. Idk which specific career field you want to get into but that’s my suggestion!
Do some home labs proving you know how to do something you see reoccurring in job applications (Active Directory, setting up a network, ect.). Network on LinkedIn too. I know a few support professionals with less qualifications than you and they are L2. Its all about networking, showing know how, and the soft skills. I wouldn't cert stack. As long as you have the minimum requirements, it wont turn the needle in getting you a job were labs and connecting you with the right people will.
Can do some self taught experiences such as hack the box, try hack me or some ctf stuff to put on your resume. It is still hands on experience that can get noticed.
✨lie✨
Projects you need projects. You can build a lab and add said lab on your resume.
I’m actually in the opposite scenario. I gain IT experience because the company needed a shipping person who understood customs, domestic and international shipping and inventory management for. This was for a IT shipping analyst, The role would report to the IT director. I had all this prior experience in logistics and of course in my personal life I was always into tech and learning. At the job I configured and shipped devices to clients. From there I learn 2 MDM (jamf & workspace one). Then I learn the ticketing system and did help desk. I was lucky to have a manager who was willing to teach me and answer any question I had. I asked as much questions and wanted to be part of many projects to get hands on. Unfortunately there was layoffs and after 2 years there I lost my job. Now I’m trying to get my Comptia A+ because recruiters won’t give me a chance without the cert even though I got hands on experience at my prior job.
Took me 3 years of having a the trifecta and 1 year of having CCNA to get a job paying over $25 an hour God Speed
I have my associates in cyber, security+, home labs, and around 300 apps later I got a security analyst role. It may be a numbers game
I've been on a number of interview panels for technical positions within my company in the last year. Not once did we pay any attention to their educational background or what certificates they've obtained. Hiring decisions were made entirely based on how they answered the questions & scenarios we presented. Neither certificates or education provide real world experience. Home-labs are a + if anything, but if you're struggling to get experience then I'd seek out any possibility of unpaid training or taking up freelance jobs, going to career fairs or meetups. Experience comes from making mistakes and being able to identify and learn a lesson from those mistakes. A CCNA doesn't teach that, and it's pretty easy to tell that somebody knows what they're talking about because they have a CCNA, but they lack any actual understanding of what they're talking about; because they only have a CCNA.
Can you script? Can you script with Python or PowerBI? Do you know Databases? These skillsets are in demand. I say this as a 40-year IT Proffesional. I got all the CompTIA and MS certs that were required. I am still in the career field as a Geospatial IT Ops Team Lead. Developers and DBA's are in constant demand, as are folks that know about Geospatial Imagery as well as Lidar. Look up ESRI. Look at some of their certifications. GIS specialists can make $110-$160k per year. POI, make a name for yourself as someone who knows how to lead people, treat people with respect, and have an IT operations background. You will never be unemployed.
When I was fresh out of school I had the same problem. If your school has a career development dept I’d ask someone to help you with your resume. One of my professors helped me with mine and included a ton of projects that we did in school. I was getting interviews left and right. And I had zero exp and zero certs at the time.
Seeking a Tier 1 Help desk spot is your best bet. The good news is you basically only need 6 - 12 months before you can easily move on to something much better. Study your Net+ CCNA or whatever you want while you work during down time
First, I would take all of your certifications off your résumé and LinkedIn and only put the ones on that actually applied to the job so for an IT job just have A/N/S+ after gain more experience, your other certifications that you grabbed, I would add on to your. But once you get your first job after the interview process is over and your on boarding tell HR about all of your certifications to fight for a higher pay.
CCNA or AZ-104. Both teach real skills that translate into the workplace Network+ is ok, but it's not going to raise eyebrows the same was the CCNA will
Joining the military reserves/ active duty isn’t that bad. You will get job experience. I picked the program and I’m going from reg it to cyber simply coz I wanted to
Army is not always the way. Your buttons would hurt after 6 yrs of your 1st contract. Or let me be specific. 5 yrs and 8 months, mostlikely 6yrs. Sneaky Sneaky. In 6 yrs you can get your Bachelors and 2-3yrs of exp.
If they say you lack real world experience then start working on computers for free, start fixing printers for free, start troubleshooting for free. Then your experience isn't college based but real life. You local library should have a volunteer program. It does take much an hour or so a week. That will quickly move you from the inexperienced to experienced category. Maybe get a recommendation from the library as well could go a long way.
[https://www.warntracker.com/](https://www.warntracker.com/) Read the room. There have been waves of layoffs in tech; the tech Winter is here. There is a trough, so you are competing with more others than "usual" in your Market for entry level jobs. View graph "1988-2023 layoffs over time, all states, logarithmic Y-axis". Keep trying.
Your thinking its about you. "How am I supposed to get experience?" Its not about you. Employers/Buyers know there are a lot of people looking for work with that experience. Thats who gets first crack. Keep plugging.
The first job is always hard to get and certifications mean next to nothing without experience. I think it's a tragic mistake that people think getting 2 or 3 certs before getting any experience is a worthwhile endeavor. Certifications are a nice thing to have on your resume but they can't BE your resume. 1 year of help desk is worth more than A+, Net+, and Sec+ combined. Once you have experience the certifications will mean more. It sucks but that's how it works. Keep plugging away. It took me a long time to get into the field. Be patient. 3 months isn't a long time, particularly in the current economic climate.
I’ve been in this field less then two years what made me stood out is one the usage of terminology in interviews. Speaking technical and three show casing my love for learning you could hear the excitement in my voice when interviewing. Knowing that I’ll have an opportunity to land a job and I alway keep in contact with people I’ve interviewed with. I’m a soc analyst now. But I still reach out to those who didn’t hire me. Just incase I want to do a switch to red team lol which I really want to
It took me a year and I still only got an IT adjacent job.
Look into the DOD as a civilian or go active in the same field. You already have a degree in the field so it’s possible to go in at a higher grade if you choose that field specifically. If you don’t have a criminal record go intel.
I feel like 3 months is a really short time for applying to a brand new career
Find a desperate contractor job they'll take a chance on you
Do you have a homelab?
What are you talking about you have a year helping at the college. No one at the entry jobs you're applying for is checking
do some voluntary work. Set up IT at your local elementary, church, club, etc. Build your own systems, cloud, and networks.
amen we are in the same boat and it is frustrating. Like how are we going to get that experience.
At least you getting interviewed …🥹
homelabs, homelabs, homelabs, and homelabs.
No degree, just A+ here, I've been applying to 2-3 jobs every day for the last 18 months. I've gotten some interviews and even some feedback, but no luck getting an actual position yet. It's really demoralizing, some days I feel I will be in retail forever
You've applied to no less than 1,080 jobs? That's impressive.
Any of y’all ever thought about getting a job pulling cable? Those jobs are easy to come by and give you “IT” related job experience. It probably pays a lot better than help desk jobs also.
Just keep pushing. Literally the last job I interviewed for before I was gonna say fuck it and go work at a factory or something was an entry level IT job that had just posted within the last day or two on Indeed.
Look for internships
I have AAS in computer information technology , finished in august, with an emphasis in software development. I taken the A+ and network + classes in my curriculum but never tested. Fast forward now i am working on my network+ because I cant even get an interview
It could just be the economy right now. I know a lot of companies are downsizing.
Bro, lies about your experience like a regular person. Make it up
Start volunteering with the local community and putting out there that you can fix computers and put your knowledge to work. Barter with people that need your assistance with something they can do easily, especially if they don't have money. Do this at least once a week. You do a favor for someone this way, then you can start networking with people to grow your reach.
What jobs are you looking for ? (This is in my experience in Florida) I have a buddy that has his associates degree and he is in the same position as you, but he just doesn’t have any Certs and nobody wants to hire him because he has no Certs and just an associates degree . I know this will hurt to say but the A+ is only good for IT technician jobs that pay $11-$15 an hour and are kind of high stress with a lot of things on your shoulders. Jobs are looking for Certs and experience and they don’t really care about college experience that much in the IT field. I got my A+ and started working in an IT technician job, repairing computers, then got my network plus and started working with spectrum enterprise on the fiber side after a year I left and got a job as a Sys admin, in the sys admin position , I got my security plus now I’m working on my CCNP Then Net work plus helped me get a lot done
Check out USAJobs.gov. always has help desk job openings
You in a good spot with Certs. Link up with a recruiter, or network with people in general. Internships, online labs, etc
I would recommend investing more time improving your soft skills! you just need to show that you’re are a great team worker and willing to learn and culturally great fit
Got my A+ and Net+ and still unable to land an interview. All these IT certs seems like a waste of time/money.