Breaking into cybersecurity: My story

Here's the story of my cybersecurity beginnings: the initial spark, the lessons learned, and the wisdom gained for a potential do-over.

Karol Kajda

10/15/20244 min read

How I Started:

I began thinking about entering the cybersecurity industry towards the end of 2022, while my wife and I were working at a Lidl distribution center. We knew we'd have to consider a career change due to her shoulder problems. Around that time, I came across a HackerU promotional video on YouTube encouraging enrollment in their ethical hacking course. It sounded interesting! Especially since I've practically had a computer in my hands since birth and haven't gone a day without using one since I was four years old. Most of my professional experience was in physical security, so I thought, "Why not! I'll try being a security guard in cyberspace." In December, I took HackerU's introductory course, which allowed me to dip my toes into the cybersecurity industry. Bingo! I was fascinated by the subject, so when it came time to decide on the Red Team Specialist course, I told myself I had to invest in it. And so I did... 23,000 zloty. Would I take the same path today? Definitely not... But do I regret it? No, I don't.

The HackerU Experience:

I'll discuss what I would have done differently in the third paragraph. Here, I'll describe the course itself. As I mentioned, the introductory course lets you get a taste of the industry. The Red Team course, on the other hand, throws you into the lake and sees if you can learn to swim. You start with the very basics and are guided through increasingly difficult topics. I was fortunate to have very decent instructors who conveyed knowledge in an engaging way, which made learning enjoyable for the first time in my life, and I didn't have to force myself to do it. So if you're someone who needs the pressure of deadlines, I definitely recommend it, especially at the beginning, to develop good habits. However, if you don't have problems with discipline and want to enter the industry, you can do it for at least 75% less (the cost of reputable certifications). The learning path I took can be free. Seriously. The only catch is that you need to have a good grasp of English, and there's no mercy there. If you can check off English, you can start. I started the course in February; it included 565 hours of training material, and I studied in the evenings, 3 days a week, 4 hours a day, with breaks for holidays. We finished the material at the end of August, and by the end of September, we were finishing practical projects and exams. It was exhausting. I wasn't there for my family for 6 months. Every free moment was spent studying or working on a project. The instructors were industry specialists, so they provided a lot of interesting materials and tips on how to live and breathe the industry, and that's the greatest value for me. Why?

A Change of Plans and Reflections:

At the end of 2023, my wife and I received our apartment from the developer in Wrocław. On top of that, my car broke down to the point where I had to replace the engine, so the repair cost me almost as much as the course. So, I postponed my studies and career pursuit because I took on the challenge of finishing the apartment myself. I had never had the opportunity to experience this kind of work before, so I had to learn as I went. Fortunately, the era of YouTube tutorials saves both time and money. And so, here we are, almost at the end of 2024, and I have to go back to the materials I covered in the HackerU course to refresh what I learned there because I wasn't able to dedicate more time to studying cybersecurity. Today, knowing how the community functions (once you enter it, you'll find a ton of tips, I recommend LinkedIn for this), I know that I didn't have to take the course and pay a large sum of money for education and a piece of paper that doesn't guarantee you a job right away. To be honest, HackerU is strengthening its position year by year, and their certificate is gaining in reputation, but there are certificates that make a better impression, cost less, and teach exactly the same thing. It's all a matter of reputation and catching the eye.

Recommendations and Final Thoughts:

Therefore, today I would recommend this budget-friendly path to you because you'll learn the same things I did while saving a lot of money. Oh! I almost forgot! If you do decide to start... START DOCUMENTING EVERYTHING! Every project, every training path. Hence, my own website. I've observed a growing trend of showcasing projects on your CV, especially if you can't demonstrate IT experience. I decided to do this too late... You decide to do it now!

Warm regards,

Karol.

Links

Random order

Learning Platforms:
https://tryhackme.com/
https://academy.hackthebox.com/
https://academy.tcm-sec.com/
https://www.apisecuniversity.com/#courses
https://portswigger.net/web-security/all-topics

Breaking into cybersecurity: My story

How I Started:

Links

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