Starting from the ground floor, trying to get on my feet

So, i'm homeless, trying this from a cheap mini laptop in a chicago public library, doing my best to move forward with real employment while i'm whittling my time away at a min wage deli job.

Outside of all of that tho, i have almost no real computer experience except growing up with one constantly attached to my hands. I've used linux before, but for all intensive purposes i have no experience.

I'm currently studying the CEH courseload and getting my hands on the CISSP and Offensive Security. I'm interested in this field because i need a telecommuting job to fit with my other goals (Professional Kickboxing). That part of my life is still progressing, but ultimately it won't pay (unless you're rich you can't really go that direction alone, and i lost my job teaching TKD after some directional disagreements with the head of the school, long story)

Where would i go from here if i'm interested in getting a infosec job? I don't care if it's pentester or security or anything, but i'd like it if it's interesting like pentesting seems to be.

BTW, money is kind of an issue for me, so any ways around spending 5k a cert would be appreciated - i know that CEH lets you bypass a lot of that if you worked a job in IT and stuff like that.

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Verities

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This is some personal advice, coming from someone who has immediate family in social services that support the homeless. The best thing for you to do is to be able to find some services that will help you get permanent housing. Once you have that, I think you should then start looking at the basics of computers, so you know how they work inside and out. Having a proper foundation in IT is essential to success, no matter what facet of IT you decide to pursue.

You may even be able to get help finding an internship or volunteer opportunities which will help you get work experience and eventually lead to a job in IT. Your chances of getting a job based on just having certifications and no experience are lower than having experience and certifications.

Here are some links for resources in Chicago:

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/emerg/svcs/homeless_outreachandengagement.html

http://www.chicagohomeless.org/programs-campaigns/advocacy-public-policy/

http://www.heartlandalliance.org/whatwedo/our-programs/directory/health-care-for-the-homeless.html

http://salarmychicago.org/freedomcenter/what-we-do/homeless-outreach/

http://www.ccolife.org/

Here are some free IT resources that can help you on your way:

CodeAcademy.com - learn coding

UrbanPenguin.com - learn Linux

Cybrary.it - learn computer basics, networking, Microsoft, security and more

TacoRocket

For all my friend who look into infosec I say the same thing. The CEH and Security+ do you no good if you don't know how to get your hands dirty. I always recommend the Comptia Trifecta first (A+, Net+, Security+) for a good basis for how computers work. From there you can diversify.

jesusman

Verities wrote: »

This is some personal advice, coming from someone who has immediate family in social services that support the homeless. The best thing for you to do is to be able to find some services that will help you get permanent housing.

Here are some free IT resources that can help you on your way:

CodeAcademy.com - learn coding

UrbanPenguin.com - learn Linux

Cybrary.it - learn computer basics, networking, Microsoft, security and more

First, let me apologize to the admins. I don't know what you saw, but the goddamm CPL WIFI went out from under me about 6 times. i am now in starbucks that has google wifi. And lockable bathrooms and a staff that knows me and lets me chill here without paying for a few hours each day.

Just for reference, the city of chicago opened up section 8 for a month in 2013. They are still working though the backlog of that month.

I am currently staying at PGM. PGM stands for Pacific Garden Mission, and as you might notice, does not have the words "Homeless" or "shelter" in it. If i stayed there today, i would get 4 sermons of 1 hour each about how jesus loves me very much, each one mandatory before a meal/aquiring a bed. Because i have a job, i can skip these, at the cost of waiting outside the shelter (In chicago) for about a half hour to an hour, depending on the security guards on duty that night. I also skip the meals, but i can make do without them.

They similarly only give us 7 hours of a sleep a day. I suspect it's similar to their reasoning for removing the bathroom stalls in the bathroom, or making us shower before letting us into the "washed every day" beds.

I should stop before i've turned this topic into my personal blog. I will however mention i'm currently looking for residence outside the shelter, and that i have, more or less, permanent residency there until i have found something better. If i could get 8 goddamm hours of sleep a day i'd consider staying there till i had savings, but that's clearly asking too much.

Thank you for the coding resources, i was told that i wouldn't need to know code before getting a job like i'm seeking, but i am learning python on my own with some UDEMY courses i found.

As for taco, i found a book for Cissco A+ cert but i didn't think it was the same A+, i did however check out a book for Security+, so if you can point me in the right direction for A+ and Net+ i'd appricate it.

Comptia Trifecta isn't a brand name and just a nickname of the combination of the three certs, isn't it. I should have gotten that A+ book. it was far smaller.

Thank you for the advice.

White Wizard

First off

.

The fact that your homeless and still making things happen, studying, reading books, going to the library is awesome.

I was the same way a long time ago, wanted to get into security. Security is one of those fields that requires a large amount of base knowledge (if you will) in networking. I've since moved my focus to networking. Back on topic, I would definitely pursue the CompTIA certs, A+, S+, and N+ to establish foundational knowledge since you don't know too much.

You might try volunteering as well at a local church maybe? Just trying to think of ways you can get hands on experience. The more experience you can get the better.

Never give up, never settle. Go kill it!

jesusman

White Wizard wrote: »

First off .

The fact that your homeless and still making things happen, studying, reading books, going to the library is awesome.

I was the same way a long time ago, wanted to get into security. Security is one of those fields that requires a large amount of base knowledge (if you will) in networking. I've since moved my focus to networking. Back on topic, I would definitely pursue the CompTIA certs, A+, S+, and N+ to establish foundational knowledge since you don't know too much.

You might try volunteering as well at a local church maybe? Just trying to think of ways you can get hands on experience. The more experience you can get the better.

Never give up, never settle. Go kill it!

Thank you, it's hard not to just beat the **** out of things/security guards sometimes.

And i have never once done that in my 23 years of life

There is wifi at the shelter, but it's password protected - i think it's for the guards to keep themselves entertained, or for wirelessly using the TVs, considering how they move a laptop too and from a secured area at the begining/end of the day. It's a WPA2, was thinking about cracking the password and using that as evidence i should be brought on as a "Security volunteer" and use that for "Job Experience"

I don't need the wifi, my phone has good internet, and quite frankly every moment i spend in that "dayroom" i feel more and more depressed and angry.

And quite frankly i'd rather volunteer at a local synagogue. But it's a good idea to get more exp. I did all the tech work for my Marital Arts school when i was working there, i was gonna use that as "tech" exp

Would you say i should focus on networking for now, or keep going with base knowledge and then focus in security?

White Wizard

jesusman wrote: »

Thank you, it's hard not to just beat the **** out of things/security guards sometimes.

And i have never once done that in my 23 years of life

There is wifi at the shelter, but it's password protected - i think it's for the guards to keep themselves entertained, or for wirelessly using the TVs, considering how they move a laptop too and from a secured area at the begining/end of the day. It's a WPA2, was thinking about cracking the password and using that as evidence i should be brought on as a "Security volunteer" and use that for "Job Experience"

I don't need the wifi, my phone has good internet, and quite frankly every moment i spend in that "dayroom" i feel more and more depressed and angry.

And quite frankly i'd rather volunteer at a local synagogue. But it's a good idea to get more exp. I did all the tech work for my Marital Arts school when i was working there, i was gonna use that as "tech" exp

Would you say i should focus on networking for now, or keep going with base knowledge and then focus in security?

Depends. A lot of people feel its best to start from the bottom as most have and work your way up, help desk>level 1>level 2> level 3>network admin. Not necessarily in that order, but basically work your way up the ladder so to speak. That works but takes A LOT of time.

Your best bet is to get as much hands on experience in whatever field it is that interests you and network. Network inferring meet/ talk to others. If you know someone that can get you a job or that recommends you, that will take you farther than working up the ladder. Knowing the right person helps tremendously. I also think what your doing is a selling point. Homeless yet still learning. You should pursue whatever you WANT to do or are passionate about. If that's security, then I would focus on security and networking as they are intertwined.

Verities

Mike Meyers has some good books that can take you through the basic CompTIA certs (A+, N+, S+):

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mike+meyers

Just make sure you're purchasing the most up to date book and go for used books to save on some cash.

If you want free videos for A+, N+, S+, check out that cybrary.it and/or professormesser.com/

jesusman

White Wizard wrote: »

Homeless yet still learning. You should pursue whatever you WANT to do or are passionate about. If that's security, then I would focus on security and networking as they are intertwined.

What i WANT to do is make 5k, go to thailand, spend a year fighting once every 3 days to break a record (100 fights in 1 year), beat the **** out of those (korean influence) and make a name for myself so i never need to do plebwork again and can focus exclusively on the martial arts again.

I had that set up back when i was teaching, although i'll admit the pay was ****.

But yeah i got homeless. I haven't even been in a real gym in a month or so.

I like intelectual problems, outside the box solutions, that kind of stuff. That's why i like fighting so much, it's one of the few real tests of intellect. Sure you can think of a fight plan, but can you hold onto it when you're getting rocked? Can you make **** up on the fly and push it through? can you exert your will over the lesser mortals who challenge you?

That all being said, kickboxing pays the least of all fighting sports, and even The Doctor had to work until after his 2nd title victory. I need a job that i can do though the net, and a job that is intellectual. I figure infosec and pentesting fits that bill pretty well, and gives me enough flexibility to follow my first goal, fighting.

Verities, thanks, i'll deff look to see if the library has it.

Looking though my book on Sec+ i noticed it started with networking. SHould i do them A+, Net+ Sec + in that order to understand them all best?

White Wizard

jesusman wrote: »

What i WANT to do is make 5k, go to thailand, spend a year fighting once every 3 days to break a record (100 fights in 1 year), beat the **** out of those (korean influence) and make a name for myself so i never need to do plebwork again and can focus exclusively on the martial arts again.

I had that set up back when i was teaching, although i'll admit the pay was ****.

But yeah i got homeless. I haven't even been in a real gym in a month or so.

I like intelectual problems, outside the box solutions, that kind of stuff. That's why i like fighting so much, it's one of the few real tests of intellect. Sure you can think of a fight plan, but can you hold onto it when you're getting rocked? Can you make **** up on the fly and push it through? can you exert your will over the lesser mortals who challenge you?

That all being said, kickboxing pays the least of all fighting sports, and even The Doctor had to work until after his 2nd title victory. I need a job that i can do though the net, and a job that is intellectual. I figure infosec and pentesting fits that bill pretty well, and gives me enough flexibility to follow my first goal, fighting.

Verities, thanks, i'll deff look to see if the library has it.

Looking though my book on Sec+ i noticed it started with networking. SHould i do them A+, Net+ Sec + in that order to understand them all best?

If all you need is 5K to pursue your passion, you can start a campaign at sites like gofundme and people can donate. I would skip the A+ and go straight for N+ and S+. Each of those certs is $300.00 to take the exam, no refunds even if you dont pass. A+ is not necessary in my opinion.

jesusman

White Wizard wrote: »

If all you need is 5K to pursue your passion, you can start a campaign at sites like gofundme and people can donate. I would skip the A+ and go straight for N+ and S+. Each of those certs is $300.00 to take the exam, no refunds even if you dont pass. A+ is not necessary in my opinion.

Thanks, i'll still try to go and read through A+ just in case. the 5k is kind of a rough number, i only NEED 1k to get there, but it'll make my girl a bit less anxious about me being in a rather dangerous country in a profession essentially run by the mafia trying to leave the country with a large amount of money.

Also visa stuff like that to worry about.

I meant to start a kickstarter or pateron, but well...look what happened to pate. Glad i didn't post my info on that yet. I'll get to it soon, i have a blog too but i need to wirte more for it.

And yeah, 300 is like more then a weeks paycheck for me, it'll require a month of savings to afford each of those tests. Thanks man.