What are y'alls goals to 2020?

baghdaddy19

I wanted to start by saying that I recently joined this forum and I have gotten a ton of career advancement , education, and certifications advice and it's just great to be a part of such a helpful community. To that point, thank you all for being so helpful.

So, a new year is upon us and that means new opportunities. I wanted to know what you guys have planned for 2020?

I'll start off:

Certifications
1) Complete the comptia trifecta  (A+, Net+, Sec+)

2) Project + and Cloud Essentials

3) GSEC, GCIH, and GPEN (6 month SANS Program). Let me know if you guys want to know how to get into this program on a full ride scholarship from SANS.

4) ITIL v4

5) Linux Essentials

Education
1) Complete B.S. IT program at WGU. And begin enrollment process for M.S. in Cyber Security and Information Assurance program at WGU.

Career:
1) Getting a $15K pay bump at current job.
2) Once I am done with the SANS program and close to being done with my B.S. i will apply for entry level cyber sec jobs (i.e. SOC analyst, cybersecurity analyst, etc.) 

Other:
1) Join local Toastmasters chapter. I learned about Toastmasters through my co-worker and they help people develop their public speaking and presentation skills
2) Join local hacker space

3) Go to security conferences

4) Network like crazy and finally make my LinkedIn profile that i have been putting off for the longest time
5) Become healthier, gym 5 days a week and one hobby that will keep me moving (bike riding) 

So those are my goals. It will definitely be a busy year

Don't forget to share your 2020 goals

TechGromit

High exceptions huh, I keep the bar lower, more obtainable. . 

I'd like to come up with the motivation to finish my ITIL, I haven't been very motivated recently. I guess I'm cashing in on the investments I made in the past with my Training / certifications, all work and no play makes Jack (or Jill) a dull boy(or girl).  After than I still want to obtain my CCNA, I think it's important to have one security and one technical related certification to qualify for government IT contract work.  While I'm not currently looking for other employment, I think it's important to remain flexible in an uncertain employment future (damn fracking!).

As for pay, I'm looking forward to my standard 3% pay raise, maybe if I part the red sea this year, I can aspire to 4%. I get standard 15% bonuses every year as well. I'm hoping to break the 130k mark in 2020. .   

I too want to lose weight, on that front I have made some progress. I was just over 260 pounds Nov 2018, I got down to 225, currently 230 after the holidays. I want to lose another 20 pounds and be able to leap small buildings or orange construction cones in the single bound and lift something heavier than a Twinky.  
     

baghdaddy19

@TechGromit

Thats amazing about your weight loss! Whats your ideal weight?

Yeah i think ITIL will be the most boring cert to complete. I've heard it is beyond dry. But its part of my degree so i have to finish it.

My pay bump is because I am graduating with my bachelors soon. Otherwise 3-4% is what i would expect as well.

NetworkNewb

Learn Azure, get promotion.   Hopefully get into another SANS work study.

Maybe try for the CISSP again... Was working towards it recently but came down with mono a month ago and has killed me from studying anything.   

baghdaddy19

@NetworkNewb

Awesome, you looking into the the Admin route (AZ-103) or something more towards Azure Security (AZ-500)? 

I feel you brother, i got it back in high school and it took me about a month to recover from it.

TechGromit

baghdaddy19 said:

@TechGromit

Thats amazing about your weight loss! Whats your ideal weight?

Yeah i think ITIL will be the most boring cert to complete. I've heard it is beyond dry. But its part of my degree so i have to finish it.

for my height 192, but i doubt I'll reach that. I'd be happy with 205 to 210. I'm just overweight now instead of obese.

Yea, i really don't want the ITIL, but it's something my employer likes us to have, so I'll have to suffer through the course material.

si20

This will be a nice thread to re-read in 2021. For me, there isn't too much. I'm currently on approx $66k. I'd like to get to $79k but I am not sure i'll be able to do that by 2021, maybe 22. Long term goal I guess.

Cert-wise: WAPT v3 is what i'm studying. I'd like to get this one passed. Once that's done, I'll re-study the Pentest+ (I studied it but didn't take the exam last time around).

Fitness-wise - I've put on a lot of weight since being at a 9-5 IT job, so i'm going to try and make a habit of hitting the gym 2-3x per week.

DFTK13

School/work - keep progressing on my BS in IT and try to be more efficient in projects at work as well as taking better advantage of opportunities that present themselves.  

Certs/learning- get my CCNA, learn more about programming, hopefully start on a cloud cert, maybe AWS SA. 

Personal life - be a better husband and dad, and yeah eat better and work out more, I went from 140ish to 200lbs over the course of the decade, I just looked st the scales this morning and I hit 202. I’m only 5’7. Ugh...

roninkai

I'll give this a go just for the 'accountability'...

[Career]

• Get a promotion/raise (had a massive 6% raise with a 15% locality bump last year, so not sure it will happen anytime soon)
  
  Update 2/2020: Raise done. Not the 6% like last year, but was decent pushing me closer to $200k)
  
  
• Get PMP Certified (need to hone in my project management/agile skills)
  
  
• Get OSCP Certified (went to the back burner in previous years).
  
  Update 2/2020: Studies in progress.
• Finish my CISSP-ISSAP certification (also back burnered, lost interest). Study is 90% complete though.

[Personal]

• Move out of California and get a house or any rent cheaper than $2300/mo.
  Update 2/2020: Moving to Texas 3rd week in March. Keeping my salary, reducing costs, no state taxes. Should be a good move.
  
  
• Lose 40 pounds (I'm 236). I was at a nice sexy/lean weight of 177 at 35 after rigorous diet/exercise. So that works out to a gain of 8 pounds per year. If this continues, I'll be at 306 by 50. No thanks!
  
  Update 2/2020: Been doing beachbody 80-day obsession. Down 10-lbs so far.
• Start a cyber consultancy/mentorship as a side-hustle. I want to help encourage people / advance their careers in the field.
  
  
• Improve my poker skills. I'm finally ready to take my dabbling a bit more serious. I like hobbies that have earning potential.

itdept

Hmmm, I have 2020 as my last full on study year and afterwards I plan to keep learning but tone it down. Cert wise, I want CCNA and two associate AWS certs and possibly a low level Azure cert
Lose 10kg, improve health and fitness
Get off desktop support / MSP role
Move to a better house.
Get a better job with 20% pay increase
Be a better dad and keep in better contact with friends.

srothman

Be better

TechGromit

  dragonsden said:

[Personal]

• Move out of California and get a house or any rent cheaper than $2300/mo 

.

The Cost of Living in California is just insane. My mortgage is under $1,500 a month (15 year note) on a house I purchased last year with only 5% down. While the winters in Rochester, NY are a little rough, the summers are great. I enjoyed 80 degree weather all last summer when where i used to live in South Jersey they suffering with 90 to 100 degree weather all summer.   

DFTK13

California is a beautiful place to visit, but live there...not so much. Not to mention the ridiculous laws and regulations there. There’s plenty of other tech job hubs in places that are far more in touch with reality in terms of cost and freedom. 

LonerVamp

My goals will end up in the existing thread about 2020 certs.

https://community.infosecinstitute.com/discussion/136549/certification-goals-2020#latest

NetworkNewb

LonerVamp said:

My goals will end up in the existing thread about 2020 certs.

https://community.infosecinstitute.com/discussion/136549/certification-goals-2020#latest

I'm not caring about certs too much this year and looking more at growing my skillset, reason for me posting my plans here.  Yes, there are threads for other topics though.

baghdaddy19

LonerVamp said:

My goals will end up in the existing thread about 2020 certs.

https://community.infosecinstitute.com/discussion/136549/certification-goals-2020#latest

You could talk about any goals you may have not necessarily exclusive to certs (unless you only want to talk about your cert goals). Health, career, business, education, etc. Any goal you have for 2020 really. 

photogjimi

GOALS: (just a few)

Complete Sec+ and CCNA
New Job with better pay
Complete more 5k, 15K races and run my 1st half marathon
More time with my daughters, my GF and the means to do it
More travel less social media
(there's more but these are the tops! )

To the person who said they wanted to lose weight... I've been doing Intermittent Fasting since September and am down from 188 to 170 (Im 5' 9'') and it made a huge difference on my overall health and focus!

Good luck to everyone on their goals and HAPPY 2020!

roninkai

I think almost everyone in IT wants to lose at least some weight. We sit all day, geek out, drinking too much coffee and sugary sodas, etc. But I think the real reason is we end up 'geeking' out too much, take an interest in learning some new technology, reading, tinkering, etc instead of hitting the gym or eating right. I know I'm guilty. I think the solution is to incorporate the two (ie: podcasts while working out/training videos, etc). Not exactly fun, but you might be able to kill two birds...

UnixGuy

Great topic

I honestly can't answer this question! So many variables for me at the moment. Even the MBA in my signature is not certain anymore. If I complete the takeover of a business, I'm not sure I'll have time for MBA or even full time work..so many if's

I'm glad there are so many weight loss and fitness goals! Hope we all have a productive year

Good luck everyone, let's revisit this thread in few months time

New2ITinCali

Currently looking into studying for a certification- something that would compliment my work as an IT Business Analyst working under a Project Manager (PMP). I have a Bachelors in Business Management with a minor in IT and a Masters in IT Management. Pay-wise, I'm currently satisfied, so not looking to increase it as of yet. Good luck to you as you pursue your 2020 goals! 

SteveLavoie

2020 for me... 

First half of 2020 
Get my GPEN (I am just out of the SEC560 class)
Get AZ-900 (training day at M$ scheduled with free voucher, thanks Microsoft Canada)
I am presenting in an IT Security event in April (another experience that I desired for a long time). 
  
"Summer (may to september): 
I am doing KCBS BBQ competion in Eastern Canada and US. We are hoping to score better this year (usually mid-pack, want to get into top 10) 

Second half of 2020
No planned certification yet. 
Maybe another SANS class.

ps.89

2019 was very positive for me. Hoping 2020 treats me just as good.

[Career]

• Get CCNP Enterprise - I just finished the CCNA this month. I'm hoping to at least get the CCNP Enterprise Core exam completed in 2020.
• Learn some basic Python - There is an 11-hour Udemy video course from David Bombal on network automation using Python. I might watch this before starting my CCNP studies.
• Get some real world networking experience - I'm currently a NOC tech, but unfortunately, I do very little with networking. However, I'm really close with one of our network engineers and he's offered to let me job shadow him. Maybe this could lead to me transitioning to the network department.

[Personal]

• Wife and I had our first baby in September. Baby is growing up so fast and we really just want to be be the greatest parents we can be.
• Just finished our home gym. We now have a treadmill, a power rack, and some weights. Hoping this is the year I get back to my early 20's body. The wife and I really want to do Tough Mudder.

Neil86

^ great goals @ps.89 , and definitely attainable. Congrats on the baby!

LordQarlyn

To stay alive. If that sounds snide lol, I am being serious. My office building was hit recently by an incoming attack, fortunately no one was hurt and my office wasn't damaged, and damage to the structure was minimal.

Other than that, I think this year I will move to Abu Dhabi and get an expat job.

sephiroth66

Bit of a late entry but here goes..

• Finish out the next 3 semesters at school (currently going to local community college for my AAS in LAN Systems Cybersecurity specialization. They offer a BAS in the same study so that's in my 3-4 year plan)

• Get my Sec+ certification and possibly start to study for CySA+ and Net+
• Completely overhaul and manage my companies cybersecurity training, processes, policies, and documentation. (They currently don't do "cybersecurity" per say so I'm carving out my niche and essentially shifting my job role gradually on my own - so far it's working out great!  My CIO is all for it so I'm taking full advantage of this.)
• Lose about 15lbs of fat.
• Get my deadlift up to 405lbs (currently at 335lbs)
• Spend more time with the wife and kids. Always strive for this each year.
• Work on home improvement projects (kitchen overhaul, tile in living room, bathroom remodels, etc.)
• Clearing out and cleaning up our yard. (we just moved to place with 6+ acres so it's allot of brush/cactus to manage)
• Get my car check engine light fixed so it can pass inspection. 
• Do some barn repairs and cleanup at new place. (Previous owners had not maintained it for over 15 years)
• File my business taxes! lol
• Salary wise I'm hoping to hit 70k this year (currently at 64k ish). That would require an almost 10% raise so I'm not holding my breath. Hoping to hit my two year goal of 75k by 2021. 100k goal is by 2024 once I finish out school.
• Take a good vacation.
• Relax and enjoy not moving this year.
• Hopefully have enough time to play the remake of FF7 when it comes out.

thomas_

Certification Goals:

• Pass  two of the new CCNP collaboration concentration exams that I didn't get grandfathered into since I only passed 3 of the 4 old CCNP Collaboration exams.  I'll need to take 300-810 CLICA: Implementing Cisco Collaboration Applications and 300-815 CLACCM: Implementing Cisco Advanced Call Control and Mobility Services.  Fortunately, since I passed CIPTV1, CIPTV2, and CTCOLLAB I should get the new CCNP Collaboration.
• DevNet Associate - I've been wanting to learn more about automation so I figure this is a good place to start.
• DevNet Professional - If I have enough time I'll start on this cert.  After I pass the core exam I'll study for 300-835 CLAUTO: Automating and Programming Cisco Collaboration Solutions which will pair nicely with my CCNP collaboration.

Other Study Goals:

• Mess around with python and powershell scripting.  I have some ideas for projects, but I was busy with trying to study for CCNP collaboration.

Personal Goals:

• Lose 30 pounds.  I'm sitting at 230 and it would be nice to get back down to 200 and not have a gut, or as big as one, anymore.

Career Goals:

• Make more money.  I think I'm currently underpaid compared to what I could make at other companies in my area.  I'll probably have to change jobs to get a decent pay bump.

DFTK13

@LordQarlyn

Dang! I’m glad you’re ok! I don’t know much about operations out there where you’re at. But don’t they fortify the roof and use special anti-fragmentation material for your office building? Yeah I’d definitely move as well. 

DatabaseHead

Probably a Power BI certification.....

itdept

I'm happy to say I've achieved one goal for 2020. Completed the CCNA and now on to Amazon studies. Well going to have a break for a week to recharge my batteries as I'm totally spent and wife needs attention.

LordQarlyn

DFTK13 said:

@LordQarlyn

Dang! I’m glad you’re ok! I don’t know much about operations out there where you’re at. But don’t they fortify the roof and use special anti-fragmentation material for your office building? Yeah I’d definitely move as well. 

Thanks bro! For that past four years, we had little problems, it's the recent activity that has significantly escalated. Fortunately my office building is a hard building, thus the minimal damage. Our base isn't normally the target, but being right next the US Embassy, well, a miss often means we get hit. Luckily it's been quiet since then. There are hardening on soft buildings, as much as possible. Anyway, I just need to get through the next couple weeks and I'll be moving to Abu Dhabi.

Hawk321

ORACLE: Pushing ORACLE DB exams... while I had 2 semester of sql and  1 semester of pl/sql and at work I managed some serious important Databases (MariaDB and PostgreSQL) ...I did not managed a Oracle DB.

My new employer is focused on Oracle so I need to learn it

CISCO Enterprise: I don't believe that I will finish it this year...but I want to start. Actually I wait for VIRL 2

Python: I do scripting with BASH incl. respecting clean code. But I want to get more serious with Python. At college I had Java...which I don't need as an OP. The concepts come in handy, because I know all the needed stuff like OOP, clean code, recursion etc.

BOOK: Yep...I write a tech book ... needs time.

Most of my efforts depend on the current job situation, the last months were troublesome.

Non tech goal
AVOIDING F***ing Corona Virus ...heck Austria closed train traffic to Italy yesterday...hope this crap wont enter Germany on a big scale like it happened in China/Wuhan...