Not-So-Anonymous: Certification and Goals Addiction

chrisone

It seems like we all get excited with new course announcements that we sign up for too many and have too little time. 

It would be interesting to see everyone's list of courses they have bought in the past that they still have not gotten to or not completed. 

The following are courses I own but have not started, have not completed, or not in my current 2020 goals.  

Offensive Security: Offensive Security Certified Professional

Pentester Academy: x86 Assembly Language and Shellcoding on Linux  

eLearnSecurity: Web Application Penetration Testing v1, now v3

eLearnSecurity: Advanced Reverse Engineering of Software

eLearnSecurity: Incident Handling & Response Professional

Only the OSCP is on my to do list for this year sadly....but other cert/employer goals take precedence, Cloud technology being the major ones (see signature). I know the geek in me will buy CTP/OSCE once I pass OSCP. Don't ask me why but I just want to accomplish both those offensive security certs in 2020. 

My list of books I have not started is even more embarrassing. 

UnixGuy

how about you make a deal with yourself to not buy any new certs until you finish the ones you already bought?

Most the certs you bought are pentesting of some sort, maybe if you align your job with that then you'll have easier time finishing them?

bigdogz

I did this earlier in my career. Now I just focus on one certification at a time. If I want to get a certification, I try to get it ASAP so I can obtain others that are on my list.

chrisone

UnixGuy said:

how about you make a deal with yourself to not buy any new certs until you finish the ones you already bought?

Most the certs you bought are pentesting of some sort, maybe if you align your job with that then you'll have easier time finishing them?

True on both points.

Regarding your first comment. I do deal with impostor syndrome and tend to feel I need X amount of certs to prove to employers & myself I am 1337. But yes I need to stop this and work on the stuff I have now. 

Regarding your second comment. You need to gain the skills first before you can obtain the job that aligns with your goals.
 

SteveLavoie

You have a nice collection of unfinished course   Better finish them before getting some other.. I  do have an Elearnsecurity course myself to finish, and I am jumping from books to books (different subject based on my work days question), so in some way I understand your feeling. I can't concentrate on 1 certs to finish, then do the next one, my focus always switch. 

I think you only need 75-90% of the skills required for a job.. so that way you still get some challenge. Then you study to get almost ready for your next role.. that way you will climb faster. 

wd40

My problem is I don't need certification to do my current job, it is a good paying job (help-desk basically with few extra tasks) and I can just give up on certification and just do it until I retire, but I don't want to do this job for 20 more years.

As of now I have the following from eLearnSecurity

Penetration Testing Student (purchased 2014 - 49$)
Penetration Testing Student V3 Elite (purchased 2015 - 199$) - Passed this one
Web Application Penetration Testing V2 Elite (purchased 2015 - 719.40$)
Penetration Testing Professional v4 Elite (purchased 2015 - 699.30$)
eWAPT 60 Hours - 2 years lab extension (purchased 2017 - 249$) - earlier the Lab expires in 2 years
Penetration Testing Professional v5 Elite upgrade (purchased 2018 - 519.60$)
Web Application Penetration Testing V3 Elite (upgrade) (purchased 2018 - 359.70$)

Total spent 2,795$

in December I purchased PWK for 1,150$

I am not buying any more courses or upgrades until I get my OSCP.

roninkai

I made my nice list of cert goals for the year, and to be honest, right now I feel like trashing it entirely. The materials are so dry and boring, I find my mind wandering, wanting it to be over. I was looking at CAP, CISSP-ISSAP, PMP, OSCP for the year. But Ive just accepted a new role that has me moving across the country and diving in much deeper into DevSecOps, so none of those certs really help with this role (maybe OSCP a bit). I'm focused now on learning paths instead via company provided Lynda training (ie: DevOps Engineering = 40 hours of course work). I may revisit my cert goals, but it really helps if you'll be working with the materials or tools for which you are studying. Reading CBKs will put anyone to sleep, and with 3 kids....my time is already limited. Thankfully though I still have all my OSCP study materials for which my employer paid. When I'm ready, I can go thru that and would only need to pay for the lab time / cert attempt. I do want OSCP, just need to clear the plate for it since I know its not something you attempt casually.