How to get started in IT Security

aw0l12

This has been probably been done to death, however I have not had a great time of finding information. I am currently working on my CCNA certification and have my A+ as part of my degree requirement, which when I am done I will have a BS in Information Tech with security emphasis. Now I have been told the best way to start is in help desk, but in Atlanta, GA all of the help desk positions want 1-3 years experience and a lot of them want a degree for and entry level position, but if they want experience to get hired in order to get the experience you need it's kinda of a catch 22, as a side note at the end of my degree I will have Comp TIA network +, CCNA security, and security +, is their any alternative routes or any advice that can be offered as I am kind of at an in-pass. I know people will say internships or part-time however that is not possible in my situation as I do require a full time job that is permanent as I do have financial obligations that I have to meet.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

the_Grinch

It's definitely going to be one of those situations where you'll need to keep plugging away. It took me eight months to find a job after I graduated with my degree and I had a full year of IT experience under my belt. If you apply enough, eventually someone will get back to you. I probably applied to about 200 to 300 jobs before I had anything close to a prospect. It's extremely hard to move instantly into IT security, so I would shoot for anything in IT just to start getting experience. More and more schools are pumping out graduates with security degrees, but with no practical experience. In security, practical experience is what people want.

Master Of Puppets

Apply even if you don't meet the listed requirements. The worst thing that can happen is them not calling you. Very often, people get hired when they meet 60 or 70% of the requirements. It doesn't matter what the ad says, just apply. As the_Grinch said, don't aim at security from the beginning. Get some entry level job so you can build up experience and go from there. No one hires people to take care of security when they can't operate a network, for example. But you seem to have that figured out. Degrees and certs will get you noticed but your skills matter the most.

Oh, and welcome to the forums!