Landed My First Security Engineer Job!

Finally landed my first security engineer job!

I know a lot of people here ask how they can "break in" or "get started" in security, so I've decided to share my path that got me here:

(Disclaimer: Dates are estimates)

1. Started Associates in IT program at community college | 2006
2. Landed 2 week network internship | Mid 2007
3. Earned associates in IT | Early 2008
4. Took a huge break while I explored other things in life. | 2008-2012
5. Landed first "real" job (Internet Help Desk) | Late 2012
6. Joined Tech Exams!!

| Mid 2013
7. Earned net+ and sec+ | Late 2013
8. Started B.S. - IT: Sec program at WGU | Late 2013
9. Got promoted to tier 2 | Late 2013
10. Earned A+, MTA: Windows OS, and a few useless CIW certs | Early 2014
11. Got second job (Enterprise Storage Company Tech Support) | Mid 2014
12. Earned Project+, Linux+/LPIC-1 | Late 2014 - Early 2015
13. Got third job (NOC Tech) | Early 2015
14. Earned CCENT, CCNA, CCNA Security, and finished B.S. IT - Security | Mid/Late 2015 - Early 2016
15. Promoted to network engineer | Mid/Late 2016
16. Landed security engineer job!! | Very Late 2016

I've got so much more to learn and I'm really excited for the opportunity. My immediate goal is to stay here for at least 5-6 years and really learn as much as I can before I contemplate anything else. Time to hunker down!

If you have any questions at all please feel free to ask. I also don't consider this the "ideal" path by any means, it's just the path that I took to get here.

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Comments

NetworkNewb

Congrats!

[Deleted User]

Good for you!! Congrats on your success and we wish you the best!!!

emek

Congrats! Do you feel that the CCNA and degree propelled you to the network engineer position, or would you say it was more so your experience at the NOC? Your path seems very closely related to what I see myself doing. I am currently tier II IT support, looking to get off the helpdesk and into networking and then security.

cyberguypr

Congrats!

Danielm7

Congrats on the new job!

Mike-Mike

aderon wrote: »

13. Got third job (NOC Tech) | Early 2015
14. Earned CCENT, CCNA, CCNA Security, and finished B.S. IT - Security | Mid/Late 2015 - Early 2016
15. Promoted to network engineer | Mid/Late 2016
16. Landed security engineer job!! | Very Late 2016

Congrats!

so I assume you were promoted from NOC Tech to Network Engineer at the same company. Is the Security role at the same company?

the_Grinch

Congrats! Now your real education begins

coffeeluvr

Congratulations!!

pinksj

Congratulations. All the very best in the new role.

IaHawk

Congrats on the new role! Nice work!

Dakinggamer87

Congrats!!

Madmd5

Congrats! It's great to see other members finding new and better opportunities.

aderon

emek wrote: »

Congrats! Do you feel that the CCNA and degree propelled you to the network engineer position, or would you say it was more so your experience at the NOC? Your path seems very closely related to what I see myself doing. I am currently tier II IT support, looking to get off the helpdesk and into networking and then security.

Thanks! I think it was a bit of both. Our NOC, unlike most, was actually ok with letting us do just about everything troubleshooting-wise. And it was encouraged to troubleshoot issues to our fullest ability before pushing it up to neteng (they're busy doing other things). So, I learned a lot from that. But, if it was one of those NOCs where you see an alarm and then immediately toss it up after triaging, I don't think that would have been as helpful.

The degrees and certs showed that I was willing to take that extra step to work on my skillset on my own time. A lot of employers want to see the "whole picture": degree, certs, and experience. But, most important of all is knowledge. If you get to an interview and can't answer their questions, no one will hire you regardless of anything. The degrees, experience, certs, etc are mostly there to get you into the interview, whereas your knowledge is what's going to land the job.

aderon

Mike-Mike wrote: »

Congrats!

so I assume you were promoted from NOC Tech to Network Engineer at the same company. Is the Security role at the same company?

TY! Your assumption regarding the promotion is correct, but the security engineer position was at another company. There were no pure security roles at the net eng company.

sidninja

aderon wrote: »

Finally landed my first security engineer job! I know a lot of people here ask how they can "break in" or "get started" in security, so I've decided to share my path that got me here:

(Disclaimer: Dates are estimates)

1. Started Associates in IT program at community college | 2006
2. Landed 2 week network internship | Mid 2007
3. Earned associates in IT | Early 2008
4. Took a huge break while I explored other things in life. | 2008-2012
5. Landed first "real" job (Internet Help Desk) | Late 2012
6. Joined Tech Exams!! | Mid 2013
7. Earned net+ and sec+ | Late 2013
8. Started B.S. - IT: Sec program at WGU | Late 2013
9. Got promoted to tier 2 | Late 2013
10. Earned A+, MTA: Windows OS, and a few useless CIW certs | Early 2014
11. Got second job (Enterprise Storage Company Tech Support) | Mid 2014
12. Earned Project+, Linux+/LPIC-1 | Late 2014 - Early 2015
13. Got third job (NOC Tech) | Early 2015
14. Earned CCENT, CCNA, CCNA Security, and finished B.S. IT - Security | Mid/Late 2015 - Early 2016
15. Promoted to network engineer | Mid/Late 2016
16. Landed security engineer job!! | Very Late 2016

I've got so much more to learn and I'm really excited for the opportunity. My immediate goal is to stay here for at least 5-6 years and really learn as much as I can before I contemplate anything else. Time to hunker down! If you have any questions at all please feel free to ask. I also don't consider this the "ideal" path by any means, it's just the path that I took to get here.

congrats

I am in a new job too and its amazing - working for a load balancing vendor in the UK

Chev Chellios

Congrats! And thanks for sharing the route you took to get there as well

nascar_paul

Congratulations and thanks for the insight on your path forward. It's very helpful to those wondering how routes through IT really work.

Trucido

Congratulations!