So It's been exactly 10 years since I decided to sign up and create a user on TechExams. I was stalking the forums for few months prior to that.
How I found the forums.
I think by Googling, I wanted to know what books people used to study for the CCNA. By that time I was in my LAST few months at Uni (about to graduate), and was studying for CCNA because I wanted to work in 'networking'...Mind you, I didn't know anything about the industry at that time - I was so immersed in the university life. I passed the CCNA, and got a job (not related to CCNA or Networking) doing support for Sun Microsystems at the time, and so I became a UnixGuy
Why I stayed in the forums.
I had my heart set on Security - or I thought I did. I had a very vague idea what security is...I think looking back, I can safely say that I didn't really know what a security professional actually does, but that didn't stop me. Upon following advice given to me in this forum, I decided to follow the long path of first gaining experience in System Engineering/Admin/Networks/etc then moving to security.
I did exactly that...7 years of grinding...I passed the RHCE exam, and did a lot in the domain of Linux and Unix, backups, Disaster recovery, scripting...you name it, I did it. Still no Security.
The Move to Security.
I got my easy entry to security, and the rest has been history. My background definitely helped but I also quickly realised how big the gap in my knowledge is. I kind of needed to start all over, from the beginning....So learning constantly on the job, going to conferences, reading books, and doing certifications is more crucial than it has ever been.
Thoughts on certifications and the industry in general.
The truth is, most people in the industry are just lazy, they don't study , they don't do certifications, and they definitely don't improve and progress. I'm talking the vast majority in the industry - While here, on TechExams, we are the exception. We're the ones constantly studying for the next certs, we're the one constantly trying to be better than we were yesterday. The growth mentality here is what differentiate us. This is good news..it's not very hard to stand out.. And stand out we do
Cautionary tales.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'm going to repeat some cautionary tales that I've seen both in the industry and here from members of the forums.
1) Get your diet fixed. This is non-negotiable, I've seen it time and time again..those fast food lunches, after work drinks, desserts, etc etc...WILL destroy your life. Eat like an adult and prepare your own food. Don't use the stress of work and studying as an excuse..I've done it before, so don't make the same mistake. Once you get your diet in check, you will realise how easy it is to maintain it and your wallet will thank you as well. You will improve your health and youth much longer than all your colleagues.
2) Do not ignore your spouse and family. I'm not saying this career causes divorce, but I personally know a handful of close friends and forum members who've gone through divorce and part of the reason was that they ignored every aspect of their life in pursuit of career/certs goals. Don't do it. Have honest and open conversations with your spouse and keep things in perspective. Have hobbies and have a healthy social life. Work to live and don't live to work. Easier said than done, but this is a priority and you have to make an active effort.
3) Exercise. Find something you can be consistent with. While I can't recommend weight lifting enough...if you think it's not for you and you can't stick to it - find something else. Do you like Tennis? Basket Ball? anything...just find something and be consistent. This is one of those things that will give the BEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT. It's priority so treat it as such.
4) Keep an eye on the market. I was a system admin doing Unix work and i saw the cloud coming, I saw the trend going towards DevOps and cloud...so I jumped on it as fast as I can. Be adaptable and always be involved in new projects and new stuff. Don't be the guy who only knows how to be a DBA on one specific type of Database. Don't be the guy who is a SAN Admin managing one type of storage - you will be replaced - no one is indispensable.
You are the one responsible for your own stability, your up to date skills and certs is your guarantee to stability and salary increase - not your employer. Always be ready to jump ships, and always be on top of the new trend.
Be well rounded, and learn more than one skill. Specialisation is important but be well rounded as well. Don't pigeon hole yourself in one technology. because technology changes all the time. and it changes QUICKLY.
This Industry is GREAT
Trust me, there is ample opportunity in this industry. Technology is growing, and there is money in this industry. Pursue higher level certifications and get into high level technical roles, or get into management. Get into Pre-sales or Sales and travel the world and make a killer of a salary. Learn Data Science and become a data scientist or learn AI and Machine Learning technology. Pass those Amazon AWS exams and get into Cloud service providers or MSP. Get into Cyber Security if you want. There are opportunities to work remotely or to work 100% from home, so if you have family commitment or illness, this career can be flexible enough for you.
There is so much to do, and there is an unprecedented amount of free resources to grow and learn pretty much anything online. The sky's the limit!
Finally, I can't thank you all enough for being a great and a continuous source of support for me throughout my career, and I want to give back to the community as much as possible. If you ever visit the land down under, shoot me a message
