Shadowing Practice: How I Would Start Cybersecurity in 2026 (If Starting From Zero) - Learn English Speaking with Video

If I had to start my cybersecurity career from absolute zero in 2026, knowing everything I know now as a recruiter, this is exactly what I do.

And I'm going to be brutally honest with you that most people are still doing this completely wrong.

Look, I've seen the pattern play out over and over.

Someone gets excited about cybersecurity, they drop thousands on a bootcamp or a certification, study for months and then nothing, crickets.

No interviews, no callbacks, just rejection after rejection.

Why?

Because they skip the fundamentals that actually get you hired.

Hey everyone, my name is Luke Goff.

I've been recruiting now for almost 15 years and I also coach people how to break into this industry.

In my most popular video, I shared the five -step roadmap that no one talks about.

Now today, I'm taking that framework and showing you exactly how I'd apply if I was starting fresh in 2026.

With the updated tools, the current job market realities and the insider knowledge I've gained from seeing what actually works.

By the end of this video, you'll have a very clear step -by -step action plan that will put you months ahead of everyone else starting out.

I've been really looking forward to doing this video.

So grab a coffee, a notepad and pen, and let's get straight into it.

Let's get you hired into cybersecurity.

Okay, section one.

Week one to two, map the battlefield, but be smart.

Here's what I'd do differently in 2026.

Most people skip this step entirely, or they spend five minutes Googling cybersecurity jobs and call it done.

That's a mistake that could cost you lots of time.

If I was starting fresh, here's my exact two -week plan.

Week one, role research.

I'd spend 30 minutes every single day on LinkedIn, and Indeed or whatever job site there you have in your region.

Not applying for roles, just reading.

I'd open 10 different cybersecurity job descriptions each day and ask myself one question.

Does this day -to -day actually excite me?

Here's what I'd be looking for.

SoC analyst roles.

Am I pumped about hunting threats in log files?

GRC analyst positions.

Does the idea of building security frameworks and ensuring compliance sound interesting to me?

For cloud security jobs, environments.

Now, I'd keep a simple notes document and jot down, this sounds cool or this sounds boring.

No judgment, just real honesty.

Now, in week two, this is reality check conversation.

Here's the move most people miss.

I'd reach out to three people actually doing these roles.

A simple LinkedIn message.

Now, you can watch this back on about to say if you want to use this, but this is a basic message you could put.

Hey there, I'm exploring cybersecurity and your background in really like.

Now you'd be shocked how many people say yes.

Honestly people like talking about themselves.

People like talking about what they do and helping others.

And those 15 minute conversations would save me from wasting months on the wrong path.

Imagine if you were thinking of going to become a pen tester.

You spoke to someone and you really didn't like the sound of it.

Now if you hadn't have done that you wouldn't have known

and could have spent months preparing for something you weren't going to enjoy.

The advantage in 2026 is use chat gpt or equivalent

them identify common skills and requirements across different roles copy

and paste 10 job descriptions and ask the ai what are the top five skills

that appear most often it's a tip there that will save you

so much time now by the end of week two i'd know my lane and

that clarity would make every step after this 10 times more

effective okay moving on to section two month one build your foundation using free resources

so right you've picked your direction so now here's where most buy expensive certifications.

Don't do it yet.

If I was starting out in 2026, here's my month one foundation building plan.

Week one to two, work on IT fundamentals.

I'd watch Professor Messers, for example, free Comp Tier A plus videos on YouTube.

Not to take the exam, just to understand how computers, how operating systems and how hardware actually work.

This is your baseline.

30 minutes a day, an hour a day if you've got more time taking notes.

Week three to four, deep dive.

Now this I can tell you is non -negotiable.

You must understand networking.

Every single cyber attack happens across a network in some way.

This is where I'd actually start studying for the Comp Tier Network Plus certifications.

Now I know I said don't do certifications yet but the Comp Tier Network Plus I'd start looking into it.

Why?

Because Network Plus helps you understand the fundamentals of networking and this is absolutely key to every single role in cyber security.

So whether you're or your managing compliance frameworks.

It all happens across networks.

I'd use Professor Messer's free Network Plus course and take proper notes on the OSI model,

the TCP, what DNS, what DHCP and firewalls actually do.

I'd look at subnetting basics and network security concepts.

Once again, I'm not saying you need to rush out and take the exam immediately, but using the Network Plus Certification Path as a structured learning

guide is probably the single best way to get the networking knowledge.

That's absolutely essential.

actual exam but the knowledge itself is non -negotiable.

The advantage in 2026 is there's platforms like Code Academy, Free Code Camp and YouTube.

They've all gotten so much better.

You can learn faster, free, things that people couldn't even do five years ago.

Now let me know in the comments, are you currently studying networking fundamentals or did you skip straight to certifications? Be honest.

Okay, section three, month two.

This is where you get your hands dirty and build your portfolio.

So This is where you separate yourself from 90 % of other beginners because most people never do this step.

Once again, if I was starting fresh, here's exactly what I'd build.

Week one, I'd set up my home lab.

I'd download VirtualBox, which is free.

I'd install Windows Server, which is also free, and build a mini network on my laptop.

This may sound intimidating, but there are dozens of free YouTube tutorials

that walk you through it step by step and very clear for you to follow and understand.

how systems talk to each other.

Now, then moving on to week two or three, I would start looking at try hack me and hack the box.

I'd sign up for try hack me.

There's a free tier and it's fine to start with.

And I'd work through these specific rooms, Linux fundamentals, network services, and intro to offensive security.

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Those three rooms are what I would do first.

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Now, every single room I complete, I'd write a short blog post or a LinkedIn article documented what I did and what I learned.

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This is And this will help you stand up down the line when you come to apply for roles.

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Week four, my first practical project.

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So this would be my real first project that I've done.

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I'd set up a basic SIEM tool, which is security information and event manager for anyone watching this who's unsure of that.

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I would use Splunk 3 or Elk Stack, feed it some sample logs and practice detecting suspicious activity.

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I'd then once again, I'd document the whole thing on GitHub with screenshots and a write -up.

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I would say how I built my first SIEM lab.

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by how much this will help you.

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The advantage in 2026 will be that free scene tools, cloud platforms with three tiers, AWS Azure and platforms like TriHackMe,

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these all didn't exist years and years ago.

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You can build a portfolio that would have cost you thousands right now for free.

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Now, why does this matter for recruiters?

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Well, when I'm hiring, I see hundreds of resumes that say CompTier Security Plus certified.

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Great, that really is.

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It's important to have that.

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But the plus.

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That's the person that gets interviewed first every single time.

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Okay, section four, month three.

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Immerse yourself and build real connections in the cyber community.

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Month three is about becoming part of the broader cyber world.

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Cyber security is one of the most welcoming industries I've seen, but you have to show up.

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If I was starting in 2026, here's exactly what I'd do.

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Week one to two, I'd get active online.

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I'd follow 20 to 30 cyber security professionals SOC analysts, cloud security engineers.

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I'd then engage.

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I'd comment on posts with very genuine questions.

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I'd also share what I'm learning with my own posts.

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An example could be on LinkedIn, just completed my first try Hack Me Room on network enumeration and here's what I learned.

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People will start reading that.

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People will start commenting.

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You will become more known in your network.

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Week three, find my local scene.

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So I'd start looking up the local cyber security Even if I felt like I didn't know enough, I'd go.

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Because jobs are filled through connections before they've ever posted online.

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I find so many people for jobs through my network, not just people applying for jobs.

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So bear that in mind.

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Week four, I'd then start consuming content.

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Now, I'd pick one cybersecurity podcast.

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An example could be Darknet Diaries.

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This is brilliant for storytelling.

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And one newsletter.

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Obviously, this YouTube channel's newsletter, which goes without saying.

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But seriously, choose a newsletter to stay current on industry trend.

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Virtual meetups and Discord communities mean you can network globally without even leaving your house.

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Join the TriHackMe Discord, the Cyber Defenders community, wherever your people are.

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A tip from a recruiter's insight here.

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The number of times I've hired because they were referred by someone in the community is huge.

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Showing up really matters.

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Excuse me.

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Okay, section five, month four.

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This is now when you get your certification.

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So month four, now and only now would I get certified.

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Now, there's a chance you would have completed your Network Plus already.

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So I know that does contradict myself slightly.

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But if you haven't, do your Network Plus.

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If you've done it already, great.

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But here's what I would do next.

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Absolutely no questions asked, I would do the CompTIA Security Plus.

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The Security Plus is still the gold standard entry level certification in cybersecurity.

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It's recognized globally.

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It covers all fundamentals across different security domains and it's what hiring managers look for when screening candidates.

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I can tell you that it's still the number one certificate hiring managers look for for entry -level cyber professionals.

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This would be the certification I do or I would do regardless of which path I eventually chose.

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Now why Security Plus?

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Apart from it being globally recognised in the gold standard, it validates that you understand all the basics,

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threats, attacks, vulnerabilities, You learn operations and incident response,

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governance risk and compliance basics.

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It's also vendor neutral, which means the knowledge applies everywhere.

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Whether you end up in cloud, GRC or SOC work, it doesn't matter.

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Now this, after I've done Security Plus, is when I would choose my specialization path.

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So by now, you may have an idea about what specific path you want to go down in cyber.

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So I'd take a moment to think about this

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and think about what really excites me based on everything I've learned in the previous three months.

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relevant certifications for my chosen direction.

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Now I'm going to give you a few examples here.

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So if SOC Analyst is my choice, I might look at the CYSA +, which is CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst Plus.

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Or I'd even start looking at exploring vendor -specific tools like Splunk certifications.

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Being honest, I'd probably do both of those.

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If cloud security was my path.

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Now I can tell you that I'm not telling you necessarily to do cloud, but as a recruiter, it is a booming area and it will continue to grow.

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So cloud is definitely something I probably would look into.

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But if at the AWS Certified Security Specialty, the Azure Security Engineer Associate, also known as the ACED 500,

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or the Google Cloud Professional Security Engineer.

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Now, depending on which cloud platform is most in demand in my target area, being completely honest with you, I'd probably look at AWS, but there are all three of those are good options.

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Here's the key.

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By month four, I've already done the labs, I've built the projects, I've built portfolios, and I've joined the community.

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Security Plus isn't demonstrated through hands -on work that I've documented.

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The advantage of 2026 is there's more pathways than ever with

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vendor specific certifications carrying serious weight alongside the traditional comp tier stack.

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Okay section six month five and six this is when I'd start applying and get hired.

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This is the exciting part this is where all the work you've done comes to this.

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So month five and six is about execution and here's my exact strategy on what I would do.

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Week one I'd to you here.

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If you see something that you struggle with, reach out to me.

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I offer career coaching on exactly this.

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Part of my course and what I do is I can optimize your resume and LinkedIn to make sure it stands out, it's written correctly, it's ATS friendly,

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and it gives you the best position possible to secure that interview.

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I'll leave the description below.

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But I'd make sure that my LinkedIn headline says exactly what I'm aiming for.

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An example could be aspiring SOC analyst, CompTIA Security +, Home Lab Projects and SIEM and Threat Detection.

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So you've got your name, LinkedIn like a recruiter and hire a manager, straight away they're seeing this is what this person does, this is what they've done.

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It jumps out.

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Now my resume would focus on my projects, not just my certifications.

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So each bullet point would show impact.

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For example, one bullet point built and configured a home seam lab using Splunk to detect and analyze network anomalies.

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Make sure that you've highlighted what you've done in bullet points and it's clear to see.

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Week two to six, this is when I'd start doing very targeted applications.

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I'd start applying to five to qualified for.

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Don't just start sending your CV off to any role that says SOC or cyber.

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Don't do that.

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Be more targeted.

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I'd be looking for junior SOC analyst roles, cyber security analysts or even IT security analysts.

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And here's the move.

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For every application, I'd find the hiring manager on LinkedIn or the best person possible I could reach out to.

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And I'd send a very short, genuine message.

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I can tell you now 90 % and probably 95 % of people don't do this.

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They just send their resume in.

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I'll give you an example of what you could say here.

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So feel free to replay this, I would put, hi, John, I've just applied for the SOC analyst role.

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I've been building hands -on experience through home labs and try Hackme, and I'd love to bring that energy to your team.

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A very simple message like that will go so far.

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Hiring managers and businesses would love the fact that you've been proactive

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and reached out to them where you haven't just sent your CV, and it could be the difference between you and another candidate on what makes you get that interview.

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Another advantage of 2026 is remote work has opened up opportunities globally.

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to opportunities in your city anymore.

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So there you have it.

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If I was starting cybersecurity in 2026 from absolutely zero, that is the exact path I would do.

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It may sound tedious.

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It may sound five or six months before I apply for a job.

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I get that.

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But do it right.

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Do it correctly.

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It's the path I've seen work and it's the path I would do.

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So let's recap.

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Month one, map my path and build foundations.

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Month two, get hands on with labs, projects, portfolios.

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Month three, immerse LinkedIn network, network on X, wherever the community is.

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Month four, get certified to validate my skills.

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And month five and six, this is when I would start applying strategically and hopefully land the role I'm after.

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This isn't just theory.

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This is the exact framework.

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I've seen work many, many times.

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And then the demand for cybersecurity professionals, honestly, is through the roof.

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But companies want people who can actually do the job, not just pass the test.

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If I could give you one more bit of advice, it's this.

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Certifications are great.

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Don't get me wrong.

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You need them make sure you build portfolios, home labs, projects alongside it, certifications and real hands -on experience.

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If this roadmap was helpful, and I really hope it was, hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications so you don't miss what's coming next.

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And here's my question for you.

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Where are you right now in your cybersecurity journey?

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Are you just starting out or are you already building home labs?

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Drop it in the comments.

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I read every single one.

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Also, the community can learn from each other.

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So put those examples below.

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I really am appreciating everyone's support.

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Thank I do.

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I love helping people and I want to say thank you to my community.

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So thanks for watching.

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Always keep levelling up your career and I'll see you all in the next video.

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Thank you.

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Thank you you Thank you.

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you

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