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Requirements for cyber security job?

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  • 24-01-2018 3:30pm
    #1
    bionett
    Registered Users Posts: 25 ✭


    Hey so i recently decided that i want to work in cyber security due to a great intrest in IT and coding etc , im currently 18 and havent started college yet. So heres the thing, my leaving cert might aswell be nonexistent, its terrible. (not making excuses but my school years were kinda ****ty for me). So basically i was wondering what courses i should do in college so i could find a job as a software engineer or security analyst mybe?


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    #2
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    CompTIA Security+

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #3
    horgan_p
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 2,604 Mod ✭✭✭✭horgan_p


    bionett wrote: »
    Hey so i recently decided that i want to work in cyber security due to a great intrest in IT and coding etc , im currently 18 and havent started college yet. So heres the thing, my leaving cert might aswell be nonexistent, its terrible. (not making excuses but my school years were kinda ****ty for me). So basically i was wondering what courses i should do in college so i could find a job as a software engineer or security analyst mybe?

    By "college" do you mean PLC (post leaving cert) course ?
    If so there are plenty out there that will put you in a great spot to get a foot in the door in an IT outfit. It just means you'll spend a year or 2 possibly on service desk to earn your stripes before you'll get to the giddy heights of Security Analyst"


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    #4
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    horgan_p wrote: »
    By "college" do you mean PLC (post leaving cert) course ?
    If so there are plenty out there that will put you in a great spot to get a foot in the door in an IT outfit. It just means you'll spend a year or 2 possibly on service desk to earn your stripes before you'll get to the giddy heights of Security Analyst"

    Hi horgan_p. By 'service desk', do you mean something like tech support (help desk jobs) over the phone?

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #5
    horgan_p
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 2,604 Mod ✭✭✭✭horgan_p


    Worztron wrote: »
    Hi horgan_p. By 'service desk', do you mean something like tech support (help desk jobs) over the phone?

    Yes I do.


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    #6
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    horgan_p wrote: »
    Yes I do.

    I see. A help desk job sounds awful.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #7
    horgan_p
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 2,604 Mod ✭✭✭✭horgan_p


    Well with a crappy leaving cert, no college degree and no experience you are in take what you can get mode until you've proven your worth to an employer.

    Its not nice and its a grind, but would any sysadmin worth his/her money leave an unknown quantity loose on the network that they are responsible for ?


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    #8
    Triceratops Ballet
    Registered Users Posts: 4,894 ✭✭✭Triceratops Ballet


    Look into FIT, the new tech apprenticeship scheme. They have a Dev and cyber security track, it will cover all of your entry level certs and get you hands on experience in an actual security team


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    #9
    ballyargus
    Registered Users Posts: 1,005 ✭✭✭ballyargus


    Bootcamp learning is a good way to go. Look for one that offers certification of some kind. College degrees are not the prerequisites that they once were for a good career.

    You will have to display competency to get onto a programme though, usually some form of aptitude/appropriateness test


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    #10
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,396 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Worztron wrote: »
    I see. A help desk job sounds awful.

    Its not below anyone. A great way to learn some key skills, and identify and understand human behaviour, which is a key aspect of Cybersecurity.
    I'd also suggest some of the CompTIA certs including A plus, Network plus, security plus, pentest plus and the EC course, but all of these are almost point less without some level of work experience in IT.


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    #11
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    kippy wrote: »
    Its not below anyone. A great way to learn some key skills, and identify and understand human behaviour, which is a key aspect of Cybersecurity.
    I'd also suggest some of the CompTIA certs including A plus, Network plus, security plus, pentest plus and the EC course, but all of these are almost point less without some level of work experience in IT.

    Hi kippy. I never said it was - just not my cup of tea. BTW - what's 'EC course'?

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #12
    RossieMan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,766 ✭✭✭RossieMan


    Worztron wrote:
    Hi kippy. I never said it was - just not my cup of tea. BTW - what's 'EC course'?

    You aren't going to walk into your dream job. This is the real world, you've got to earn your title. It won't be handed to you on a plate.

    You might need an attitude change if you want to continue down this line of work, dealing with other people is a massive part of it.


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    #13
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,396 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Worztron wrote: »
    Hi kippy. I never said it was - just not my cup of tea. BTW - what's 'EC course'?

    https://www.eccouncil.org/

    - A helpdesk job sounds awful - sorry, I took that to mean that it wasn't for you.


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    #14
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    kippy wrote: »
    https://www.eccouncil.org/

    - A helpdesk job sounds awful - sorry, I took that to mean that it wasn't for you.

    Thanks for the link. I did - but it could suit someone else fine.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #15
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    RossieMan wrote: »
    You aren't going to walk into your dream job. This is the real world, you've got to earn your title. It won't be handed to you on a plate.

    You might need an attitude change if you want to continue down this line of work, dealing with other people is a massive part of it.

    I'm just being honest - a helpdesk job would be totally unsuited to me.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #16
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,396 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Worztron wrote: »
    I'm just being honest - a helpdesk job would be totally unsuited to me.

    Why so?


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    #17
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    kippy wrote: »
    Why so?

    That job would require excellent communication skills (a people person in otherwords) and that's just not me.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #18
    RossieMan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,766 ✭✭✭RossieMan


    Worztron wrote:
    That job would require excellent communication skills (a people person in otherwords) and that's just not me.


    You are entering the wrong business then. If you can't talk to people you haven't a hope as any sort of developer.


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    #19
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,396 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Worztron wrote: »
    That job would require excellent communication skills (a people person in otherwords) and that's just not me.

    What job/area are you in at the minute?

    Excellent communications skills are a major asset in absolutely ANY role but for some it's not as strongly required as others.


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    #20
    Eire Go Brach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,368 ✭✭✭Eire Go Brach


    Worztron wrote: »
    I see. A help desk job sounds awful.
    Your looking at it the wrong way. Imagine becoming a plumber or electrician by not doing an apprenticeship? You wouldn’t you would be a handyman.

    Same in IT. You have to do study then the experience more study and get the job you want.


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    #21
    AndrewJRenko
    Registered Users Posts: 28,397 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Worztron wrote: »
    That job would require excellent communication skills (a people person in otherwords) and that's just not me.
    Communications skills can be easily learnt. You don't really need to be a 'people person'. You just need to be able to talk, write, listen, read.


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    #22
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    RossieMan wrote: »
    You are entering the wrong business then. If you can't talk to people you haven't a hope as any sort of developer.

    I can talk to people -- just not as well perhaps as would be required. What do you mean by 'developer'? I'm not a software programer.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #23
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    kippy wrote: »
    What job/area are you in at the minute?

    Excellent communications skills are a major asset in absolutely ANY role but for some it's not as strongly required as others.

    I'd rather not say. Fair point there.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #24
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    AndrewJRenko wrote: »
    Communications skills can be easily learnt. You don't really need to be a 'people person'. You just need to be able to talk, write, listen, read.

    All day social interaction is hell for an introvert like me. I find it exhausting.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #25
    Blazer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,416 ✭✭✭✭Blazer


    What's your maths like?
    For IT you need a very logical mind. If you're crap at maths you're not going to be very good at IT.

    Communication can be learned, I myself did several courses on it throughout the years which was provided by my Employer and while I just thought to myself more rubbish all of them stood to me.


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    #26
    Worztron
    Registered Users Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭Worztron


    Blazer wrote: »
    What's your maths like?
    For IT you need a very logical mind. If you're crap at maths you're not going to be very good at IT.

    It's good. I have a logical mind alright.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



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    #27
    Blazer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,416 ✭✭✭✭Blazer


    Worztron wrote: »
    It's good. I have a logical mind alright.

    That's good. You will need that.
    There are a lot of courses you can do to teach you these.
    If you were in college you'd be open to graduate roles etc in companies but since you're not you need to find another way such as a online course or attend a college night course.


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    #28
    Cuddlesworth
    Registered Users Posts: 13,980 ✭✭✭✭Cuddlesworth


    Worztron wrote: »
    I can talk to people -- just not as well perhaps as would be required. What do you mean by 'developer'? I'm not a software programer.

    If your not interested in programming, then a helpdesk is the best start.


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    #29
    the whole year inn
    Registered Users Posts: 7,078 ✭✭✭the whole year inn


    Blazer wrote: »
    What's your maths like?
    For IT you need a very logical mind. If you're crap at maths you're not going to be very good at IT.

    Communication can be learned, I myself did several courses on it throughout the years which was provided by my Employer and while I just thought to myself more rubbish all of them stood to me.

    What math are you on about? I was terrible at maths and work in IT . Has not hindered me one bit.


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    #30
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,396 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    the whole year inn wrote: »
    What math are you on about? I was terrible at maths and work in IT . Has not hindered me one bit.

    I'd agree with this strongly. Depending of course on the area but for support and infrastructure you definetly don't need to be above average in maths. I'd say the same for most of the security roles I've seen also.


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    #31
    Rattlehead_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,882 ✭✭✭Rattlehead_ie


    You dont need math for IT and on previous posts helpdesk support is not below anyone and a great stepping stone. I started there and while it's tough its helped me where I've gotten to today.

    Around the original post. It depends on the type of security you're looking at doing within IT. Hardware based....I.e Network, Firewalling or
    Software/Cert based. I.e Server Client SSL, Certificate type security.

    If hardware JNCIA or CCNA will be a good start. There are some course out there that touch on this PLC types and even some full time courses. Vendor certification is the way to go if you want to get into hardware. You may eventually even start to look at the software side as well.

    If software as previously mentioned there are some Security+ course out there that would help but again understanding the basic fundamentals is a start.


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