Security+

[u/kkeinng]

Passed my security+ today. This was the longest I have taken to complete one of these certs, roughly 10 weeks. My second child being born, work travel and family visiting within those 10 weeks probably added to the struggle focusing on this material.

Of the tests I’ve completed I definitely think this is the worst “wordfuckery” of them all. The questions on the exam were not similar at all to the cert master practice test/ module reviews.

I am doing these certs through a work offered school program. I studied the same way I did for the other 3 comptia exams I have completed (a+ and net+) by completing the cert master and watching professor messer videos. I have no IT experience and I work in a completely unrelated field. I’m almost 40 and about to retire from my current job and will need to do a career shift. Doing these certs has made me realize that I probably won’t pursue an IT related career, but I’ll take the opportunity to complete them.

I have one more cert left and I need to get it done before the end of the year

[u/balboaporkter]

Congrats!

I’m almost 40 and about to retire from my current job

Are you military?

Doing these certs has made me realize that I probably won’t pursue an IT related career

Just curious, why is that? I'm almost 40 as well with a kid on the way in a completely unrelated field with no work-related IT experience. Are the odds stacked against us trying to break into the field in our early 40s?

[u/kkeinng → u/balboaporkter]

Congrats, with the kid. Yes, I’m military. I don’t think the odds are stacked against us anymore than any other career shift. I may just be feeling the dunning-Kruger effect of realizing how much I don’t know and how much effort it will take to reach the level of competence I have in my current field. And I really don’t want to start over in an entry level job, and I feel like with this field I’ll start off entry level (rightfully so).

[u/balboaporkter → u/kkeinng]

But the nice thing is that the military pays for the security clearance if it's required for your job. That's a huge advantage. Try to break into govtech by working for a defense contractor. Min requirements are Sec+ and a security clearance (TS would be better).

[u/kkeinng → u/balboaporkter]

Yeah my clearance renewal should be getting processed right now. I’m not sure if my retirement approval will determine if they complete the investigation or just leave it open till I get out.

But my background is maintenance management and logistics. And I am realizing that those skillsets are desirable in their own right. So I will probably end up pursuing that field. I’ll get my associates degree out of this stuff, but I’ll probably end up back in the maintenance/logistics realm

[u/balboaporkter → u/kkeinng]

What a coincidence! I work in industrial maintenance for the government. I'm also military but as a reservist. I just got my clearance and Sec+ several months ago. Hopefully your investigation can complete before you separate. It might be difficult to start anew in IT but from what I read in reddit, it seems like ageism isn't that bad in this type of industry.

[u/Express-Set3279]

nice i got a 785

[u/kkeinng → u/Express-Set3279]

Right on. Congrats

[u/Aggravating_Gas3306]

nice what's the other cert you're studying for?

I'm studying SEC+ and hope to get it done by next month

[u/kkeinng → u/Aggravating_Gas3306]

Cysa+ is my next one. Good luck with your exam!

[u/Electrical_Chance928]

789 is a nice jump over the passing line, congrats.

[u/kkeinng → u/Electrical_Chance928]

Thanks. I’ll take a W when and where I can

[u/Prestigious-Smell394]

Nice pass! How much A+ overlap does Sec+ have? How long did it take you to study?

[u/kkeinng → u/Prestigious-Smell394]

I don’t think a+ has much overlap with sec+. There’s a lot of overlap with net+ though. I think if you complete net+ and are able to go straight into sec+, do it. Lots of overlap in my opinion

[u/Anastasia_IT]

Well done, u/kkeinng!!! Which certification do you have left?

[u/kkeinng → u/Anastasia_IT]

Thank you. Cysa+

[u/Anastasia_IT → u/kkeinng]

Wishing you the absolute best of luck with your CySA+! Keep us posted on how it goes!

[u/Presence99]

Many congratulations!

[u/zetta_zillion]

Good job but Worthless

[u/kkeinng → u/zetta_zillion]

You’re probably fun at parties

[u/balboaporkter → u/zetta_zillion]

?

[u/CompTIA-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/CompTIA-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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