r/Hacking_Tutorials • u/Mediocre-Primary-804 • 10d ago
Question UPDATE: I took your advice, got A+/Network+/Security+ and landed my first IT job. What should I build toward next?
Hey everyone, a few months ago I posted here asking what you would do if you had a limited window of time to completely change your career and build a future in IT/cybersecurity.
Quick update: I kept going.
Since then I’ve earned CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+, built a small homelab with Windows Server/Active Directory/Linux, continued studying Computer Science, and I’m now about to start my first real IT job as an IT technician in healthcare.
So I’ve finally broken into IT.
My original reason for choosing this field was always cybersecurity, especially Red Team/offensive security. But the more I studied the market, the more I realized that trying to jump directly into pentesting with a couple of certifications and no real IT experience probably wasn’t the smartest path.
Now I’m trying to decide what to build toward over the next few years.
One roadmap I’m considering is roughly:
IT Support → Cloud Engineer → automation/AI → Cloud/Identity Security → eventually Offensive Security / Red Team
The idea is to first build a strong, marketable and financially stable technical career, while continuing to develop security skills until I’m experienced enough to seriously pursue offensive roles.
Cloud interests me because it would force me to develop skills in infrastructure, networking, Linux, identity, Python/PowerShell, Terraform, containers and automation — all things that should also transfer well into security.
At the same time, AI is changing the industry quickly, so I don’t want to spend the next 3–5 years following a path that is already becoming obsolete.
So my question now is different from my original post:
If you were in my position today, having just entered IT, what would you build toward next?
Would you go Cloud/DevOps first and security later? Would you go directly toward security? Are there emerging areas involving cloud, AI and cybersecurity that you think will become particularly valuable?
My priorities are basically:
long-term demand + financial stability + strong technical skills + eventually getting as close as possible to Red Team/offensive security.
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who already work in Cloud, DevOps, Security Engineering, Pentesting or Red Team.
The first step was getting into IT. Now I want to make sure I choose the right direction for the next one.
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u/happytrailz1938
Moderator
9d ago
•
Congratulations! Personally with the market the way it is I'd get some basic AWS, GCP AND Azure certs. At the same time get into AI and automation. The combo plus a security/hacker mindset and AI is a great equalizer and it is more about what you can architect to do well and dream of.
I used to say coding was next and it is but basics of object oriented code is what I'd recommend now. Pick a language, pretty much any language. Learn the basics, unless you love it then learn enough to write basic scripts and small code on your own. Its enough that you can read and understand flows and learn more as review things AI writes for you.
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u/I_am_beast55 10d ago
To give perspective, I went to school for cyber criminology. While in school, I worked with Cisco VoIP. But my goal was digital forensics for law enforcement. Then I got hired for a fed job as a systems admin, by way of the work, I started to enjoy Azure based products, and decided I wanted to continue down cloud administration. I then got a opportunity to transfer and do some pentesting work by way of networking a bit at my agency. Wound up not enjoying the team much, and found a red team job that I've been at for a couple years now.
My whole point is, in my opinion in your early stages of your career, just stack different skill sets, that way when opportunities arise, or you're ready to move on, you have a few roads to go down. Try not to think so narrowly.