I am thrilled to share this detailed write-up of my talk at Cyber Connect: Cybersecurity Career Day, where I discussed accessible pathways into cybersecurity. Originally published by GeoCyber Systems LLC at their Substack, this post is republished here with their kind permission. You can watch the full video here for more details.
From the Cyber Connect: Cybersecurity Career Day – Saturday, June 28, 2025
In a field often clouded by misconceptions and perceived barriers to entry, Michael Ifeanyi brought clarity and accessibility to our Cyber Connect audience with his session “Cybersecurity Career Launch: Essential Skills, Certifications, and Entry Points.” As a Solutions Engineer at Google specializing in Kubernetes networking and security, Michael’s presentation focused on demystifying cybersecurity career paths and providing practical guidance for newcomers navigating this expanding field.
His comprehensive overview addressed the fundamental question facing many aspiring cybersecurity professionals: How do you actually get started in a field that seems to require experience you don’t yet have? Michael’s answer emphasized accessible entry points, practical skill development, and strategic career planning.
Dispelling the Myths
Michael opened his session by directly addressing common misconceptions that discourage potential cybersecurity professionals. “Usually people think that cybersecurity is for computer geniuses. That is not true. Anyone can actually break into the cybersecurity space. However, it requires a whole lot of dedication and effort,” he emphasized.
His myth-busting approach tackled several persistent barriers:
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The “Genius Only” Myth: Cybersecurity doesn’t require exceptional technical brilliance, but rather sustained learning and practical application of knowledge.
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The “Impossible Entry” Myth: “It’s an extremely hard field to get into. That is not true. You can actually work your way up the ladder,” Michael explained. Many cybersecurity professionals start in help desk, technical support, or networking roles before transitioning into security-specific positions.
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The “No Entry-Level Jobs” Myth: Michael directly contradicted this belief, pointing to SOC (Security Operations Center) analyst positions as prime examples of entry-level opportunities where newcomers can “monitor logs and actively check for threats.”
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The “Advanced Degree Required” Myth: While formal education can be valuable, Michael acknowledged that “there are people that do not follow the academic route into the cybersecurity space. However, they are still working in the cybersecurity space today.”
These clarifications set the foundation for a more inclusive view of cybersecurity career development, emphasizing opportunity over obstacles.
Understanding the Cybersecurity Landscape
Michael provided context for the field’s growth and opportunity through current market data. Citing US Department of Labor statistics, he highlighted the projected 35% increase in information security analyst positions from 2020 to 2031 – a growth rate far exceeding most other fields.
“That tells us a whole lot that the demand for cybersecurity specialists, analysts, consultants, engineers will still be on the rise. I’d say it’s a great field to go into,” he noted. This growth trajectory reflects not just increasing digital threats but also expanding recognition of cybersecurity as essential business infrastructure.
Michael’s definition of cybersecurity emphasizes practical protection: “Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting your infrastructure, network systems, and trying to prevent cyber threats ranging from data leakage to things that could affect programs of the organization.” This straightforward explanation helps newcomers understand cybersecurity’s core purpose without getting lost in technical jargon.
Essential Skills for Success
Michael’s skills framework balances technical competencies with broader professional capabilities, providing a comprehensive roadmap for skill development.
Core Technical Skills:
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Network Security: “You’re trying to protect the network from being infiltrated.” Understanding network fundamentals provides the foundation for most cybersecurity roles.
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Incident Response: The ability to “take action once they detect breaches” requires both technical knowledge and decision-making under pressure.
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Risk Management: “More on the managerial side of things where you have your CISMs and auditors trying to assess the risk of the system.” This continuous process requires analytical thinking and business understanding.
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Vulnerability Assessment: Testing “applications, web applications, or networks for vulnerabilities and making assessments” combines technical testing with communication skills.
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Cryptography: Understanding “public key infrastructure to ensure data confidentiality” becomes increasingly important as encryption becomes ubiquitous.
Beyond technical skills, Michael emphasized the importance of soft skills that often determine career advancement success: “Apart from the technical skills, you also have the soft skills that are always required to get through the door at an organization – communication skills, presentation skills, and behavioral skills.”
Career Paths and Entry Points
Michael’s overview of cybersecurity career paths demonstrates the field’s diversity while providing concrete job titles for career planning:
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SOC Analysts: Responsible for “monitoring, analyzing, and responding to incidents and threats.” This entry-level role provides exposure to multiple cybersecurity domains.
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Penetration Testers: Security professionals who “intentionally attack your system and document reports” to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors do.
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Security Engineers: Professionals who “work with developers to ensure you’re following best principles to implement applications” by integrating security into development processes.
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Incident Response Specialists: Team members who “step in to resolve issues and make sure there are no further breaches” when security incidents occur.
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Cybersecurity Consultants: Advisors who “consult in terms of cybersecurity architecture” and provide strategic guidance on security implementations.
For those seeking entry-level positions, Michael recommended three primary pathways:
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Cybersecurity Internships: Structured programs that provide hands-on experience and potential pathways to full-time positions.
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SOC Analyst Roles: “One of the ways to get your hands dirty on trying to become a SOC analyst is to implement SIEM tools, and one of the popular ones is Splunk. When you’re able to implement Splunk, you’re able to read logs and analyze attacks.”
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Help Desk Technician Positions: “This could be your starting point into the tech space – you start resolving desk-side issues, networking issues, and then you could graduate into cybersecurity proper.”
Strategic Skill Development
Michael’s approach to skill building emphasizes progression from foundational knowledge to specialized expertise. His recommended learning sequence reflects industry hiring patterns and role requirements.
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Networking Fundamentals: “You can’t go wrong starting off with networking. There are many certifications on networking, like Cisco Certified Network Associate and Network Plus from CompTIA.” Understanding how systems communicate provides context for protecting those communications.
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Linux Proficiency: Essential for many cybersecurity tools and environments, particularly important for those interested in offensive security roles.
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SIEM Experience: Practical experience with tools like Splunk provides immediately applicable skills for SOC analyst positions.
For those interested in offensive security, Michael emphasized the importance of foundational knowledge: “Starting from the blue team might be a recommended path because if you don’t know what you’re trying to break, how do you make headway?” This perspective reflects the interconnected nature of cybersecurity specializations.
Certification Strategy
Michael’s certification recommendations focus on entry-level credentials that provide both knowledge and industry recognition:
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CompTIA Security+: A foundational certification covering broad cybersecurity concepts.
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ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity: “I understand that ISC2 has given out 1 million certificate vouchers for free. You should leverage this as well.”
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GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC): Particularly valuable for government-related positions.
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Networking Certifications: Network+ and Cisco CCNA provide essential foundational knowledge.
His approach to certification selection emphasizes alignment with career goals rather than credential accumulation: “Different recruiters or different organizations have a wish list of what they want to see for their candidates. Go for the popular ones – you could start off with Security+ and then do home labs that show you have a skill set.”
Practical Experience Development
Michael strongly advocated for hands-on learning through practical exercises and documentation. “There are sites like TryHackMe and HackTheBox – they’re really great arenas to actually gain practical experience. When you’re able to document your journey, this forms part of your portfolio to potential recruiters.”
His documentation strategy extends beyond technical exercises to include career storytelling: “You could do that on Medium, LinkedIn, or GitHub. Just ensure that whatever labs you’re reproducing in your test environment, make that effort to actually document them.”
This approach addresses the common challenge of demonstrating competency without formal work experience by creating tangible evidence of skill development and learning commitment.
Addressing Career Transition Questions
Throughout the extensive Q&A session, Michael provided specific guidance for professionals considering cybersecurity transitions from other fields.
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For Data Analysts: “Understanding data could help because you already have knowledge of data, but when you get into the security aspect, you’re thinking of how to protect that information from being compromised.” He suggested data loss prevention as a natural bridge between data analysis and cybersecurity.
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For Complete Newcomers: “If you already determined that cybersecurity is a path you’d like to pursue, I would say it’s pretty good to start from SOC analyst positions. If you become a SOC analyst, you can have a myriad of options – you can move to managerial roles like auditing, risk management, or offensive security.”
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For Those Without Technical Backgrounds: Michael emphasized that many cybersecurity roles require problem-solving and analytical thinking more than deep technical programming skills.
Resource Recommendations
Michael’s resource recommendations focus on accessible, high-quality learning materials:
Free Learning Platforms:
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Professor Messer’s Security+ content on YouTube
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TryHackMe for hands-on cybersecurity challenges
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HackTheBox for more advanced penetration testing practice
Professional Development:
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LinkedIn for networking and industry engagement
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GitHub for portfolio development and project documentation
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Industry conferences and seminars for community building
Certification Preparation:
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Official certification body materials
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YouTube channels focused on specific certifications
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Hands-on lab environments that reinforce theoretical knowledge
The Continuous Learning Imperative
Michael concluded with an emphasis on cybersecurity’s dynamic nature: “Being a cybersecurity professional requires continuous development because you never stop learning. New attacks are coming up, new vulnerabilities are discovered, zero-day attacks are emerging, and we need the skill sets to combat these issues when they arise.”
This perspective positions cybersecurity not as a destination but as a journey requiring adaptability and commitment to ongoing education. His message resonates with other speakers throughout the Cyber Connect event who emphasized learning agility as a core professional competency.
Building a Sustainable Career
Michael’s comprehensive approach to cybersecurity career development reflects several key principles that emerged throughout the Cyber Connect event: the importance of community engagement, practical skill development, strategic planning, and continuous learning.
His session particularly emphasized accessibility – demonstrating that cybersecurity careers are achievable for people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. By addressing common myths and providing concrete pathways for entry, Michael’s guidance helps bridge the gap between cybersecurity industry needs and available talent.
The combination of technical skill development, professional networking, continuous learning, and strategic career planning provides a framework that extends well beyond entry-level positions to support long-term career growth in cybersecurity.