How I Would Learn Cyber Security (If I Could Start Over)

[@madhatistaken]

Do you have any regrets in your coding or cyber security journey? Link to Learning How To Learn by Coursera: imp.i384100.net/jrRea6 Timestamps for convenience 😋: 0:00 ➡Intro 0:13 ➡13 Years of Coding/Cybersecurity 1:37 ➡Cyber Security is HARD 2:00 ➡First Mistake 3:44 ➡Second Mistake 4:47 ➡Third Mistake 8:17 ➡Fourth Mistake 9:42 ➡Replaced by AI 11:14➡AI for dummies like me 12:07➡My hopes and dreams 12:17➡Conclusion 12:41➡BONUS FOOTAGE 12:52➡Outro

[@tekeek]

Which certs would you do if you had the money and which certs would you do if you had little money?

[@PeterAdiSaputro]

So, you have 13+ years of experiences as a software developer and cyber security specialist ?

[@a1exsanch3z47]

​@@PeterAdiSaputro😢

[@algorworld7447]

My one regret was never being allowed to work in the field due to lack of work experience in that field. XD

[@johnathanphillips4417]

This video confirmed so many realities that I've started to become aware of towards the end of my degree. For example, certs being valued as highly as they are. Currently studying for my Security+ and debating on what I should go for next. But also, the crap-ton of job listings I've seen as for WAYYY MORE than my program (BS Computer Science) has taught me. Even entry level IT jobs want me to know how to use Windows admin tools - none of which I've been trained for. But I sure as hell took 5 COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY math courses! Not saying all of these things I haven't been taught are difficult (or easy) to learn, it's just that I'm paying for a program that has done so little to give me the experience I actually need for an entry level job.

[@CyberFraudDawg]

I graduated HS at the top of my class, got full scholarship, chose community college over Northern Arizona University, dropped out of college with one class left...COLLEGE ALGEBRA!. Worked several jobs in a casino: food and bev, keno caller, slot operations then slot operations technician. Got a girl, lost a girl, lost the job, got a new job at Fry's Electronics, met a new girl, new girl is a computer geek, quit job for fraud job at bank, moved up from fraud analyst 1, fraud analyst 2, senior analyst, left job and moved to Washington state with girl, got new job in fraud, became senior analyst, bought a house, got married, lost a kid, had 2 more kids, lost the job, PANDEMIC, went back to college. We all have our own crazy and meandering path and no one goes from point A to point B.

[@madhatistaken]

My condolences for your loss. That's really tough. I can't imagine going through losing one of my kids. I agree, the journey is different for everyone. I think people are so overwhelmed with options that they fail to choose a path and get lost along the way. Least that's how it was for me. I needed some direction and once I finally had it, life became a little bit easier.

[@hyperacusisPH]

what the world needs are people like you guys. Those who have tasted defeat and are coming back strong.

[@markmessi9020]

Nice comeback 👊

[@CreatorsExpress]

One hell of a life you’re living! Keep going dude! You know It’ll be worth it

[@Hgalo44]

Should of probably finished that class

[@FlyingGreenTea]

I'm in my early 30's. Currently unemployed with zero savings and I'm starting my life all over again from scratch by learning Cyber Security because of bad decisions I made in my 20's. If there is anyone in their 30's and above, I wish you all the best and know that we still have a lot of time so don't worry. We got this!

[@khaledkhader7681]

you're not alone

[@atefibrahim8944]

Im 27 and same thing bron.. zero information and experiences in anything

[@yingyang7448]

Best of luck to you all in the comments.

[@Orginal_Sinner]

I'm 37 and starting my life over, you're not alone. Best of luck to everybody

[@914sowavy]

Day by day brotha 💯

[@b_to_the_b]

I’m living in the golden age of information access

[@FairleyWhite]

Also means much more competition

[@damn6213]

@@FairleyWhite not many people are compentent enough to put in the work.

[@nlproductions9215]

100% true. We have so much information it is so overwhelming that I feel lazy to even start. Also because it;s the information age there are so much garbage to try and filter which makes it a big con

[@reefcrow9818]

@@damn6213that’s what you think

[@random-oe9jy]

Hell yeah

[@kasseypotsel5892]

I am literally doing what you did right now. I'm in school right now, learning the basics. Thanks for the advice! And I'm 32 years old. I made some very stupid decisions in my younger years so I'm pretty much starting my life over.

[@bonedyone]

right there with you ! we got this

[@carloscordova7873]

Same here

[@dreamkiller7266]

Same same. Mid-30s Career change is nerve wrecking but it feels good to hear going back to college is not only ok to not do, but a waste of time and money.

[@FlyingGreenTea]

Same age, same here, bro! All the best!

[@binnygupta1483]

Me too

[@Talos_The_King]

I think the ideal route is to apply for your Bachelors program, find an entry level IT job, and then begin studying your A+,Net+, and Sec+. After four years you'll have your degree, four years of and 3 entry level certifications.

[@UH60Z28MRO]

🤔

[@theindooroutdoorsman]

After four years of experience and a Bachelors, you should *not* still be playing with the trifecta. You should already have your mid level/associate certs and be moving into expert level ones.

[@xCheddarB0b42x]

It is possible to go direct for Security+ and enter a nice paying SOC Analyst role, but requires a certain... learning style and personality type. I'm not trying to dig at you, but the traditional career flow as laid out is becoming less common in industry as a practical matter due to the gaping and widening talent chasm. One of our instructors went from Unlicensed Artisan Burrito Operations Specialist at Chipotle to Palo Alto Networks in I think three years he said. If a person has their fire lit and, adopts The Tinkerer's Mindset, and is curious and driven daily, (end of platitudes) they can succeed by going direct to Security+ plus the portfolio of projects and break in. And once we're in, we have to actively make a mistake and try to lose Persistence within the industry.

[@atroxiv]

I just graduated high school and I already have the sec+, it is not hard enough for that, and A+/Net+ aren't even focused on cybersecurity, just IT.

[@Spl01nk2]

Certificates afaik are a waste of time

[@dreamingtacos]

I graduated high school back in 2011 been working at warehouse since. Just now starting school for cyber defense at 29.

[@madhatistaken]

Awesome! Keep up the learning and you'll join the #cyberarmy in no time 💚

[@KenMFT]

Similar here, started college at 24 because I can't get any Fasfa because of how much my father made, it not even being much, I had to wait for 24 to get loans anyways with like 30% cover from the grant

[@lampario2862]

Just wanted to confirm that the "Learning how to Learn" course on Coursera is phenomenal. I worked through it as part of a free, online coding bootcamp I did, and I realized that the professor (Barbara Oakley) was actually one of my professors back in college. She's awesome. It was wild to find out she was my old engineering professor before I dropped out, lol. It's worth taking the time to go through. Gotta realize that learning cyber is definitely a marathon. You're in this learning process for years - and probably the rest of your career. Slow down and work through these things!

[@C_itsNemo]

This resonates with me, I thought I could just cram the Google cyber secuirty cert and immediately get a security analyst position. Got a rude awakening when I applied to countless jobs and never heard back. I now have been treating this like you said as more of a marathon life long learning process and it’s been alot more rewarding.

[@santonopoulou]

As someone in her 30's transitioning from software development to security I really appreciated this video. Great advice - and super entertaining

[@MAG320]

WHy not Security through software development?

[@powerball200]

so by having a bit experience of software development will be plus point for cyber security

[@governor6594]

i'm trying to get into software development so i'd appreciate tips from you. What are the best and most popular niches to learn? should i learn multiple languages at the same time?

[@miraclemaxwell9988]

​@@MAG320please can enlighten me more on this?

[@CybSengh]

I'm trying to do the opposite lol. From cyber security to software engineering. What made you want to make the switch?

[@eps24]

Your point on discrete math definitely resonated with me. Passed the class with a D and was relieved when my advisor told me I didnt have to retake it.

[@madhatistaken]

I had to retake it as a summer course and still only managed a B when it was my only class that quarter 😅

[@emilyau8023]

I did up to calc II because I was transitioning from biomed and found out it wasn't required for my IT degree. That killed me considering I cried so much in those math classes. Discrete math was required though and I got a 4.0 in that.

[@businessdawg2]

@@madhatistakenI finished my first math requirement gonna do my second next semester

[@madhatistaken]

@@emilyau8023 I did up to calc 4 because like a primo idiot I was at the time, I thought minoring in mathematics was a good idea...I ended up having to choose between devoting all my time to linear algebra (required for major) and stopped showing up to calc 4 (I got an F of course - was too late to drop out the class). Hard lesson learned on my part.

[@madhatistaken]

@@businessdawg2 Best of luck in all the maths you shall have to take!

[@dennyklein1965]

I’ve had a Cyber Analyst tell me that if he knew back then what he knows today he would have skipped his degree in college and invested that time into Certifications and Labs and would be where he is today a lot sooner. He also advised me that if you goto college pertaining to IT it becomes pointless unless you are going for a very specific IT job that requires it.

[@newagain9964]

“Pointless”. Lol. Tel that to hiring managers. And does he think a degree isn’t valuable if you’re Middle Aged with a few yrs with light / limited exp?

[@cyberlocc]

@@newagain9964 I quite litteraly work at a Higher Ed, I have no degree got my job over people with masters degrees, and few people on our team have degrees. I am middle aged, and have yet to not get a job that I have applied for ever in my life, and this is my 3rd It position in that lifetime. Why did I get the job over people with masters? "When we asked technical questions, they answered it like it was coming from a book, they knew the right words, but that was it, Even in the questions that you got things wrong, like the acronym wrong, you made it clear you had experience with it in real life. You understood how the tech actually worked, not just what you read from a book, they could tell us how to configure/fixed XXXX in theory, you told us how you HAVE configured/fixed XXXX in the past". Hiring Managers dont give a crap about Degrees, HR does. Hiring Mangers care if you can DO THE JOB, and none of that theoritical bull they teach you is going to accomplish that. Its the same thing for the non practical certs, You can answer a multiple choice Test, cool, but can you actually configure that firewall? If all you got is some classes and a Network+ its very much not likely. They dont want the guy that knows what a book says, they want the guy that configured that firewall 100x over.

[@maderastuff]

Hes arguing demonstrated specific industry knowledge is more valuable than theoretical general education. This is accurate in todays job market. Sounds like we found the lurking recruiter/aspiring HR manager though lol

[@Ornithopter470]

Depending on what you're doing, a degree is still very important. Data structures don't really change. Objects, Arrays, and the like are very much the same as they were 40-50 years ago. Basics are important.

[@sukwarsiemanym]

Security analyst here, can confirm. There's a difference between education and talent.

[@NotElliot21]

One of the most underrated infosec yt channels I've seen. You deserve at least 500k subs. Keep goin' man

[@madhatistaken]

I appreciate the support! 💚 I'll keep doing my thing, who knows, maybe the youtube algorithm will shine favorably on the content and show it to the cyber security masses 😅

[@DitchOfficial]

Currently getting my BS In information system security and I felt so many of your points in my bones. Thanks for the vid. First time catching one.

[@David-ce1ux]

Just graduated masters and got a job as a cyber security engineer but you literally described what I used to do - assignments, gaming and hoping for the best.

[@BMSKARATE]

For both the major life accomplishments and total crushing events described but downplayed in the beginning of this video, you lived 10 lives in the span of a few years, man, good for you keeping it together. Great video, thank you for the share.

[@darkin1484]

This 13 years of Hindsight recap is literally insanely valuable advice to receive as someone who is just starting in year 1 of Computing degree. Much appreciated you sharing so much in-depth breakdown of your journey as a fellow gaming nerd like me and so many of us.

[@rainyonrecord]

My path was fairly simple but I got stuck in tutorial hell and learning purgatory for a decent chunk of my time learning, I learned python with by doing the challenge called “100 days of code”, learned basic file system and system administration commands with Linux and Microsoft powershell & cmd, learned common exploits, installed kali Linux onto a ventoy usb, used a promotion code and signed up to hack the box, focused on networking for a bit, focused more on powershell after realizing how little I know about it, learned ruby and php with books from Amazon, learned malware analysis and basic reverse engineering along with a smidge of x86 assembly, did a bunch of try hack me ctfs, decided to study and research terms used in vulnerability reports on hacker news finally purchased hack the box’s pen testing specialist certification course, *passed* .

[@callmeetc]

What are you doing now?

[@rainyonrecord]

@@callmeetc When I did my certification on hack the box I had just graduated from a trade school where I was taking software design classes, so currently I'm just hunting for a basic IT position like helpdesk I really wanna do system admin work but gotta start somewhere ig. edit: (until I can find a job I'm really just seeing how I can improve my skills, doing ctfs studying networks and cloud technologies like AWS, and basic preparation things)

[@itsaddi666]

​@@rainyonrecordhey man, it's been 8 months since you made this comment, how is your life now? Did you get a job?

[@rainyonrecord]

@@itsaddi666 pretty good, working entry level IT as of right now, mainly doing help desk work but going from being straight outta high school to doing a IT job is amazing since the income is like no other job available to regular graduates, I’m planning on getting a few other certifications mainly in cloud technologies like GCP and Azure before I start pursuing system administration positions, thanks for asking though.

[@livinglikeahuman7918]

​@@itsaddi666im invested too. Now i need to know 😅

[@002koolaid]

Bro, you and I literally went down the same road and hit the same issues. This video explains where a lot of us went wrong when entering this same career field.

[@steamyninja8881]

Yep! Exactly the same for me too! Just maybe with a little bit of weed, alcohol, and pulling all-nighters for absolutely no reason sprinkled here and there 😆😆

[@nelsonperez8023]

Started to study it , changed majors a lot. Now I’m back. 1 year back. I’m glad to see someone give some key info.

[@siiweeyy1321]

im 25 and learned what i know so far about my computer from modding video games. Im seeing a bunch of stuff im familiar with so learning wont be too hard for me. now that im getting in the field i need to see more youtubers in this. Just subbed👍

[@shyjy6241]

I feel like this can probably be applied to other degrees as well. I'm still considering a degree in electrical engineering or computer science as well (leaning more towards electrical engineering), and there are so so many sub fields to go into. The degrees themselves alone are very broad. Thanks for the content!

[@madhatistaken]

Thank you for watching! Agreed, the fields you mentioned and most degrees encompass a lot. Gotta figure out what exact job is for you and dive deep into it 💚

[@edwinfigueroa9290]

Kill two birds with one stone computer engineering! You will have the tools to learn the most important aspects in both fields.

[@zeitgeist1762]

Wait until you find out about Computer Engineering :D

[@zeitgeist1762]

@@edwinfigueroa9290 Wait I didn't see this guys comment LMAO

[@Terrantino86]

37 years old starting Cyber Security.. Came across your channel. Great find.. This is helping me plan. I am going the certification route. One at a time. I have a graphic design background (self taught). Been interested in security computing for awhile and finally going for it. If you have a community please let me know. It would be great to keep in touch with other people on the journey.

[@watchmo2310]

i am too bro

[@sukwarsiemanym]

Im a 35 year old currently been in a security analyst role for almost 2 years now. Don't quit!!

[@KatzeMelli]

people with a non linear life give me hope and fuel. My life was crazy, worked and travelled all over the world in hotels as a chef for many years. Had no real motivation in life and just felt more depressed with every year that went by. I always thought I was too stupid for college. By the age of 29 I finally mustered up the courage to go to Uni anyway, because worst thing that could happen was that I would drop out. Anyway, I am approaching my final year in CS. Still feeling stupid, but at least now I am stupid and soon to be having a degree. I really enjoy Cybersecurity and theoretical CS so I am hoping to continue my path in this direction. Happy to have found this youtube channel!

[@AdamJee923]

I love how honest this is sir thank you 😁 I started an online uni cyber security course, covid and life got in the way ( 6-7 years part time anyway ) now im on the cert root for speed. Im on the google cyber security cert

[@madhatistaken]

Keep up the learning grind! You've got this!

[@mehajuh]

can you break down your job for me? I want to get into this type of profession

[@SyBlast]

How you explained learning, writing notes for no reason, forgetting what you learned next day, barely implementing, is so relatable I literally laughed out loud. 😂

[@pijcab]

About the why for the maths and physics : when you're a soccer player you train your feet legs, arms, shoulders generally everything. It's for general "brain expansion", so when you encounter complex and multi faceted problems your brain might be more apt to solve your day to day job problems. Just my vague theory of that.

[@madhatistaken]

I played loads of basketball and did AP physics, AP calculus, AP stats, and AP chem in high school, so I feel like college should not force you to take those brain expansion classes anymore. I did my time in high school ha 😅

[@telephonerock]

As far as colleges go Western Governors University has the best Cyber Security program. Most of your classes are based off instruct certifications and your final is the cert exam. Also all the classes are at your own pace. If your motivated you could finish in 6 months.

[@jbroge]

The reason it was so hard for you is because you didn’t take the traditional path. Most people generally start off in a help desk role learning the basics. While in help desk work on a cert or a few. A good entry level cert to shoot for is sec+. After that they generally move in to a sysad role. In this role you generally learn how security is actually implemented. You work with the security guys every day making sure things are patched, up to date, and functioning correctly. From there you start to specialize. You either continue as a sysad and move up to a manager/department lead position. Or you start to specialize in cyber security and begin to move over. I also don’t know a single person who would recommend a strictly cyber security path degree. The CS degree is going to be so much more worth while. The programming skills will help you automate tedious repetitive tasks and you have a broader knowledge of computer systems in general. But at the end of the day, you don’t need college at all. In fact if you don’t have certs along with that degree or good connections you won’t be landing anything but a help desk role anyways. A degree is just padding in this world unless you have the experience and certs to back it up.

[@Shannon_Robbie]

I watched a few videos from popular cyber security KZbinr's and they said the Help Desk method is an old idea that isn't necessary anymore. They also said you don't require a Comp. Sci. Degree. It's all very confusing!

[@jbroge]

​@@Shannon_Robbie ​ It's not necessary. The same way a Comp Sci degree isn't necessary. There's many different routes to take. Many roles in the security realm will require experience. You can't gain experience if you haven't worked in the role. Being a part of help desk or sys ad proves you have the experience and knowledge of computer systems and can translate into security once you get certified or qualified well enough. -Just a degree proves you can learn. -Just help desk experience means you can deal with users and know how the system works. -A sysad will generally be certified with at least sec+. Which will likely be the bare minimum requirement for a security role. They will also have experience with patching and remediating systems which is extremely important. If college is not an option for you try and get your Sec+ and a certification in the area you want to specialize. There are a ton of road maps online to help with that. If college is an option for you, try and get a role as a help desk member or see if an internship position for sysad/networking is available. While you're there or while in school try and get a certification. Experience will be KEY in your applications. It will put you above everyone else with just a degree. A degree is great but in all the interviews I have been a part of or listened in on experience was the major factor. Sorry if this is rambly or incoherent. I am currently struggling to stay awake.

[@cyberlocc]

​@mr.shannonvenasse7155 watch some more, because the biggest ones def do not say that. Furthermore, the Helpdesk path is a good idea, because you learn basics of a computer, learn things you might not think your going to need to know. I worked Help desk, left the field, ran a business, am now back in help desk and learning CS. That background helped ALOT, I picked up Python very quickly, much quicker than other folks I know that started around the same time. Know why? Because I build websites as a hobby, and Python is very similar to HTML/CSS/JS, if you know those Python is a breeze. I like the channel, played games, made websites for guilds, and now that's helping me in career path. Playing games, like WOW, also taught me alot of social engineering, which is a very important skill in Cyber Security. Point is, don't down play ANY experiences, or any skills you have or have gained in life. Pen Testers especially, break things and rebuild them, that is troubleshooting, that is Help Desk, that is Car Mechanic work, ect. Understanding how to take something apart, and put it back together, without being told how, is a much needed Hacking skill, because that is what you will be doing, 90% of the time. The key to being a good pen tester, is not only breaking in, it's making sure no one knows you did it. And that is where helpdesk experience comes in. It's one thing to know how to take it apart, another to put it back together.

[@xCheddarB0b42x]

@@Shannon_Robbie - Please allow me to clear the air for you: one of my neighbors works in the NOC for a major defense contractor. As he related it to me, they will take employees without certs and without four year degrees and place them into highly technical projects and programs because they have the experience and the knowledge and the curiosity to work the problem and create a new solution. That neighbor's background is in finance. Let me repeat: he went from finance to military defense contractor NOC. Ready for another one? I was interviewing with the Program Director of a major national software company. Big enough in fact that when I told my brother about it, he said, "oh yeah, we user their software in our [redacted thing]." As the Program Director related to me, their organization is really unimpressed with the declining quality of candidates that the four year universities are turning out. He asked me a very basic hashing versus encryption question. Then he went on to say that, "You would be surprised how many candidates coming out of four year degree programs cannot answer that," and I thought to myself, "Wow that's crazy." Ready for another one? The guy who built the NSA's first red team iteration and their security operations center "The Pit" was initially hired on as a crypto analyst without any Cryptography experience. There's even half of a dark net diary podcast about it. Look up episode 83. The whole run is interesting, but the story of Jeff Man starts at about the 36 minute mark. That last example is an older one, but it highlights how it is possible, and in our field, the trad flow path from helpdesk to sysadmin to SOC to CIO/CISO/CTO is fading fast. That may be happening because of the very broad and widening chasm in the cyber talent pool versus the ever increasing openings. The help desk role is a meat grinder and it weeds out people who may have made very decent Analysts at the SOC and super sales engineers, but just could not stand the total experience of the front end of the career track. I am not digging at the trad path; it works for some people, and those brave warriors who spend months or years in a call center and survive it deserve every promotion and reward they get. In fact, double or quadruple their rewards for their steadfast devotion. When I realized at 6 months into the trad Help Desk track that I was essentially Project Coordinator for a zero down time warm site and hot site infrastructure upgrade involving a very large customer SQL dbase migration with zero errors for $20 an hour, (poof!) I was up and out of there! Vaya con Dios, amigos! Used my savings and some help to enroll in a Cyber Security not-quite-a-bootcamp school house with a live SOC environment to get hands on, got my cert, and here I am in my current position which still has me wondering if in fact I am dreaming... TL;DR - light the fire, start the learning journey, get Security+, get hands on, and break into the role.

[@impulsefade3041]

@@xCheddarB0b42xwhat’s your role now?

[@joekraut9094]

Currently in a certs course at a local applied technical College, 7 months in and I'm already getting interviews. I cannot reccomend getting certs enough, comptia is a godsend.

[@madhatistaken]

King CompTIA gets the royal treatment 😅

[@cleverestx]

Good info. Note that if you have many years of IT experience and want to break into a more specialized IT field, such as IT security, you don't need the Bachelor's degree, (not that it hurts if you already have it,) but your practical actual work experience will qualify you at or above that requirement in many jobs. (This is company specific though)

[@sukwarsiemanym]

Spot on. More often than not, experience trumps education.

[@LaurenHinrichsen-jf6gq]

Dude don't feel bad like that. Looking back never does anyone any good. What I have learned is that there's always room to be the person you want to be tomorrow. I have so many regrets from my past, but I don't sit in that regret anymore. Instead I do something in the present to begin remedying that regret. If you've still got two brain cells to rub together you can learn anything. My issue is I always got hung up on my weaknesses and I never concentrated on my strengths. You can do it.

[@AcidAlexx]

I've been on youtube since 2007 religiously. I've seen many channels before they blow up like Coffeezilla when he had 30k subs for example. I'm not saying this to show off but in the category of cybersecurity I see you blowing up! Great stuff man, your videos give solid advice/information. Subscribed!

[@maceyteachyoulongtime1083]

I love this. I find interest in both forensic and hacking. But feeling like that's too big to achieve atm. I graduated with a bachelor degree in cyber security and now taking comptia+ but I still feel so random with my studies.

[@CyB3RGoAt]

All cyber security student are feeling so random😢

[@usd_7718]

@@GameHackingGuru What would you recommend?

[@madhatistaken]

Just have to pick a direction and give it all your attention. Everyone I've talked to is constantly saying how they don't feel like they know enough in their position. So the feeling of being overwhelmed by the need to learn more might never go away. But, if you drill down on a very specific job, say digital forensics, and research what those job listings are asking for, you can narrow down your studies. As the saying goes "a jack of all trades is a master of none". Me personally I'm trying to get a better grasp on all the domains before diving into cloud security. PS don't listen to the doomers who say the market is too saturated to get a job. The market is dying for "qualified individuals", so there might be more competition now, but there's also more and more spots to fill. Become the qualified cybersecurity professional you are meant to be!

[@yulose9]

Man I'm so thankful I found your channel! Keep it up!

[@p1atinum485]

Hi Madhat, I'm currently 17 and I have been stressing a lot about my future in IT/cybsec. This video was very helpful and relieve some of my anxiety. I genuinely appreciate your vids. I'm very excited about my future rn :) .

[@madhatistaken]

I'm glad it was helpful! I went through college with a blissful ignorance and didn't stress about getting a job when I should have since I didn't do enough 😅 Cyber is such an exciting field to be in right now, so many options and allows a computer nerd like me work from home without having to become a programmer!

[@texasRoofDoctor]

No one should be stressing at 17. You have plenty of time to get there. It is more about the journey than the destination, and employers want people who have been on the journey because they have practical experience in addition to classroom. He is correct about getting your degree though. It makes you more well-rounded and you demonstrate that you can complete a complicated (not academically) long-term task.

[@iCookCrystalMeth]

@@texasRoofDoctor”No one should be stressing at 17” yet here we are. In my final year of high school and taking my last CTE Cybersecurity class, CS3. CS1 & CS2 taught us fuck all, even the teachers teaching the class weren’t Cybersecurity teachers, CS2 was an electrical engineer and made us wire Arduino Uno’s all year. Now I’ve got no knowledge about the field at the end of the phase of hand-holding education, and about to be thrown out with little knowledge. Shit sucks

[@texasRoofDoctor]

@@iCookCrystalMeth Bro ! You have your whole life ahead of you. When I was your age everything seemed like it was life or death. It is not. I moved out at 15 and spent many a night in my car, but I made it. I graduated HS and university with excellent grades. Yes, the economy is rough and western civilization is in freefall. You will be fine. Watch some videos by Deviant Ollam- he seems to be the OG of cyber security and pen testing. Ask him for advice. Talk to people in the comments. You will find your way if you do not give up. Life is a process, not an event. The struggles of your youth will make you a better man.

[@jvines11]

I plan to live out my days as a warrior of light but thank you for the info

[@jamesbriles9881]

Great video man! please make a video going deeper on the things we should be learning and where to learn! specifically hands on projects. Not certifications.

[@madhatistaken]

I'll try to mix it up! Lots of stuff to discuss, building a portfolio of projects is on the list of upcoming videos 😁

[@FmattB222]

appreciate the honesty on your life story man, I feel like theres a lot of people in the same boat.

[@jamest9638]

“What’s the probability of me using this class? Zero.” Me towards the vast majority of my classes when I was in college.

[@madhatistaken]

We were scammed! 😅 At least we have the piece of paper though

[@jamest9638]

@@madhatistaken HAHAHAHAHAHAH

[@Strive117]

This video should be a must watch for anyone trying to get in the industry. The first 4 minutes hit too close to home lmao (even a warrior main lmao) But thats where I currently am. Currently working towards sec+ just for the HR boost itll give with my bachelors. Planning on doing THM SoC route after, I want to start getting into a niche but i wanna get hands on training with tools first. Any other recommendations? I thought about doing Splunk training since its a niche, seems like it would help with a job better than the general THM route. Not sure though, not enough experience so i go back and forth regularly

[@madhatistaken]

With your bachelors bulwark of azzinoth and security+ blessed sword of the jobseeker, you should be ready to go into job finder and start applying, that should set your item level high enough. If you encounter too many elitists, you might need to supplement your item level through the SOC Level 1 raid, it's pretty easy but has a lot of high item level drops like the one you mentioned, Stones of the Splunk armor set in the SIEM wing and if you can make it to the last DF IR Wing, they drop the Relentless Redline and Grand Marshal's Malware Analysis set. Those are just a few other wings I'd recommend. The whole raid would help imo, it wouldn't take as much effort as farming for security+ wep. Once you type out a good resume to apply in job finder, I'd recommend applying all listings, even the one's that ask for higher ilvl and achievements, cause they might take you. While you wait for the job leaders to go through the apps, start researching how to farm for the Cisspmourne. Even if you don't get it, if you can clear the mobs, you'll know your gears high enough to go through the job leader's interviews. Hope that helps some 😅

[@Strive117]

@@madhatistaken Haha this is why you're my favorite tech channel . I look forward to your videos everyday. I'm basically set for sec+ atm, just doing the final touches.

[@madhatistaken]

@@Strive117 😅I appreciate the support! I'll keep keepin' on, best of luck with sec+!

[@Strive117]

@@madhatistaken Update on this* I passed Security +! time to get rejected by m+ elitist (they dont take gladiator as appropriate work experience)

[@madhatistaken]

@@Strive117 WOOOO 🎉🎊🥳Nice work!! Good luck on job finder, I'm sure you'll find a group leader willing to take your glad xp, just gotta be persistent!

[@AylaCroft]

completely agree, new to cybersecurity but i do ai engineering and the best learning was playing with open source programs and modding them. you nailed it

[@GengoSenmon]

New subscriber. Great humor and funny editing. For future videos, bring the audience with you on your journey of using AI to improve your cybersec skills so we can learn how to best leverage the new tech.

[@francoischaer]

i have worked over 2 decades as a sys admin/network engineer for over 2 decades, then few month ago, i decided to shift into Cybersecurity, so started at the beginning of 2023 and after 2 months, i found that just learning everything will not get me anywhere, beside feeding my hunger for knowledge. then, being more realistic, i searched for a niche, and with the hype over cloud networking, and people moving into the cloud, i knew that cloud security is what i want to study, so i focused on MS Azure, took the azure security engineer learning path. with a proper plan, and clear goal, and a specific niche, you can get there faster and more accurate.

[@j.vosier6786]

Did u find a job?

[@madhatistaken]

Thank you for sharing you're experience! Definitely need to pick a niche as soon as you can in this field!

[@francoischaer]

@@j.vosier6786 yes, very recently. It is still based on my previous experience, but in a company that offers cloud services, so i will be exposed to what i am learning, and i will be practicing it.

[@francoischaer]

@@j.vosier6786 yes, very recently. It is still based on my previous experience, but in a company that offers cloud services, so i will be exposed to what i am learning, and i will be practicing it.

[@nomadicwolf6132]

Man if I had cyber security friends… or just friends, I'd recommend your channel. I have no idea how you make such an awesome & dynamic background. Or how you've learned the balance between humour & genuine helpful advice. As with the skills to obtain the CPTS from Hack the Box, I will be working on developing social skills & gaining friends. When the day of friends comes, I will share this awesome channel. For now I will hit all the like buttons. Thanks for the insight & guidance! Hopefully the economy doesn't collapse before I can get into the industry.🌋 😅

[@madhatistaken]

Thank you for your support and kind words! I've been putting in extra time to try and make the content more helpful and more engaging so people don't get bored. I appreciate the likes 💚💚💚 I like to think cyber is recession proof! But, maybe learn some coding if it does crash 😅

[@ArdxnFX]

Bro let’s be friends 😭😭 I wanna step up

[@fearless8356]

same 😂

[@tarunsaiks]

me too

[@nomadicwolf6132]

@@ArdxnFX @tarunkatta9261 We can start a no-friends cyber security group. 😆

[@Invalidinput]

6:51 Well, here is a list of reasons Biology and chemistry is applied in the field of cybersecurity: Biometrics and Authentication, DNA Cryptography, Chemical Signatures for Malware Detection, Bio-inspired Algorithms, Virus and Immune System Analogy, Cyber-Physical Systems Security, Quantum Computing Security, Phishing Detection...

[@ReemusAim]

Absolutely great video with so much knowledge, thank you! I'm attending WGU for cybersecurity and have been getting familiar with metasploit writing my own payloads, linux commands etc. I 100% agree AI at least right now can't come up with new ideas or think, just regurgitate. Which is extremely good for school settings, but in the real world especially tech there is so much new info. Excited to see how the landscape develops before I graduate

[@ablong22]

That's awesome. I am hoping to start that degree soon. What do you think so far? Gaining all the certs seems like a big plus

[@braylanselmon3530]

Hey, Do You Mind Sharing The Information Your Learning?

[@ReemusAim]

​@@ablong22 The ability to do your work from anywhere is really appealing to me. It definitely isn't easy, but extremely straightforward. I'm extremely ADHD so being able to dive deep into a class and have that be all I do for this week I absolutely love. They give you a rubric for every assignment so you know the expectations set and can do your best to meet those. I was paying 20k+ a semester at a traditional university, and learned almost exclusively from online resources anyway. Not for everyone, but I'm throughly enjoying it. Makes college legitimately like a video game!

[@lindazona]

I am starting WGU for cybersecurity next month, how are you liking it? do you have a set schedule for classes or more at your own pace kind of learning?

[@ReemusAim]

@@lindazona Yes to both, there is bare minimum requirement to meet, but you can self pace much above that. It isn't uncommon for people to finish 30-40 credits in a single term :)

[@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805]

A public radio station I know of would let anyone have a show as long as they complete a 6 week scrapbook activity. It wasnt about having people who could scrapbook, but making sure the people would consistently turn up even when it was boring. Companies like degrees because it says you can turn up somewhere and do the assigned work for 3-4 years.

[@oddursigurdsson9637]

This is important for kids but a lot of people are in their 30s with 5 year long jobs in retail or something completely unrelated to IT For us a pointless 4 year compsci degree that doesn't directly address the niche we want to work in sounds like a waste of time

[@turtleswithbombs]

I'm honestly surprised to have found a channel as good as this. The content is great and surprisingly useful. Good job man!

[@madhatistaken]

Thank you! I'm trying to make useful/semi-entertaining stuff 💚

[@rf9562]

Instructions unclear 😂 soo I will start to make kids first 💪 Great video again. Video idea: explain security job roles from beginners to pro.

[@madhatistaken]

LOL I feel so called out 🤣😂That's a great idea! Something like the evolution of a cyber security analyst? What is the endgame for us?...🤔🤔🤔

[@rf9562]

@@madhatistaken I am sure many people want to know the basic roles ( including me) and others who are within the field but want to move up on the ladder. Only Marvel can make a great Endgame 😅pun intended

[@madhatistaken]

@@rf9562 I could make a part 2 supplementing my top 4 entry level cyber security video. Got my sights on cloud security architect myself. Agreed, Marvel is the ONLY Endgame 😅on that note, I still gotta go see Guardians 3. Volume 1 was arguable the best movie of all time. Facts.

[@rf9562]

@@madhatistaken Sounds great. Yeah on my list to watch that too, I recently watched their Xmas special with Kevin Bacon 🤣was alright. Drax was hilarious.😂

[@madhatistaken]

@@rf9562 Dang...I've been out of the loop, didn't know that a thing! Drax is so hilariously typecast at this point he embodies that character, hard to take him seriously in other stuff 😅 I know what I'm watching tonight... 🎥🍿🍺🥃😎

[@m0nbebe]

something about your content scratches my brain in such a nice way, super informative and inspiring but super chill. thanks for the advice!!

[@Eidenbites]

These people can’t even reset their windows passwords on their own.. they can’t even submit a ticket .. you expect them to know use AI. Bro lol

[@JacoNotorious]

I'm watching loads of your videos. I am 38, have work as network engineering and infrastructure on classified systems in the Air Force for 17 years. Starting Cybersecuirty BA at WGU, trying to pin down my path forward. Thank you for sharing your wisdom friend. I think I could convince CISSP I have experience in some of the domains.

[@user-ri4qk1xy3c]

Technical writing is one of the classes that was worth it! CS is definitely worth it just to expand your brain. I’ve never actually used graph theory from class but it’s a core part of the internet so knowing it useful.

[@madhatistaken]

If I had to rank technical writing from my curriculum it ranks at the bottom for me 🤷‍♂I had coding, secure software dev, SQL, and so many other classes that taught me the in's and out's of computers that far outranked the need to properly write emails and "technical" papers. Seemed like something I could just google and copy the format instead of practice making the format. I can't google massive subjects like the ones I mentioned. Computer science is integral yes, I might have transitioned into my rant making it seem like the stuff before was included in the list of classes I didn't need. Boolean logic and modular arithmetic might expand my brain, but not going to come up in most jobs or job interviews. If you're coming out of high school, doesn't hurt to spend the full 4 years in college, but a lot of people are trying to transition from other jobs at a much older age. Time is of the essence 😅

[@user-ri4qk1xy3c]

@@madhatistaken I mean using some template you found on google just makes your reports and emails read terribly and sound off. I’m not saying it’s essential but It helps lay the basics, for me writing hundreds of pentest reports over the years was what really helped, and yes my consultancy made every new team member read 2 technical writing books. Also modular arithmetic is absolutely essential for cryptography! Ever done a ctf with cryptography challenges or cryptopals exercises? I do agree with your general message of learning the essentials quick though! I think anyone can do easy offensive security with out university but I still use knowledge from my OS or database classes. I actually recommend older people go to college rather than straight out of high school. university is not only for the technical but Philosophy, art history, economics you appreciate these more after 25. Love your channel just giving my advice as a ln offensive security engineer and hiring manager :).

[@madhatistaken]

@@user-ri4qk1xy3c I appreciate the feedback and support 💚I'm still starting out and only have the little experience I've gained up till now to show in my videos. I feel like college is such a hot topic and there's so many mixed feelings about it. I think what you're saying for technical writing just read the 2 technical writing books and then learn on the job writing pentest reports? So, no need for the college class hehe😅😁 For modular math I agree it helps the cryptography challenges, I haven't done many of those and have only done a formal ctf at my current job. I felt like the direction the class went didn't emphasize how it applies to cryptology or practical use and focuses on the theory alone. Unless you connect the dots yourself, it becomes one of those classes you do assignments/tests and then forget it all. That's what happened to me. The OS and database classes I took I also appreciated as I use the concepts taught often and have built on them. I guess my main point during that rant was the curriculum needed better focus and structure and that not all programs are created equal. Devoting 4 years to college as an adult is more difficult if you've been working, have bills, and potentially kids. It's doable but more difficult, I'm not sure if I'd necessarily advise waiting (hard sell for me). The entire purpose of college as far as I see it and how it's sold to high school seniors, is to give you a chance at landing a very specific job, so the humanities classes in that regard do very little. If you were say the 25 year old who wanted to switch up careers, then it might actually seem even more of a nuisance taking those humanities classes when you're trying to get the new job asap. Someone might appreciate them more at the older age, but it eats up valuable time. I guess you may view the college experience for more than just a means to a job, I always thought of it like that though.

[@silversn4ke]

definitely did the WoW and Animecrazy study path post highschool. good to know theres a light on the horizon.

[@kujaa1831]

I agree that college makes you take so many unnecessary courses just to get a degree, but at the same time, its sorta like a measure of whether you're able to, or willing to be open minded enough to learn new things, even if you don't yet see the value in them. That in of itself might have some value, or maybe I just have some sort of stockholm syndrome from all this mental stress that college is causing me.

[@J-thy]

Thank you for your candid backstory and what recommendations we should take, as newer people getting in to the field, of how to get ahead of the curve. I’ve become a little more confident about the steps I will take down this rabbit hole. Thanks!

[@johnkrajczynski2991]

Hi Mad Hat, found your channel a bit ago and have enjoyed the educational side a lot. I’m someone who is trying to pivot their career in Physical Security as an Assistant Director, this job is becoming to risky with how the worlds going and my old love for technology has convinced me to 180 into cybersecurity or a foot in the door IT roll for the State. I have a bachelors in a very unrelated field(criminal Justice) with years of experience in Law enforcement and security. I’m trying to hunker down and study some certs since school isn’t an option. I’m studying for my Comptia A+ atm but I feel a lot of it I know. Should I jump into Network+ or finish professor messers videos on A+ infinite the test and focus on network+? I guess a direction from square 1 would help a lot! I appreciate the time!

[@madhatistaken]

It can only help to brush up on professor messers A+ videos, but I'd only recommend A+ for the folks who are starting from close to 0 knowledge in IT and computers in general. Having the A+ cert on a resume for security roles won't go far, it will help far more landing general IT positions though. If your goal is that IT role for the state, it may be beneficial to spend the time and money to acquire the cert. If you already feel comfortable with the content in the A+, then you should start up Network+ studies and even Security+ to see how well you really know the A+ stuff. If Network/Security+ study guides are too tough to follow along, you may need to brush up on the basics again in the A+. It all depends on how much you currently know. Hope that helps some 😅

[@johnkrajczynski2991]

That did help a lot, this huge change can be overwhelming from an education stand point. But so far A+ just refreshed and or give a name to existing things I knew slightly about. I should look into the network classes, I’ve tried my hand on the intro to Try Hack Me labs. That was a whole new experience for me, was awesome but very foreign haha

[@madhatistaken]

@@johnkrajczynski2991 Yea, networking is a whole career on it's own, so learning the basics is quite a bit different than just computer basics. Subnetting, IPv4, IPv6, network security (ACLs), network segmentation, OSI model, and so much more fun stuff! 😅I had 4 cisco networking classes where we did hands on network configuration with switches and routers, was probably the most fun I had in my degree. Once you get the ball rolling in networking I'd advise getting your hands on an old switch/router just for fun and configure a basic home network with security. Helps to solidify the stuff you're learning.

[@johnkrajczynski2991]

Dooly noted and thanks a ton! I enjoy your HackMe videos a lot, watching you step by step helps learn what the basic day to day might look like too!

[@pplcrazy1]

not only entertaining to watch but a timeless video abt how to lowkey become smarter then the rest of the world, (usa) fresh out of hs. aside from the topic alot of info in the video can generaly be used to learn alot of aspects in life. props

[@bcloudengineers]

This video was mistitled, it should’ve been mistakes learning cybersecurity

[@garrettbellinghausen8389]

I did my education slightly different. Went to an early college high school and graduated with my associates degree. Go to university only to find out it will still take 3&1/2 years to do a CS degree. I’m about to graduate then go into the military for a job in the cyber security area, get certifications and my security clearance do my time then go do private contracting. It makes me happy that you kinda hint at the fact that security analysts are going to be more educated in the workings of AI which means knowing code and algorithms.

[@TheSwayzeTrain]

That was my take away from several of my classes. Id do the practical work and the exams, pass with a good grade and one month later I'd find myself questioning how much of it I actually remembered.

[@madhatistaken]

Glad to hear I wasn't the only one 😅

[@yehudapaley3752]

Same here man, I am am in my second year in school in a cybersecurity program, and I feel as if I dont remember a whole lot of the actual information thrown at me

[@Bossa_Fenzi]

Bro has given me hope for some reason, thanks for sharing your struggle its comforting in some weird way :) you da best.

[@weedwacka]

I'm getting a degree in CIS and Im very happy to have found this, i know i want to focus more on data collection, and storage. but i appreciate a better breakdown of an industry that is itself a fog of knowledge!!!!

[@Heenfio]

What are you taking if you mind?

[@steventheelf5986]

This made me feel so much better, I was starting to doubt if this two yr online degree plus a few certs would be enough.

[@dingosguides6666]

So the point in learning other subjects, is to give you an expanded knowledge base. I personally find that everything has a connection. When you go to an interview, your body is more than likely going to be producing excess cortisol(because you're nervous). With a basic understanding of psychology, biology, and the awareness of this you can say to yourself "Hey I'm nervous, but it's just a normal physiological response." Or to take it further, know that an interview is going to make you nervous, so physically exert yourself before hand, cause your body to dump some endorphins and lessen the cortisol bump. The point of studying history, is so you can literally learn from others mistakes, successes, and eventually you can see the path that was taken to get us where we are today. Great video otherwise, I'm 35 and making the switch from being a chef, to studying computer science. All knowledge holds value.

[@JonathonConnorOfficial]

Nice man! Thanks again!! 🎉 Hilarious vehicle delivery style ;)

[@itenthusiast5988]

Your video has all the upbeat music, tense, fun, information, stories that everyone had gone through and need to know. I liked the way you explained on how we should see AI and the importance of it. Only worry not able to see your face 😂😂

[@azy3929]

Thanks for sharing your story and struggles, is way different as i imagined

[@jerichowhitlock]

I’m 25 and beginning a bachelor’s degree that includes multiple certs, I’m so excited. There are so many possibilities with AI and I can’t wait to spend my career working with it.

[@clanclanthelabel291]

Bro this video made me feel better I’m 30 and majored in Finance when I should’ve did UI design.

[@playa22595]

I just signed up for a cyber security bootcamp that's all self pace. I'm excited.

[@ipodtouch470]

A bachelor is a bachelor but an education is not the same everywhere. I studied comp sci at ASU and information assurance was required and the class was so cool. We learned cyber security by breaking into things. The whole class was capture the flags no test or quizzes at all. We learned about sql injection by doing sql injection in ctf challenges and hacking those systems so awesome honestly.

[@rahelAG603]

Thank you for this video! I needed it

[@eemotion]

My favorite infosec channel by far! Keep up the good work broski!

[@madhatistaken]

Thank you for the support!💚I'll keep keepin' on! 😎

[@kozu4620]

Awesome video, very funny and relatable. I am currently doing a traineeship it's basically a cert farm where they place me into an IT job based on previous experience and then 2 years of work experience is farmed along with more certs to then place me as an Analyst. Seems like I am getting into this at the right time and doing it the right(ish) way! So yeah see you in Azeroth my man lol and thanks for the great video!

[@karlybyrd1551]

Funny how many of us gave up in college because of math 😂 I did nails, moved across the country right before covid effed it all up, so never had a chance to build a clientele there, did Doordash, Amazon delivery, finally got a job in a salon, but never could make money with it, so moved back where we came from, gave up on nails, started working with disabled adults, had one move in with us, that pays for a LOT and now I'm trying to learn about cybersecurity 😂 things are weird. Thanks for the video!

[@zombieboyxx]

7:30 the info ive heard as far as this goes is that college isnt just for one area or one job its supposed to round you out as a person even if if doesnt pertain to the specific field you want to study, and HR isnt looking for the absoulte best penteststers etc they are looking for good pentesters that can work on a team etc thats just what i heard

[@zombieboyxx]

i agree that most of the classes are useless though but yknow you can also just lie on your resume if you hate college so much

[@mr.atomictitan9938]

Getting just certs would check off the hr box but not the experienced box. I would recommend doing side projects like setting up a server and implementing security measures, making a sandbox network and do some hacking with virtual machines, or even setting up a vulnerable vm or web app to exploit them and patch them. CTFs are valuable so do as many competition as you can

[@worknlisten1077]

That 1:48 hit real hard lol I basically had to do this for a couple of games and it was hard man. Going from relaxing after work to "I can't focus on studying if i have this game installed....."

[@oliverappleby5827]

this is refreshingly real :D as a humanities student you're so so right

[@mandanicole9104]

I also worked at target. My game was sims. I popped out a few kids. In March I'm starting courses to work toward a ccsp certification.

[@TenPester]

I moved to pentesting when I hit 40. I was a sysadmin for 14 years, and jumped into the PWK course and got OSCP from knowing nothing. I think you need the drive to learn, because it doesn't stop. There's no such thing as a plateau in this game. If I was to go back, I'd still do OSCP and stuff, but I'd do a lot more software development and keep at it. Writing the odd script here and there to automate mundane tasks is ok, but to write on the fly is useful to help others. Hands on practical far outweighs the theory. To break, it helps to know how to build.

[@Siegefya]

Glad you mentioned WGU and aren't negative towards the school...i was on r/cybersecurity and even r/ITcareerqueations, and I've seen some people on those say they think WGU IT degrees are bad, I'm highly considering it though. I think their IT degrees are cutting edge, always being updated etc ntm they force you to take certs to pass classes, only thing is...I think when it comes to IT, especially if you want to go into network engineering, hands on with routers, switches, severs etc...isnt a bad thing, and community colleges actually do that well. Many community colleges have physical hardware that IT students get to screw around with. My friend who went to UCF, he got their IT degree (really good IT program btw) he took a upper division networking class, where the whole class got to team up and build an entire Network, like they got to even make the wires and everything. And as they got going, they have to manage the server and the teacher attacks it etc so they have to implement some security stuff etc. I think that kind of stuff is what's better than WGU, but overall I think WGU is a really good option.

[@davesvideoblog]

Omg that was the most entertaining video I’ve watched in awhile. Subbed and 🔔 - Thank you!

[@scubamik3792]

made me happy to hear wgu. thats where im getting my bach from right now and thank god they counted the first 2 years I from a AA. Like your videos

[@madhatistaken]

It's a pretty well known institution and they appear to allocate a good chunk of money to advertising it. I've heard great success stories from graduates of the program!💚

[@limsiryuean5040]

Something to note, if you're not from the United States of America, chances are you definitely need a degree for almost anyone in the first world country or good small-medium-large companies to recognize your skills. This is coming from a guy who did 5 certs including google, IBM, and deeplearning ai on coursera and now pursuing a 2nd degree in Data Science (1st is International Relations [humanities])

[@Asparagusk]

Thanks for giving me hope, there's always time to change

[@-Aar-n]

TL;DW The transcript discusses the speaker's personal journey in the cybersecurity field, starting from their initial struggles to their eventual realization of the importance of specialization and continuous learning. They emphasize the need to pick a specific career path within cybersecurity and develop expertise in that area. The speaker reflects on the inefficiency of their college education, suggesting that online courses and certifications could be more beneficial. They also discuss the increasing role of automation and AI in cybersecurity and the importance of staying updated with evolving technologies and tools. The transcript ends with a humorous reference to retirement dreams and a reminder to learn efficiently and adapt to the changing landscape of cybersecurity.

[@madhatistaken]

💯 nailed it 👌

[@samoconnor3633]

My path i started using thm in college at 16 as it was all i could afford then chose a networks and cyber degree that actually taught (mostly) real, useful information - that i use today and alongside my degree i got my certificates (eJPT, CCNA1,2&3) All the while using THM to brush up on relevant info. A degree is definitely a good idea but check the course content beforehand. All that took was 3 years

[@OctarineCode]

Thanks for the honest tips you have given us. Im trying to change carrers since Im 35 and after 2 years doing front end I hated it.

[@MrPotatoHead6261]

Thank you much for your insight!! big takeaways!

[@jacobferguson35]

Thank you for the video and advice. I was actually feeling like i dont know how to learn so this coursera course if perfect for me! Thank you so much and im happy to hit all the buttons for you. Your content is excellent i just came from the Cybersecurity Tier List so thanks again!!

[@whoamiiiiiiiiiiii]

I'm going to start my bachelors. I need to be serious about my career thanks for your video

[@glitchedemon]

excatly what I was looking for!

[@Bluepaccao]

Wow, this is great. Thanks for this video!

[@bigbojangles4585]

YO LETS GO! Had to comment before I even watched it. Thanks homie!

[@madhatistaken]

Hope it's satisfactory 😅

[@bigbojangles4585]

@@madhatistaken RIP WOW!( _____________________________________________ moment of silence) I had to do the same thing. Good points. Are you going to do a discord or anything? I would ask about a LinkedIn but your wearing a mask so........

[@madhatistaken]

@bigbojangles4585 Seems like discord is the move, I think if I can land a sweet gig I'll reward myself by making one 😅 channel growing slow and steady

[@OgBreadz]

Hello Mad hat! I'm about half a month in the Google CyberSecurity certification program and I've honestly never felt so much at home. I'm 21 today, my family is all tech, so I grew up making my personal gaming PCs and understanding the software and hardware from a very young age. I have never felt so much at home, everyday I'm putting in hours on this course and about 4 / 8 done, about halfway. This is my calling, and I've never felt so passionate before in my life about anything. Technology was always in my field. I wish I had just chased it sooner rather than now, but never too late than ever! I never went to college. I was always best hands on the job and watching it live instead of a classroom setting personally. Regardless of the challenges ahead, I will just keep pushing and keep learning. There is so much to learn, that's for sure. The notes im HUGE on, I honestly wrote most of it down instead hahaha, and constantly ask questions within the professional field. I enjoy TryHackMe for lots of learning and simulations. And I really agree with the cash grab for colleges, but that's just my opinion and because of my family's financial situation growing up. I think today the thing is certifications you said at the end of talking about degrees, which is another big in my opinion, depends on the area of study and who is teaching it. Again, I'm only 21 again lmao. Subbed and can't wait for future content for helpful advice! :)

[@fidelalvarez6719]

I've never related to a video so much in my life. Well done sir, made my day.

[@tommynunemann1117]

In WGU here ✋ definitely good for Certs (for hr not for hands on skill) and almost done at 2 years it’s a great value

[@ShermanKarcher-vb6zt]

I recently started college at Southern New Hampshire University, which is 100% online. It has been a massive learning curve since I last did any education structure in 2003. I started out with computer science and then found cybersecurity (Ethical hacking) more interesting. About year one in the books ( Calculus and Physics ), they were my favorites so far! I am ready to get more into the technical stuff. So far, the only technical class I have had is Intro to Scripting.