My 1-Year Career Break: Career Impacts, How Much I Saved for My Sabbatical, & Do I Recommend It?

[@WithSandra]

Let me know your thoughts on this video👇 Thanks for watching! More learning resources below: 📚 Google Cybersecurity Certificate: imp.i384100.net/k0R0rz 🧭 $1000 OFF Springboard Cybersecurity Bootcamp w/ Job Guarantee if you qualify (Code WITHSANDRA): www.springboard.com/landing/influencer/withsandra 💡 Ace your cybersecurity interviews with my Cybersecurity Interview Prep Mastery Course: learn.withcybersecurity.com/ 📕 Get My FREE Cybersecurity Beginner Roadmap Guide: www.withsandra.dev/ Stay Connected: 👯 Join our Discord :D - discord.gg/2YZUVbbpr9 Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/withsandra/

[@redfullpack]

In the past had taken a sabbatical _close to 10 years_ after into accounting/finance jobs. During this period, I learned 1) how to cook and various cooking techniques 2) mend my own clothes 3) different foreign languages (but not proficient at any of them!) 4) take up totally different s/t jobs unrelated to accounting 5) to sleep better each day

[@karimahnaimah]

Thanks for making this video. I’m considering a sabbatical in a couple years and am in the planning process.

[@tood7086]

Would love to see a video of what you recommend to do for getting job ready whilst your studying for a bachelor's etc in cyber security and what your main points and focuses would be on during downtime and what certs you can get for free whilst you do not have expendable cash as a student.

[@jblaze600]

Great video and advice. I follow you and Unix guy's video and career advice. After completing the trifecta, I'm just working on those free Cisco certs and ISC2 to enhance my knowledge. Luckily I have a great hospital pharmacy job with a nest egg but hope to breakthrough into help desk or cybersecurity. Thanks for everything.

[@InclusiveCyber]

Unfortunately, burn out in cybersecurity is extremely pervasive. With layoffs and companies pushing "doing more with less mentality" that creates more stress. Mental health is so important in any profession. I'm glad you noticed the burn out and took steps for personal development and mental health.

[@genjioto]

I’m literally just giving myself maybe 5-7 years max to work in IT and Cybersecurity max if I’m even lucky to hold a career that long…Was a web developer for three years and closing in on my first year in IT. But even before web development I didn’t work a job for a few years and ran a side business in New York, which was really nice and enjoyable; that was the most free and happy I ever felt. Anyway, already preparing to job hop to the next better position by the end of the year. One of the things I have been noticing from working for other people is that I really want to just work for myself one day 😅

[@Wesjapa100]

I left my last long-term/good job 3 years ago and haven't been able to find anything similar to this day. I moved to a new country and things didn't get any better, so I was doing some simpler jobs like Customer Service which was so stressful that it was like a call centre place, basically. In the middle of 2023, I started taking several Cybersecurity jobs and haven't been able to land my 1st job in the industry yet. Although I hated that job I left, the salary was not that bad for where I lived and I can say that I will NEVER do that again, even though I still have some savings.

[@WithSandra]

Thank you for sharing your experience! Its definitely a tough job market right now. Are you focusing on getting technical project experience? I find thats a big differentiator between beginners who apply for jobs since they can talk about the work they did outside of needing a cyber job

[@Wesjapa100]

@@WithSandra Thanks for your reply! I've done a few guided projects but I'm a bit lost still. Though I've realised that is better to focus on the necessary technical skills/tools for a SOC role, like Splunk, IDS/IPS, SOAR, packet sniffers, firewalls and so on. Let's see how it goes...

[@arthurcarone6364]

Your content is fantastic! Thank you for what you do!

[@WithSandra]

Thank you Arthur!! I really appreciate this :)

[@morisn]

I feel burnt out already just trying to get up to speed in Cybersecurity to get a job. Sometimes I think if this is while I am working towards finding work, what it would be like IF/when I get a job? Hehe. I've been in similar situations, not new to IT and managed very complex situations in the past but never cyber related... So we'll see.

[@ceooftorment927]

Definitely relatable. I'm in a situation where "I'm the security person", but my role is something else with job responsibilities no where near security. How does that work? Then when I ask how I'm supposed to be the security person with that, I get a long useless email that basically said that's how it's gonna be so suck it up.

[@evanj51]

I try to keep up with your LinkedIn! The job market is pretty bad right now especially for entry level. I work in help desk but I have A+, net+, server+, and sec. I hope when you get back into applying you find something!

[@juniorruiz3078]

What experience did you have that helped you get into help desk

[@WithSandra]

Completely agree. I’m actually going to start applying in the next 1-2 months or so. Wishing you all the best of luck during the job search!! 🙌

[@techroamin]

Have you thought about making a video on how much you have made from youtube as a cybersecurity creator? interested to hear what it was like at 10k subs all the way up to 90k subs where you are now 😮

[@Sumandass_1]

Love 💕 your content ❤ love love ❤

[@WithSandra]

Thank you so much!

[@19Elicar]

don't feel bad about swimming Im so slender and dense i sink to the bottom and also took swimming lesson when I was 7 but failed because I would alway panic when being in deeper water it was like 25feet.

[@WithSandra]

Even now I’m scared of water when I can’t touch the bottom, glad it’s not just me. 25 ft water is crazy scary to me lol..

[@jsacodes916]

I have to say, it’s a little ironic that anyone is trying to bring anyone into tech when it’s literally impossible to find a job in tech.

[@Sandiswaphiri]

Please slow down when you speak. It’s hard to keep up with what you’re saying

[@VA7AD]

I'm a native English speaker and I even have a hard time keeping up with what she's saying. We don't always realize how fast we're speaking, but it's a practice to be mindful of. Sandra, I love your content and you're putting out great stuff! I hope you will receive this comment from a place of just giving feedback vs. trying to be rude/mean. ☺

[@mere_naina]

I think u should start vlogging

[@TheITCornerbyJR]

Great video Sandra. I wish I could take a Sabbatical myself 😂. Is harder when you have a family. I am also balancing Career, School, and Now the KZbin channel. Excited for your future here in KZbin. Hopefully I can also grow like you and pay forward all the knowledge ive acquired in my journey. Tech is the Best! ✌🏽😎

[@UnixGuy]

juggling full time work and youtube, I know the feels 🥲 Sabbatical sounds lovely!