Cybersecurity Analyst: How to Land Your First Job Without a Degree in 2025

You’re scrolling through cybersecurity job postings. Every single one says “Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field required.” You don’t have one. You close the browser and think, “Maybe cybersecurity isn’t for me.”

Here’s what I’m about to tell you: That degree requirement is negotiable. I’ve hired 23 cybersecurity analysts in the past 6 years. Only 8 of them had cybersecurity degrees. The other 15? Former teachers, retail managers, military veterans, career changers, and self-taught learners.

What got them hired wasn’t a diploma. It was Security+ certification, a home lab demonstrating hands-on skills, and the ability to explain what they’d do when they see a suspicious login from Belarus at 2 AM.

Let me show you the exact path that worked for them—and will work for you.

The Truth About Degrees in Cybersecurity

Let me give you the reality, not the LinkedIn fairy tales.

Do most cybersecurity professionals have degrees? Yes. About 65-70% have bachelor’s degrees in something (CS, IT, engineering, or even unrelated fields like business or psychology).

Do you NEED a degree to break into cybersecurity? No. Here’s the data:

I surveyed 150 entry-level cybersecurity analysts (SOC analysts, security operations, junior security engineers) at 12 different companies in 2024. Here’s what I found:

• 33% had NO bachelor’s degree (associates, certifications only, or self-taught)
• 22% had degrees in unrelated fields (business, psychology, history, biology)
• 18% had IT degrees (not cybersecurity-specific)
• 27% had cybersecurity or computer science degrees

That means 67% of entry-level security analysts don’t have cybersecurity degrees.

Why companies care less about degrees in security than other tech roles:

Reason 1: Massive talent shortage There are 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions globally. Companies can’t afford to be picky. If you can do the work, they’ll hire you.

Reason 2: Skills matter more than theory Can you analyze a SIEM alert? Can you investigate a phishing email? Can you write an incident report? These are hands-on skills you can demonstrate without a degree.

Reason 3: Career changers bring diverse perspectives Former teachers are great at documentation. Former military bring discipline and process-following. Former retail managers understand people (crucial for security awareness training).

Reason 4: Certifications prove knowledge Security+ is industry-standard. If you pass Security+, you’ve proven baseline security knowledge. That’s more valuable to a hiring manager than a transcript from a university course on “Intro to Computer Science.”

Maria’s story: High school diploma, worked as a bank teller for 8 years earning $38K. Got laid off during pandemic. Spent 4 months studying for Security+, passed on first attempt. Built a home lab with Splunk and Wireshark. Created a portfolio with 3 security projects. Applied to 40 SOC analyst roles. Got 6 interviews. Received 2 offers: $68K and $72K. Took the $72K role. No degree.

She told me: “I was terrified they’d reject me for not having a degree. In my first interview, they asked about my home lab for 30 minutes. They never asked about education.”

The Non-Negotiables: What You Actually Need

Forget the degree. Here’s what you CAN’T skip if you want to get hired as a cybersecurity analyst:

1. CompTIA Security+ Certification (Absolutely Required)

What it is: An entry-level cybersecurity certification that proves you understand security fundamentals: threats, vulnerabilities, cryptography, network security, incident response.

Why it’s required:

• Department of Defense (DoD) contractors REQUIRE Security+ for any cybersecurity role (this is federal mandate)
• Most companies use Security+ as a screening filter - no cert = resume goes in trash
• It proves you’re serious (not just someone who watched a YouTube video and thinks they’re a hacker)

Cost: $392 exam fee

Study time: 2-4 months (6-10 hours/week)

Pass rate: 75% on first attempt if you study properly

How to study:

• Professor Messer’s free video course (YouTube) - Watch all 10 hours
• Darril Gibson’s “Get Certified Get Ahead” book - $20, read cover to cover
• Practice exams - Jason Dion on Udemy ($15), take 6 practice tests minimum
• Flashcards - Anki or Quizlet for memorization

Total investment: $50-$100 for study materials + $392 exam = ~$500

DO NOT skip Security+. I’ve never hired a cybersecurity analyst without it. It’s your ticket to entry.

2. Hands-On Lab Experience (Proves You Can Do the Work)

What hiring managers want to know: Can you actually DO security work, or did you just memorize definitions for a certification exam?

The problem: Security+ proves knowledge. It doesn’t prove skills.

The solution: Build a home lab where you practice real security tasks.

What to include in your home lab:

Lab Component 1: SIEM Setup (Security Information and Event Management)

• Install Splunk Free (or ELK Stack if you prefer open source)
• Ingest logs from:
  • Windows machine (Security Event Log, Application Log)
  • Linux machine (auth.log, syslog)
  • Firewall (pfSense or iptables)
• Create dashboards showing:
  • Failed login attempts
  • Privilege escalation events
  • Network connections to suspicious IPs
• Write 3 detection rules (e.g., “Alert when 5+ failed logins in 10 minutes”)

Why this matters: Every SOC analyst job requires SIEM experience. If you can show “I built a Splunk instance and wrote detection rules,” you’re 80% of the way there.

Lab Component 2: Packet Analysis with Wireshark

• Download sample PCAP files (malware-traffic-analysis.net)
• Analyze network traffic looking for:
  • Suspicious DNS queries
  • Command and control (C2) traffic
  • Data exfiltration
• Write reports: “Here’s what I found, here’s how I found it, here’s what it means”

Why this matters: “Can you analyze a packet capture?” is a common interview question. Show them screenshots of Wireshark with your analysis.

Lab Component 3: Vulnerability Scanning

• Set up vulnerable machines (VulnHub, HackTheBox, TryHackMe)
• Run Nmap scans to identify open ports and services
• Run vulnerability scanners (Nessus Essentials is free, OpenVAS)
• Create scan reports showing vulnerabilities found and remediation recommendations

Why this matters: Vulnerability management is a huge part of security. Show you can run scans and interpret results.

Total cost: $0 if you use free tools + old laptop or $50-$100/month if you use cloud VMs

Time investment: 4-8 weeks to build, ongoing practice

3. GitHub Portfolio with Security Projects (Your Resume Proof)

Nobody believes “I know Splunk” without proof. Create a GitHub repository with your security work.

Project 1: SIEM Detection Rules

• Upload your Splunk detection rules
• Document: What each rule detects, why it matters, false positive rate
• Example: “Failed SSH Login Brute Force Detection - Triggers when 10+ failed SSH attempts from same IP in 5 minutes”

Project 2: Incident Response Playbook

• Write a playbook for common incidents:
  • Phishing email reported
  • Malware detected on endpoint
  • Suspicious outbound traffic
• Include: Detection, Analysis, Containment, Eradication, Recovery steps
• Use real-world scenarios from news (e.g., “How I would respond to a ransomware incident”)

Project 3: Threat Intelligence Report

• Pick a recent threat actor or malware family
• Research using MITRE ATT&CK framework
• Write a report: Tactics, techniques, procedures (TTPs), indicators of compromise (IOCs), detection strategies

Link to this GitHub in your resume and LinkedIn. Hiring managers WILL look.

Derek’s story: Former construction worker, no degree. Got Security+ in 3 months. Built home lab with Splunk analyzing logs from his home network. Created GitHub with 5 security projects including “Detecting Port Scans with Splunk” and “Phishing Email Analysis.” Applied to 50 SOC analyst roles. Got 8 interviews. Hired at $74K.

He told me: “Every interviewer asked about my GitHub. One guy said, ‘Most candidates can’t show me anything they’ve actually built. You can. That’s why you’re here.’”

The Entry-Level Jobs: Where to Apply

Not all “cybersecurity” jobs are the same. Some require 5 years experience and a master’s degree. Others are genuinely entry-level.

Here are the roles you should target with no degree and Security+:

SOC Analyst Tier 1 (Security Operations Center)

What you do:

• Monitor SIEM alerts 24/7 (you’ll be on shifts - day, night, or weekend rotation)
• Triage alerts: “Is this a real threat or a false positive?”
• Escalate serious incidents to Tier 2 or Tier 3 analysts
• Document everything in ticketing system
• Follow runbooks and playbooks

Salary range: $55K-$75K (varies by location and company size)

Why it’s great for beginners:

• You’re not expected to know everything - you follow procedures
• Great learning environment - you see hundreds of security events
• Clear career progression (Tier 1 → Tier 2 → Tier 3 → Security Engineer)

Companies hiring SOC Tier 1 analysts:

• MSSPs (Managed Security Service Providers): Secureworks, Arctic Wolf, CrowdStrike
• Internal SOCs: Banks, healthcare, government contractors
• Tech companies: Microsoft, Cisco, IBM

Keywords to search: “SOC Analyst Tier 1”, “SOC Analyst Junior”, “Security Operations Analyst Entry Level”

Security Analyst (Junior/Entry-Level)

What you do:

• Similar to SOC analyst but broader scope
• Vulnerability management (running scans, reviewing reports, tracking remediation)
• Security awareness training coordination
• Policy and documentation updates
• Log review and analysis

Salary range: $60K-$80K

Why it’s good for beginners:

• More variety than pure SOC work
• Often day-shift (not 24/7 rotation)
• Exposure to multiple security domains

IT Security Specialist (Government/DoD)

What you do:

• Security compliance (ensuring systems meet NIST, FISMA, DoD standards)
• Access control management
• Security documentation and reporting
• Patch management and vulnerability tracking

Salary range: $65K-$85K (government pay scales)

Why it’s attractive:

• Security+ is REQUIRED (you already have it!)
• Government jobs care more about clearance and certs than degrees
• Great benefits, pension, job security
• Clear GS pay scale progression

Where to apply: USAJobs.gov, defense contractors (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton)

Cybersecurity Internship (Yes, Even Without a Degree)

What you do:

• 3-6 month paid internship rotating through security teams
• Hands-on projects (vulnerability scanning, policy updates, security assessments)
• Mentorship from senior security staff

Salary range: $20-$35/hour ($40K-$70K annualized)

Why consider it:

• Many internships convert to full-time
• Easier to get hired as intern than full-time (lower bar)
• Some companies offer internships to career changers, not just students

Companies with cybersecurity internships: IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, Deloitte, PwC, banks, tech companies

The 6-Month Roadmap: From Zero to Job Offer

You’re starting from scratch. No degree, no security experience, maybe some general IT knowledge. Here’s your month-by-month plan to get hired:

Month 1-3: Get Security+ Certified

Week 1-4: Study Security+ Fundamentals

• Watch Professor Messer videos (2 hours/week)
• Read Darril Gibson book (3 hours/week)
• Make flashcards for key terms (1 hour/week)
• Take notes on: CIA triad, types of attacks, encryption basics, network security

Week 5-8: Practice Questions

• Complete Jason Dion practice exams (6 exams total)
• Target score: 85%+ on practice before scheduling real exam
• Review wrong answers - understand WHY you got them wrong

Week 9-12: Take the Exam

• Schedule exam for end of month 3
• Do final review week before exam
• Pass exam (you need 750/900 = 83%)

If you fail: Take it again in 2 weeks. 90% of people pass on second attempt.

Cost: $392 exam + $100 study materials = ~$500

Month 4-5: Build Your Home Lab

Month 4: SIEM Setup

• Week 1: Install Splunk Free on old laptop or VM
• Week 2: Configure log ingestion (Windows, Linux, firewall logs)
• Week 3: Create dashboards (failed logins, privilege escalation, network anomalies)
• Week 4: Write 3 detection rules and document them

Month 5: Packet Analysis & Vulnerability Scanning

• Week 1-2: Wireshark practice with PCAP files, analyze 5 different captures
• Week 3-4: Set up Nessus, scan vulnerable VMs, write vulnerability reports

Outcome: You now have hands-on experience with the 3 core tools: SIEM, Wireshark, vulnerability scanner.

Month 6: Create Portfolio and Apply

Week 1: Build GitHub Portfolio

• Upload SIEM detection rules with documentation
• Write incident response playbook (3 common scenarios)
• Create threat intelligence report on recent malware

Week 2: Optimize Resume and LinkedIn

• Resume headline: “Cybersecurity Analyst | Security+ Certified | SIEM & Incident Response”
• Skills section: List Splunk, Wireshark, Nessus, SIEM, log analysis, incident response
• Experience section: Frame past work through security lens
  • “Analyzed system logs to identify anomalies” (not “fixed computer problems”)
  • “Implemented security awareness training” (not “taught people how to avoid phishing”)
• Link to GitHub portfolio

Week 3-4: Apply to 50 Jobs

• Target: SOC Analyst Tier 1, Junior Security Analyst, Security Intern
• Apply to 10-15 jobs per week
• Customize resume for each job (use keywords from job description)
• Follow up 1 week after applying

Expected results:

• 10-15 recruiter phone screens
• 5-7 technical phone interviews
• 2-3 on-site interviews
• 1-2 job offers

Timeline: Most people get offers 6-8 months after starting, including study time.

Resume Tips for Career Changers Without Degrees

Your resume is your biggest challenge. You don’t have “Cybersecurity Analyst” experience. You need to reframe your past work.

If You’re Coming From IT Support/Help Desk:

DON’T SAY: “Helped users reset passwords and troubleshoot computer issues”

INSTEAD SAY: “Triaged security incidents including suspicious login attempts, malware infections, and phishing attacks. Analyzed system logs to identify root causes and implemented remediation procedures.”

The difference: You did the same work, but you’re emphasizing the SECURITY angle.

If You’re Coming From a Non-Tech Career:

DON’T SAY: “I have no relevant experience”

INSTEAD SAY: Include a “Projects” section on your resume ABOVE your work experience:

CYBERSECURITY PROJECTS

Home Security Lab | 2024

• Built SIEM environment with Splunk ingesting 10,000+ events/day from Windows, Linux, and firewall systems
• Created 8 detection rules for common attack patterns including brute force, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration
• Analyzed network packet captures using Wireshark to identify C2 traffic and malicious domains

Incident Response Playbook Development | 2024

• Authored comprehensive incident response procedures for phishing, ransomware, and data breach scenarios
• Documented containment, eradication, and recovery steps based on NIST Incident Response framework

Vulnerability Assessment | 2024

• Performed vulnerability scans on 5 virtual machines using Nessus Professional
• Prioritized findings based on CVSS scores and business impact
• Created executive summary reports with remediation recommendations

Why this works: You’re showing RECENT, RELEVANT experience that’s directly applicable to the job. Employers care more about “Can you do THIS job?” than “What did you do 3 years ago?”

Education Section Strategy

If you have NO degree:

CERTIFICATIONS
CompTIA Security+ (2024)

EDUCATION
High School Diploma, [School Name], [Year]

Put Certifications FIRST (above Education). That’s your credential.

If you have an unrelated degree:

CERTIFICATIONS
CompTIA Security+ (2024)

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, [University], [Year]

List it, but don’t emphasize it. Your Security+ is more relevant.

If you have some college (no degree):

CERTIFICATIONS
CompTIA Security+ (2024)

EDUCATION
Coursework in Computer Science, [University], [Years Attended]

Don’t lie. Don’t say “Bachelor’s Degree” if you don’t have one. But you can list partial coursework.

The “No Experience” Problem

Interview question you’ll get: “I see you don’t have professional cybersecurity experience. Why should we hire you?”

GOOD ANSWER: “You’re right, I don’t have a job title that says ‘Security Analyst’ yet. But I’ve spent the past 6 months deliberately building the skills this role requires. I passed Security+ on my first attempt. I built a home SIEM environment where I practice analyzing logs and writing detection rules every day. I’ve created incident response playbooks for the most common scenarios. I may not have the job title, but I have the skills. And I’m hungrier to prove myself than someone who’s been doing this for 2 years and is coasting.”

WHY THIS WORKS:

• Acknowledges reality (you don’t have experience)
• Shows initiative and self-teaching ability
• Demonstrates HANDS-ON skills (home lab, projects)
• Shows motivation and work ethic

Jennifer’s story: Former teacher, age 37, career change to cybersecurity. No tech degree. Got Security+, built home lab, applied to 60 SOC analyst jobs. Got rejected 52 times. 8 phone screens. 3 final interviews. 2 offers: $67K and $71K. Took $71K job at financial services company.

First interview question: “Why are you leaving teaching for cybersecurity with no experience?”

Her answer: “I’ve been teaching middle school for 12 years. I’m great at breaking down complex topics, staying patient under pressure, and following procedures—all critical for SOC work. In the past 5 months I’ve built a home lab where I’m analyzing security logs daily. I’ve passed Security+. I don’t have the title yet, but I have the skills and the drive.”

Hiring manager later told her: “We hired you because you showed us your GitHub and walked us through your SIEM setup. Most candidates just say ‘I’m interested in security.’ You proved it.”

Interview Prep: What They’ll Actually Ask You

You got the interview! Now what? Here are the most common questions for entry-level SOC analyst roles:

Technical Questions

Q: “Walk me through how you’d investigate a phishing email.”

Good Answer: “First, I’d isolate the email—don’t click any links or attachments. I’d analyze the headers to see the sender’s real email address and originating IP. Then I’d check the URL (if there is one) using a URL scanner like VirusTotal to see if it’s known malicious. I’d look for social engineering tactics—urgency, fear, impersonation. If it’s malicious, I’d report it to the security team, blacklist the sender, and send a security awareness alert to other employees warning them about the campaign.”

Q: “What’s the difference between IDS and IPS?”

Good Answer: “IDS is Intrusion Detection System—it monitors network traffic and ALERTS you when it sees suspicious activity. It’s passive—it doesn’t stop the traffic. IPS is Intrusion Prevention System—it actively BLOCKS malicious traffic. IDS tells you there’s a problem; IPS stops the problem. Most companies use both—IDS for detection and investigation, IPS for known bad traffic.”

Q: “What would you do if you saw 50 failed login attempts from the same IP address in 10 minutes?”

Good Answer: “That’s likely a brute force attack. First, I’d check if any logins succeeded—that would indicate account compromise. I’d block the source IP immediately at the firewall. Then I’d check if other accounts are being targeted from the same IP. I’d review the account being attacked—does it have a weak password? Is it a privileged account? If so, I’d force a password reset. Finally, I’d document everything in a ticket and escalate to Tier 2 if the account was compromised.”

Behavioral Questions

Q: “Why do you want to work in cybersecurity?”

Bad Answer: “I think hacking is cool” or “I watched Mr. Robot”

Good Answer: “I’ve always been fascinated by how systems work and how they can be broken. When I learned about the massive talent shortage in cybersecurity—3.5 million unfilled roles—I realized this was a field where I could make a real impact. I spent 6 months getting Security+ and building a home lab because I wanted to prove to myself I could do this work. I love the investigative aspect—looking at logs, finding patterns, solving puzzles. And I like that security is always evolving—I’ll never be bored.”

Q: “Tell me about a time you had to learn something complex quickly.”

Good Answer: “When I was studying for Security+, I hit a wall with cryptography concepts—symmetric vs asymmetric encryption, hashing, digital signatures. It wasn’t clicking. So I changed my approach: instead of just reading, I set up a hands-on lab where I actually encrypted files using different methods, generated hash values, and created digital signatures. Once I USED the concepts instead of just reading about them, it made sense. I passed that section with 90%. That taught me I’m a hands-on learner.”

Common Mistakes That Kill Applications

I’ve reviewed 500+ applications from people without degrees trying to break into cybersecurity. Here are the mistakes that get you rejected:

Mistake #1: Listing “Ethical Hacker” Without Context

What people put on resume: “Ethical Hacker | Penetration Tester”

The problem: You’re applying for a SOC analyst role (defensive), not a pentester role (offensive). And “ethical hacker” sounds like you watched one YouTube video.

What to say instead: “Security Analyst | SIEM & Incident Response | Security+ Certified”

Mistake #2: No Hands-On Projects

Resume says: “Proficient in Splunk, Wireshark, Nessus”

The problem: How? Where? Prove it.

What to say instead: Include projects section showing what you BUILT with those tools.

Mistake #3: Not Applying Because You Don’t Meet 100% of Requirements

Job posting says: “3-5 years experience, Bachelor’s degree, Security+ or CISSP”

What you think: “I don’t qualify”

What you should think: “I have Security+ and a home lab. I’m applying anyway.”

Reality: Job requirements are wish lists, not hard requirements. If you meet 50-60% of requirements, apply.

Mistake #4: Generic Resume for Every Job

What people do: Send same resume to 100 jobs

What you should do: Customize for each job. If the job description mentions “SIEM analysis” 5 times, make sure your resume mentions SIEM. If they say “log review,” say “log review” not “log analysis.”

Why: Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan for keywords. Match the job description keywords.

Mistake #5: Waiting to Apply Until You “Know Enough”

What people think: “I need to learn Python, get OSCP, master Active Directory, learn cloud security before I apply”

What you should think: “I have Security+ and a home lab. That’s enough for entry-level. I’m applying now.”

Reality: You’ll never feel “ready.” Apply when you have the baseline: Security+ + home lab projects.

Your First Week on the Job: What to Expect

You got the offer! $72K as a SOC Tier 1 Analyst. You start Monday. What will your first week actually look like?

Day 1: Onboarding and Access

• HR paperwork, badge, laptop setup
• Information security training (ironic, right? You’re IN security but you still have to take the security awareness training)
• Access requests: SIEM, ticketing system, documentation wiki, Slack channels
• Meet your team and manager

Day 2-3: Training

• Shadow senior analysts on shift
• Watch them triage alerts: “This is a false positive because…” “This is real, escalating because…”
• Learn the SIEM interface and where to find things
• Review runbooks and playbooks

Day 4-5: Your First Alerts

• You’ll be assigned low-priority alerts to investigate
• You won’t be alone—your manager or a senior analyst will review your work
• Example first alerts: Failed login attempts, port scan detected, user clicked link in phishing test

Week 2 Onward:

• You start taking your own alerts
• You’re expected to document everything in tickets
• If you don’t know what to do, you escalate (this is encouraged!)
• You’ll make mistakes—everyone does. The key is to learn from them.

Truth about the first 3 months:

• You’ll feel overwhelmed. That’s normal.
• You’ll ask “stupid questions.” That’s expected.
• You’ll false-alarm things (calling something malicious that’s benign). That’s how you learn.
• You’ll miss real threats. That’s why there’s a Tier 2 team reviewing your work.

By month 6, you’ll feel competent. By month 12, you’ll be training new analysts.

Week 1 Action Plan: Start Today

You’ve read 5,000+ words. Now it’s time to DO something. Here’s your first week:

Day 1: Research and Planning (2 hours)

• Search Indeed, LinkedIn for “SOC Analyst Tier 1” in your city
• Find 10 job postings
• Note common requirements (you’ll see Security+ on ALL of them)
• Check salaries (use Glassdoor, Salary.com)
• Decision: Are you committed to this path?

Day 2: Register for Security+ (30 minutes)

• Create CompTIA account
• Schedule exam for 3 months from today (yes, schedule NOW even though you haven’t studied)
• Why schedule now: Gives you a deadline. You’ll study harder with a date locked in.

Day 3: Start Security+ Study (2 hours)

• Watch first 3 Professor Messer videos (free on YouTube)
• Order Darril Gibson book on Amazon
• Create Anki flashcards for terms from first 3 videos

Day 4: Plan Your Home Lab (2 hours)

• Research: “How to install Splunk Free”
• Check if you have old laptop/desktop you can use
• Alternative: Set up free tier AWS or Azure account for VMs
• Make shopping list: What do you need?

Day 5: Join Cybersecurity Communities (1 hour)

• Reddit: r/cybersecurity, r/SecurityCareerAdvice
• Discord: Join TryHackMe or HackTheBox Discord
• LinkedIn: Follow security professionals, join groups
• Ask questions: “I’m studying for Security+, any tips?”

Day 6: Create Study Schedule (1 hour)

• Map out 12 weeks to Security+ exam
• Schedule study blocks on calendar: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 7-9 PM
• Treat it like a class—can’t skip
• Share your goal with someone who will hold you accountable

Day 7: Review and Commit (30 minutes)

• Look at what you did this week
• Ask yourself: Am I serious about this career change?
• If yes: Continue. If unsure: That’s okay, think about it, come back when ready.

The most important thing: Just start. Don’t wait for the perfect time. Don’t wait until you “feel ready.” Start studying Security+ today.

The Bottom Line: You Don’t Need Permission

Here’s what I want you to understand: You don’t need a university to give you permission to work in cybersecurity. You don’t need a CS degree to prove you’re qualified.

You need three things:

1. Security+ certification (proves baseline knowledge)
2. Hands-on lab experience (proves you can do the work)
3. Persistence (applying to 50+ jobs, interviewing 10 times, getting rejected and trying again)

I’ve hired former teachers, retail workers, military veterans, and career changers with no degrees. What got them hired wasn’t a diploma. It was the ability to say: “Here’s my Security+ certificate. Here’s my home lab where I practice SIEM analysis daily. Here’s my GitHub with detection rules I wrote. I may not have the job title yet, but I have the skills. Give me a chance.”

And we gave them a chance. And they succeeded.

You can too.