Getting Started in Cybersecurity: Entry Level Certifications and Career Paths

Breaking into cybersecurity feels overwhelming when you’re staring at dozens of certifications, conflicting advice, and job postings that all seem to want five years of experience for entry level roles. I talk to people every week who want to start a cybersecurity career but have no idea which certification to pursue first or whether they even qualify for the jobs they’re seeing.

The good news? There’s a clear path forward, and you don’t need a computer science degree or years of experience to begin. What you need is the right foundation and a realistic understanding of where entry level roles actually exist in this field.

Before we dive into certifications and career paths, let me tell you why this field is exploding with opportunity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, information security analyst roles are projected to grow 33% through 2033. That’s much faster than average for any profession.

The reason is simple. Every organization, from small businesses to multinational corporations, needs cybersecurity professionals. Breaches are getting more sophisticated, regulations are getting stricter, and the stakes are higher than ever. Companies are desperate for people who can help protect their systems and data.

What makes this field particularly attractive is the variety of roles available. You can work in incident response, security operations, compliance, penetration testing, security architecture, or governance. Each path requires different skills and appeals to different personalities. Some people love the adrenaline rush of responding to active threats. Others prefer the strategic thinking required for security program management.

Here’s something I wish someone had told me earlier in my career. True entry level cybersecurity jobs are rarer than people think. Most organizations want you to have at least some IT experience before they’ll trust you with their security. That might sound discouraging, but it actually makes sense. How can you secure systems if you don’t understand how they work in the first place?

The typical path into cybersecurity starts with general IT work. Maybe you spend a year or two in help desk support, system administration, or network operations. During that time, you learn how technology actually functions in real organizations. You see how users behave, how systems fail, and where vulnerabilities emerge naturally through everyday operations.

Then you transition into security specific roles. This progression isn’t a waste of time. The IT fundamentals you build early on become the foundation for everything you do in cybersecurity later. When you’re analyzing a potential breach, that help desk experience helps you understand user behavior. When you’re hardening systems, that admin background tells you what’s realistic and what’s not.

Certifications matter in cybersecurity, but not all certifications are created equal for beginners. Let me walk you through the ones that actually help you get that first job and build real skills.

If you’re going to get one certification to start your cybersecurity career, make it Security Plus. This is the industry standard entry point for cybersecurity professionals. It covers all the fundamentals including network security, cryptography, identity management, risk management, and incident response basics.

What makes Security Plus particularly valuable is its recognition. The U.S. Department of Defense requires it for many positions under DoD Directive 8140 (formerly 8570). That means if you want to work in government cybersecurity or with defense contractors, you need this certification. But even outside government work, most employers recognize Security Plus as proof you understand core security concepts.

The exam itself is performance based, which means you’ll face simulated scenarios where you have to configure security settings or analyze logs, not just answer multiple choice questions. This format ensures you can actually apply what you’ve learned, not just memorize definitions.

Before you tackle Security Plus, consider starting with Network Plus. This certification teaches you how networks actually function, which is essential knowledge for any cybersecurity professional. You can’t secure a network if you don’t understand TCP/IP, routing, switching, and network protocols.

Network Plus covers network architecture, operations, security fundamentals, and troubleshooting. It’s vendor neutral, so you’re learning concepts that apply everywhere rather than specific product configurations. Many people find that having Network Plus makes Security Plus much easier to understand because you already grasp the underlying infrastructure.

The SSCP from (ISC)² is another solid entry level option, particularly if you already have some IT experience. It requires one year of work experience in one or more of the seven SSCP domains, though you can take the exam without experience and earn an Associate of (ISC)² designation until you meet the requirement.

SSCP covers security operations and administration, access controls, risk identification and response, incident response and recovery, cryptography, network and communications security, and systems and application security. It’s more technical than Security Plus in some areas, which makes it valuable if you’re aiming for hands on security operations roles.

Once you’ve established yourself in cybersecurity and gained a few years of experience, you’ll want to pursue more advanced certifications. These credentials open doors to senior positions and significantly boost your earning potential.

The CISSP is often called the gold standard in cybersecurity certifications. It’s designed for experienced security practitioners, managers, and executives with at least five years of cumulative paid work experience in two or more of the eight CISSP domains. (ISC)² offers some ways to satisfy this requirement through education or other credentials, but the bottom line is this isn’t a beginner certification.

What makes CISSP valuable is its breadth. The eight domains cover security and risk management, asset security, security architecture and engineering, communication and network security, identity and access management, security assessment and testing, security operations, and software development security. You need to understand security at a strategic level, not just tactical implementation.

CISSP holders typically work in roles like security consultant, security manager, IT director, security auditor, security architect, or CISO. According to (ISC)², CISSP certified professionals earn significantly more than their non-certified peers.

If you’re interested in the offensive side of security, the CEH from EC-Council teaches you to think like an attacker. The certification covers reconnaissance, scanning networks, enumeration, system hacking, malware threats, sniffing, social engineering, denial of service, session hijacking, evading IDS/firewalls, hacking web applications, SQL injection, and cryptography.

CEH is popular among penetration testers, security analysts, and anyone who needs to understand attack techniques to better defend against them. It’s more hands on than CISSP and focuses specifically on offensive security skills.

The CISM from ISACA is designed for security managers and those who manage, design, and oversee an enterprise’s information security program. Unlike CISSP, which has a technical focus, CISM emphasizes management and governance. It’s ideal if you’re moving toward leadership roles rather than staying in technical implementation.

CISM covers information security governance, information risk management, information security program development and management, and information security incident management. You need at least five years of work experience in information security management to earn the certification.

One area of cybersecurity that’s seeing explosive growth is incident response. Every week seems to bring news of another major breach, ransomware attack, or data compromise. Organizations are realizing they need dedicated teams ready to respond when, not if, something goes wrong.

Incident response professionals are the cybersecurity equivalent of emergency medical teams. When an attack happens, they’re the ones who spring into action to contain the damage, investigate what happened, recover systems, and prevent it from happening again. It’s high pressure work that requires both technical skills and the ability to stay calm under stress.

What makes incident response particularly appealing is the constant learning. Every incident is different. You’re analyzing new attack techniques, reverse engineering malware, tracking threat actors, and connecting digital breadcrumbs to understand exactly what happened. It’s detective work combined with technical analysis.

The demand for incident responders far exceeds the supply. According to the (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study, organizations report significant gaps in their incident response capabilities. This translates to competitive salaries, job security, and plenty of advancement opportunities.

Getting into incident response requires a solid technical foundation. You need to understand operating systems (particularly Windows and Linux at a deep level), networking protocols and traffic analysis, common attack vectors and malware behavior, forensic analysis techniques, and log analysis and SIEM tools.

But technical skills alone aren’t enough. Incident responders also need strong communication abilities because you’ll be explaining technical findings to non-technical stakeholders, often in high stress situations. You need analytical thinking to piece together what happened from incomplete evidence. And you need the ability to work under pressure when systems are down and executives are demanding answers.

The Certified Incident Handler (ECIH) from EC-Council is another option that covers incident handling and response from a vendor neutral perspective. It teaches you how to handle various types of cybersecurity incidents, manage incident response teams, and implement proper processes.

Many incident responders also pursue digital forensics certifications because the skills overlap significantly. Understanding how to preserve evidence, analyze compromised systems, and document findings is crucial for both disciplines.

Getting started in cybersecurity isn’t about rushing to collect as many certifications as possible. It’s about building a strong foundation, gaining real experience, and strategically advancing your skills over time.

Start with Security Plus to establish your baseline security knowledge. Get some hands on experience in IT or security operations. Then pursue advanced certifications that align with your specific career goals, whether that’s technical depth, management, or specialized areas like incident response.

The field needs people at every level. It needs entry level analysts monitoring alerts, mid-level engineers implementing controls, senior architects designing security systems, and leaders developing strategy. Find where you fit based on your interests and strengths, then build toward that goal systematically.

Cybersecurity offers genuine career opportunities with room for growth, competitive compensation, and the satisfaction of protecting organizations from real threats. It’s challenging work, but if you’re willing to put in the effort to learn, there’s a place for you in this field.