Finding a Career in IT Network &

Cybersecurity Domains
Path to a new beginning
Instructor: Haris Chughtai (Linkedin)
[email protected]

Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai ([email protected])

Career Guidance
Where to start !

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Job finding Challenges
● I am studying non-technical education, can i still make a career in IT?

● I am lost, not sure what to do - being overloaded with information?

● I have some IT knowledge but not sure what to do next to make it as a career path?

● I have done some IT study but don't have any experience so i am not getting interview calls &
not sure how to approach employers - what should I do?

● I am not very technical but still want to make a career in IT related field (e.g. Sales, Project
Mgmt, Account Executive etc), is there a path for me?

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8 Steps to mitigate Challenges & find a path to a career
1. Know the stuff - Develop intermediate level knowledge in your desired domain

2. Do a small project or Lab or use a tool to polish your skills

3. Obtain some career certifications as a proof that you know the stuff

4. CV - Build a ‘neat’ Resume

5. Create Linkedin Profile with ‘open to work’ to attract recruiters

6. Prepare well for the upcoming interviews

7. Have some Professional References handy

8. Start job Hunting - searching for a job is itself a full time job :-)

Good luck !

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1. Acquire the Base
Knowledge
Know the stuff !

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Gain Essential Knowledge
1. Don’t spend money unnecessarily
a. Start with online resources (tons of free material)

2. Gain at least intermediate level knowledge in your selected field

3. Familiarize with the fundamental of Network & Cybersecurity.

a. Here is the summary of my Network & Cybersecurity course capturing key concepts

4. Select the domain that attracts you more (Network or Cybersecurity or both) as potential career
path to develop further expertise

5. Aim for at least 6-12 months of regular study to build solid understanding
a. Fix few hours daily - be honest to yourself & show dedication to your future

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Gain Essential Knowledge - Networking Path
A. Start with Youtube Courses
a. Practical Networking - Networking Fundamentals Course (15 videos - short & quick)
b. Network Direction Network Fundamental course (28 videos - detailed)
c. Jeremy’s IT Lab - Full CCNA Course (118 videos - detailed)

B. Enrich your Theoretical Concepts from other online material

i. Comptia Network+ Study Guide
ii. CCNA Study Guide Free
iii. CCNA Study Notes
iv. Cisco Academy learning Free courses

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Gain Essential Knowledge - Cybersecurity Path
A. Start with Youtube Courses
a. Simplilearn Cyber Security Course (11 hours single video)
b. Edureka Cyber Security Training For Beginners (61 videos)
c. Google Cybersecurity Certification Course (18 videos)

B. Enrich your Theoretical Concepts from other online material

a. Codecademy - Introduction to Cybersecurity (3 Hours)
b. Fortinet Training Videos of FCF, FCA, FCP self-paced courses
c. ISC2 - Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) Course Material
d. Cisco Academy learning Free courses

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 2. Polish your
learnings
Do some Project/Lab/Tool to
show off in your CV!

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Apply your Knowledge to some Project or Lab or Tools
● Network
a. Understand & play with your home network
b. Do any of the online free Labs e.g. https://www.freeccnaworkbook.com/
c. If possible, use in-person labs with instructor guidance (mostly paid courses have it)
d. Play with some freely available Network Packet Sniffing tool
■ e.g. WireShark, SolarWind, TCPDump, WinDump etc

● Cybersecurity
a. Try to hack your home WiFi Password using free tools !
b. Pick a Project from this Youtube video
c. Use some freely available software and tools from this list

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 3. Get Certified
Industry endorsement of
your knowledge !

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Networking Certification to start career
A. Write at least one of the following beginner level exam

a. The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking - Google via Coursera (7 days free, later
$49/month with access to all courses and certifications - Financial aid option available)

b. Cisco Certified Network Associate - CCNA (Paid but valuable)

c. Comptia Network+ (Paid but valuable)

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Cybersecurity Certification to start career
A. Write at least first three of the following beginner level exams:

a. Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) - ISC2 (free for now)

b. Fortinet Certification of FCF &, FCA (free self paced training)

c. Google Cybersecurity Professional - (7 days free, later $49/month with access to all
courses and certifications - Financial aid option available)

d. Comptia Security+ (Paid but valuable)

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Here is how to begin your certification journey
A. Create your user accounts on following sites
●ISC2
●Fortinet Training Portal (select Public vs Partner or Employee)
●Credly
●Cisco Academy (skills for all)
Have one email id/PW for all of above professional accounts for convenience

B. Book the ISC2 CC FREE Exam

● Login to Pearson VUE
● Register for Certified in Cybersecurity exam using 2024 free exam using voucher code CC1M12312024)
● Follow these detailed instructions

C. Start studying
● Access & learn self-paced free study of material ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity
● Complete Fortinet Training Videos courses of FCF & FCA)
● Study relevant network and security free courses from Cisco Academy((skills for all))

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4. Create Resume
Simple yet attractive !

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Capture Key Information in your Resume
1. Make it simple yet appealing CV - don't need to be heavy with too many pages
2. Add brief Executive Summary/Profile/Objective
3. Add Contact information (email, phone & may be just the city location - no need for full address)
4. Add your Linkedin Profile URL
5. Mention your Certifications/Education/Courses
6. Mention key skill/Interest Areas (willingness to make a career in that domain)
7. Mention Projects or Labs or Tools that you have used
a. show familiarity with Network & Security Tools (e.g. WireShark etc)
8. Mention Previous work experience (if any)
9. Mention Extra curricular activities e.g. Physical Sports, online Gaming, Book Reading etc
10. Mention Volunteer work (if any)

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 Sample Resumes
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5. Build Linkedin
Profile
Let recruiters notice your
availability!

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Create an attractive Linkedin Profile - www.linkedin.com
● Create your Linkedin Professional Profile to have a online copy of your resume content -
always available

● Make sure to Post/Publish all certifications you attained

● Obtain Linkedin “Recommendations” - good words about your skills

● Make your profile “Open to Work” when searching job

● Research and familiarize yourself with Linkedin job search techniques

● Search for quick Linkedin profile tips available online e.g.

○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4OhuzwLc9o
○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd4ALKv8Das

● Few sample profiles

○ Student: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hussain-chughtai-1b9349204/
○ Cybersecurity Beginners: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anur-3d/
○ Experienced: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haris-chughtai-0054415/details/certifications/

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 6. Interview
Preparation
Get Ready !

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Prepare well and stay confident - You'll get it if it's for you
● When you get a interview call make sure to research about the company and their line of business & Products
○ You have to show your passion, interest and willingness

● Dress up formally - show your seriousness to your potential employer!

● There will be technical as well as non-technical/HR/Soft-skills related Qs - both are important so be prepared !

● Google/Youtube tips about basic/expected common Qs e.g.

○ Cybersecurity interview Qs
○ Networking Interview Qs
○ Common Interview Qs - Understand “EQ vs IQ” and make sure to work on your EQ/soft skills

● Prepare for “Tell me about yourself “

○ This is your moment to express & highlight achievements without explicitly being asked
○ Prepare 2-3 min speech and practice it in front of mirror !

● What are your top skills

○ Employer is seeing your CV but they want to hear from you !

● What is it that you don’t like about yourself

○ Something goes in your favor like I take my job very serious and word too hard and my family complains about i

● Why should we hire you

○ Hardworking, results driven, always keen to learn, self motivated, independent as well as team player etc

● Salary Expectations
○ Do some research/check with friends to find what is market value of that position
○ If not clear It's always safe to give a broader range

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 7. Professional
References
Have at least 3 trusted
people in the industry to
endorse you !

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Attributes of Reference
● References are individuals who know you well enough to discuss your experience, habits,
character traits and skills

● Select a reference who can say good words about your skills & personality

● For beginners who are just starting out, consider asking teachers you enjoyed or people at
places you volunteered at or the professionals in your contacts.

● Preferably Reference has to be from the same profession as your target job

● If you don't think your current supervisor would give you a good reference, you can ask a
current co-worker or client for a reference. Other work references can include recent and
former employers

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 8. Job Hunting
A good job is more than just a
paycheck

Searching for a job is itself a full

time job !
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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Job Hunting - The final step !
● Talk to people & let them know you are looking for a job
○ Contacts are most critical
○ Stay in touch with senior professionals & online community
○ Build your professional network

● Get familiar with Linkedin Job search techniques

● Look online websites for Jobs (e.g. indeed.com)

● News papers, upwork etc

● Spend few hours searching jobs every day until you find the job !

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Just before Interview
Do final touch ups
Revise key topics & research
about the Company and their
line of work, products &
services

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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai
Revise Network & Cybersecurity Fundamentals
● Networking Fundamentals Course ● Cybersecurity Fundamentals Course
○ What are computer networks? ○ Cybersecurity - People, Process, Technology
○ Layer-2 MAC Addresses ○ Information Security Triad - CIA
○ Layer-3 IP Addressing & Classes (A, B, C) ○ Threat Surface, Threat Actors and their movies
○ Types of Networks (LAN, CAN, MAN, WAN) ○ Common Cyber Attacks
○ Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)
○ OSI & TCP/IP Reference Models
○ Blue, Red & Purple teams
○ Understanding each layer of TCP/IP Model
○ Cryptography (Encryption & Decryption)
○ Typical Network Devices (Switch, Router, AP) ○ Digital Signature & Certificates
○ Common Network Services (DHCP, DNS, ○ Security Services - Firewalls, EDR/MDR/DR,
NAT, SNMP, NTP, HTTP etc) Email Protection, Cloud, Data, Application
○ Typical Home Network Design Security etc
○ Typical Organization's Network Design ○ Security Management & Security Operations
Center (SOC)
○ Incident Response, Business Continuity Plan,
Disaster Recovery

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 Good Luck!
“Feeling confident – or pretending that you
feel confident – is necessary to reach for
opportunities. It’s a cliché, but opportunities
are rarely offered; they’re seized.”
– Sheryl Sandberg

Work hard, do your best & have

some patience
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Course developed and delivered by Haris Chughtai