Is System Administration a Good Career Path Before Cybersecurity?

Honestly, both careers have their challenges—cybersecurity can be frustrating with fewer job openings lately, while sysadmin roles can be quite demanding. If system administration captures your interest, go for it and build that experience first!

For those considering system admin, you're making a wise choice. Spend a couple of years gaining experience, and then pivot into cybersecurity. Just keep in mind that if you start in sysadmin, some employers may view you primarily as a sysadmin for future roles.

There's a common belief that you need IT experience to enter cybersecurity, so going the sysadmin route isn't a bad start. It gives you the exposure needed to understand the nuances in security operations.

Having a solid systems administration background really sets you apart in cybersecurity roles. It can be tough to break into cyber without IT experience. Just remember, many employers see anyone with sysadmin experience as a level above those who haven't done any operational work.

Before diving into sysadmin, you should consider if you're okay with the on-call rotations that often come with the job. Personally, I find sysadmin work overwhelming and would prefer to eventually transition into cybersecurity, where you can escape those constant maintenance duties.