Hey everyone! I just got hired after a six-month unpaid internship at a company that provides a variety of IT services. During that time, I focused on Microsoft technologies and learned a ton! Now, I'm officially a Microsoft Security Analyst/sysadmin, primarily using the Microsoft Defender suite and Intune. I've also started studying GRC projects with Intune and am exploring some infrastructure-related work with Azure, hybrid servers, Active Directory, and more.
While I enjoy my job, I'm concerned that sticking to just one tech stack might limit my growth in the long run. I really like cloud computing and plan to dive into AWS and GCP soon. However, I'm curious about how I can broaden my skill set if I ever want to shift my focus, particularly since I'm interested in potentially doing pentesting one day. I'd appreciate any advice on how to advance my career and what areas I should concentrate on based on your experiences!
Currently, I hold these certifications:
- SC-200
- MD-102
- SC-401
Thanks for your guidance, and sorry for the long post!
2 Answers
Congrats on snagging that job! As for your worry about focusing too narrowly on one tech stack, that's a valid concern. Look into building up your home lab—it’s a great way to experiment and learn. Also, diversifying your cloud knowledge with AWS and GCP is a smart move. And yeah, take small steps towards pentesting—there's plenty to learn before jumping in!
Man, a six-month unpaid internship is quite rough! But since you're officially hired, that's awesome. To really grow your skills, I suggest mastering your current stack first. A home lab can be a great asset too. Explore cloud security across different platforms, and if pentesting is your goal, start small with labs and Capture The Flag (CTF) challenges. Working towards something like the OSCP certification down the line could be beneficial! Good luck!
Totally agree! Home labs are such a fun way to learn. Plus, you'll get to experiment at your own pace!