I currently work as Helpdesk analyst for a company that produces projectors. I am on the NOC that field technicians call into for any assistance. I would describe my job as having some elements of network, software, and hardware troubleshooting. Ultimately with my end goal I want to get into cybersecurity and be on a SOC somewhere. To achieve that I am working on my Net+ and building a home lab with some hardware I have to practice building a virtual network. Eventually I want to develop my coding skill and get my Sec+ and other certs. What are the opinions of those who are in both industries and any advice?
Don’t spend too much money on certs. Employers should be paying for that. Maybe get Sec+ on your own dime (or if you can get your current employer to pay for it), but hold off on the more advanced and expensive certs until you find a job that pays for it.
The homelab is a great idea. If you want to get into a SOC role, maybe try setting up security onion, alienvault, ELK, or any of the opensource log analysis tools out there; and you can use the experience to demonstrate your knowledge on interviews.