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"Succinct and to the point. Protein-packed book which acts as a trusty guide for those who want to start their career in Cyber. Matt writes in a light, humorous manner, very easy to understand.
5*, A+" - Fiona, Amazon Reviewer
"A quick, yet thorough read for anyone considering making a career shift to cybersecurity. The book itself is easy to read and explains jargon well so you aren't left hanging or feeling like you need to pretend you know what's going on. The book even offers templates for how to write a resume when applying in the field as well as basic interview tips. All in all, a great read for anybody looking to make a switch, but not knowing where to start."
5* - Cember, Amazon Reviewer
"This is the book that never was. It’s what has been missing for so long. Anyone wishing to change career into the world of Cyber needs to read this - I made it from IT support into Cyber and it was hard work, it would’ve been a lot easier if this book was around then."
5* - Anonymous Amazon Reviewer
"Gives a down to earth and realistic appraisal of entering the cybersecurity market. Unbiased and realistic advice. I wish I had this book before I started studying."
5* - Justin, Amazon Reviewer
Buy the e-book here! (UK)
Buy the e-book here! (US)
"How do I get into cybersecurity?" is a question that gets asked every day across the Internet, and asked of people working in the industry.
Exciting work, great starting salaries and one of the fastest-paced industries have made cybersecurity target number 1 for most IT professionals (or would-be ones!).
Think of the Cybersecurity Field Manual as the answer we all wish we'd gotten when starting out. Covered within is everything from what popular cybersecurity jobs look like day-to-day, advice on getting the job, interview tips, rough career progression charts, and enough IT theory and explainers to get you well on your way to success.
I don't pretend for a moment that the CFM is completely exhaustive, but it does contain virtually everything I wish I'd have known at the start of my quest into cybersecurity - as well as advice from me (a penetration tester) and other professionals in the industry, as well as recruiters!
Choosing a Job in the First Place
"Cybersecurity is an industry, not a job - picking a direction to pour potentially hundreds of hours and thousands of pounds down is an important choice not to be made lightly"
The first section of the CFM is all about starting from the question "How do I get into cybersecurity?" and ending up with a good idea of a direction.
We walk you through 9 of the most popular and interesting cybersecurity jobs (Penetration Tester, Consultant, Reverse Engineer, Exploit Developer, Auditor, SOC Analyst, Threat Hunter, Project Manager, and Salesperson), their relative entry requirements, salaries and give you a vague idea of the career progression ahead of you in each route.
Advice from people doing the jobs and recruiting for them follows each section - giving you a solid idea of what you're letting yourself in for.
We round off with going through the most common certifications out there right now and explaining what their main application is - when these qualifications run £1k+ today, picking the right one is important for your career and your finances.
The Theory You ACTUALLY Need to Know!
The level of basic knowledge required to even get through the door in cybersecurity has grown exponentially over the years to the point where you can be forgiven for being pretty intimidated by what stands in front of you.
Thankfully, the IT and Security theory you actually use day to day, and to do the job is a lot more manageable - that's where the CFM comes in. We took a broad-brush approach and mapped out the vague areas you need to get to what we call "Dinner Party" standard. I.E - Could you have a conversation at a dinner party with someone who knew that subject and not look like an idiot? Because that level of knowledge is all you need to get started - the rest comes from the subjects you dive into out of pure interest or when requirements arise in your job.
The main areas we go over are:
Networking and Network Security
Systems Architecture and Solutions
Memory, Assembly Language, Coding and Scripting
Compliance, Law, and Frameworks
Structure of a Penetration Test and Reporting
If you can get to dinner-party standard on all of this, you'll be in damn good stead to start further study and looking at your first cybersecurity role.
Getting the Job
"Honestly, most of the nervousness and fear that you feel before an interview is due to insufficient prior preparation. The best thing is, you can easily fix that!"
The last section of the CFM is all about applying for your first cybersecurity role, sharpening your resume/CV and strongly interviewing to nail that job.
Advice from people working in the industry and more importantly, people who hire for these positions should get you at a running start!
There are also multiple sections on managing your career once you're through the door, and managing impostor syndrome and burnout, too.
There's even a skeleton CV template in there to give you somewhere to springboard off.
Hopefully, by now, you've got a good idea of where you're going, what you'll need to do it and what courses and qualifications you might need - this is all about nailing the 3-pointer and getting the job!
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