Certifications

A cert does not make you good. It gets you past the HR filter so someone who is good can talk to you. Get one early, then go build things — the cert is the door, not the room.

Which one, in what order

• Google Cybersecurity Certificate — free through FAU’s Coursera program. No prerequisites. Start here if you have never touched security.
• CompTIA Security+ — the standard entry-level cert. Vendor-neutral, widely recognized by HR filters. This is the one most students should get first.
• Offensive Security (OSCP) — a certification that tests actual hands-on exploitation, not multiple choice. Respected because it’s hard.
• GIAC — certifications tied to SANS courses, deep and specific per topic. Expensive; the material is excellent.
• (ISC)² CISSP — a management-and-breadth cert for more senior roles. Not your first cert as a student.

Free study material

• Professor Messer — free video courses for Security+ and Network+. Watch the full playlist before you pay for anything.
• Security+ Practice Quiz (SY0-701) — free practice questions for the current exam version. Take it after each Messer section, not before.