No experience. No tech degree. A week-by-week system to land your first IT/cybersecurity job in 6 months — written by a working DoD ISSO.
20-page PDF · Print-friendly · Instant download · Free updates for life
“Entry-level” jobs that demand 3–5 years of experience
That’s the wall every new grad hits. Cert collectors apply to 300 jobs with nothing to show but a logo on their resume, hear nothing back, and quit around month four.
The ones who break in do it differently: one respected certification, hands-on projects a hiring manager can actually see, and a disciplined job-search system aimed at the doors that really open for beginners. I work in DoD cybersecurity and watch who gets hired — this roadmap is that playbook, sequenced week by week for 26 weeks.
What’s inside
- Month-by-month plan with weekly deliverables and exit criteria — you always know if you’re on track
- The 3 realistic entry doors: IT springboard, SOC analyst, GRC/compliance
- Certification decision guide with verified 2026 pricing — and which exams to skip
- 5 portfolio projects: SIEM home lab, vulnerability management, phishing analysis, Active Directory, scripting
- Resume formulas, LinkedIn strategy, and the interview questions you will actually face
- Bonus chapter: the federal/DoD route — clearances, DoD 8140, RMF, and the contractors that hire new grads
- One-page master checklist to print and track all 6 months
- Full resource appendix — every tool in the plan is free or budgeted
Who this is for
- New grads (any major) who want into IT/cybersecurity without spinning their wheels
- Career changers who can commit 15–20 hours a week for 6 months
- Anyone curious about the federal/DoD path — the most overlooked entry door in the field
- Not for you if you want a “get certified in 30 days” shortcut — this is a work plan, not a promise
One-time purchase · No subscription
$29
20-page PDF · Read on any device or print it
Instant download after purchase · Free updates for life
Frequently asked questions
I have zero IT background. Will this work for me?
Yes — month 1 starts from true fundamentals. The plan assumes no tech degree and no experience, only 15–20 hours a week of effort.
How much will the whole plan cost me beyond the guide?
Under $520 total, including your Security+ exam voucher. Everything else in the plan — labs, tools, courses — is free or under $60.
Is a job guaranteed in 6 months?
No honest guide can promise that — market and geography matter. What the roadmap gives you is the evidence trail (cert + portfolio + network) that beats the typical applicant pool, plus a week-27+ adjustment plan if you’re still searching.
What makes this different from free advice on Reddit?
Sequencing and the federal chapter. Free advice tells you what; this tells you when, in what order, with weekly exit criteria — plus a DoD/clearance path written from inside that world.
Six months from now, you’ll wish you started today.