How Do You Turn Your IT or Cybersecurity Hobby into a Career?

I like to write on a variety of topics, so here's another post to add to the mix. Over the last day or so, I've been thinking about how people turn an IT or cyber hobby into a career.It seems that many hobbyists-turned-careerists had tech leanings from young ages, showing an interest in electronics or technology in their wee small years. They're also often "puzzle people" (including the Rubik's cube), as our friend, Evan Dornbush, at Point3 Security would say. Essentially, they like to understand, build and un-build (reverse engineer) all kinds of things, including non-tech items (but I digress...).Some of them are into ham radio, are gamers, and may like trivia (you migh have seen them at the local bar playing!).

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But, when hobbyists decide to turn their IT or cyber passion into a career, what methods do they use? Here's a quick list to consider:

1. Consuming good, relevant content is a huge part of their lives - they read, watch and absorb a fair amount of information on a daily basis.
2. Self-study is another piece of the puzzle, so to speak - Many of them take courses on Cybrary, of course!
3. Self-motivation keeps them, well, motivated - They're driven internally to solve problems and make contributions to the industry and the people it serves.
4. They make time for their passion - Like all good things, converting hobbies into careers takes time.
5. They keep try and try again - If they can't master a topic right away, they keep at it (or sometimes move on). They understand that persistence is priceless.
6. They join online and offline communities - They know the real value in spending time with like-minded people.

Here on Cybrary, you can freely access lots of cools tools to help with the good, relevant content (check out OP3N and the Blog) and the self-study parts (aka the Courses). There's also a Catalog of paid tools, for those who might be interested. Finally, make sure to spend time on the Forums with peers.If you're at the beginning, middle or a higher level in your hobby pursuits, the time is always right to transition into a career. The IT and cyber worlds are open to people of any age. If you love IT or cyber (or both), the community will welcome you with open arms.

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