For as long as I have been mentoring people looking to start careers in security, the most common questions I receive are about deciding what training or certifications they should be pursuing. When people are getting ready to launch their careers, they inevitably think about the technical skills required to land their first job. In the preceding chapter, you learned how to self-analyze, choose the right path for your security career, and identify the gaps in your capabilities. Now that you have a better view of the technical capabilities you need to focus on to prepare for a career in security, it is time to examine ways to fill those gaps.
I mentioned earlier that the security community has not done a good job of providing a clear pathway for people who are looking to launch their career. You will receive different answers about the best place to start, depending on who you ask. Unfortunately, I think many responses come from a place of wanting to be helpful but not actually having good information.