Cyber Careers with Luke Gough Cyber Careers with Luke Gough is the podcast for anyone trying to break into, level up in, or pivot within cybersecurity. Hosted by Luke Gough, a working cybersecurity recruiter and career coach based in Australia, the show delivers short, tactical episodes built around the questions candidates actually ask. How do you break in without an IT background? What certifications matter (and which are a waste of money)? How do you write a resume that gets callbacks? What separates the candidates who get hired from the ones who don't? Most cybersecurity career advice comes from practitioners or coaches who guess at what hiring managers want. This show is different. Luke has been a recruiter for 15 years. He sees what kills resumes, what makes recruiters call back, and what hiring managers actually screen for at every stage of a cyber career. He shares all of it, plain and direct, in episodes designed to fit a single commute, gym session, or walk. > New episodes drop weekly, with occasional guest interviews featuring hiring managers, recently-placed candidates, and other voices from inside cyber hiring. Submit your career question at podcast@lukegough.com to have it answered on the show. For 1-on-1 cybersecurity career coaching, visit www.lukegoughcoaching.com https://thecareercompass-newsletter.beehiiv.com/ en © 2026 The Career Compass by Luke Gough 019de10d-04f7-7adf-aef1-895a254f7f0b no podcast https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/c61a9e38-1483-46e9-bda6-ed11f13f47b3/Cyber_Careers_Logo_3000x3000_RGB.png?t=1779334834 Cyber Careers with Luke Gough https://thecareercompass-newsletter.beehiiv.com/ false episodic The Career Compass by Luke Gough Cyber Careers with Luke Gough is the podcast for anyone trying to break into, level up in, or pivot within cybersecurity. Hosted by Luke Gough, a working cybersecurity recruiter and career coach based in Australia, the show delivers short, tactical episodes built around the questions candidates actually ask. How do you break in without an IT background? What certifications matter (and which are a waste of money)? How do you write a resume that gets callbacks? What separates the candidates who get hired from the ones who don't? Most cybersecurity career advice comes from practitioners or coaches who guess at what hiring managers want. This show is different. Luke has been a recruiter for 15 years. He sees what kills resumes, what makes recruiters call back, and what hiring managers actually screen for at every stage of a cyber career. He shares all of it, plain and direct, in episodes designed to fit a single commute, gym session, or walk. > New episodes drop weekly, with occasional guest interviews featuring hiring managers, recently-placed candidates, and other voices from inside cyber hiring. Submit your career question at podcast@lukegough.com to have it answered on the show. For 1-on-1 cybersecurity career coaching, visit www.lukegoughcoaching.com

]]> The Career Compass by Luke Gough luke@lukegough.com Thu, 28 May 2026 04:14:00 +0000 Thu, 28 May 2026 04:58:49 +0000 beehiiv Episode 3: What Cyber Certifications Actually Get You Hired, and Which Are a Waste of Money https://thecareercompass-newsletter.beehiiv.com/podcast/s/cyber_careers_with_luke_gough/episode_3_what_cyber_certifications_actually_get_you_hired_and_which_are_a_waste_of_money Cybersecurity certifications can be useful. They can also waste a lot of your money and time. In this episode of Cyber Careers with Luke Gough, Luke breaks down how recruiters actually view certifications and why the right cert depends on your target r... Thu, 28 May 2026 04:14:00 +0000 1057 The Career Compass by Luke Gough false full 3 1 Cybersecurity certifications can be useful. They can also waste a lot of your money and time.

In this episode of Cyber Careers with Luke Gough, Luke breaks down how recruiters actually view certifications and why the right cert depends on your target role, not whatever certification is trending online.

Luke covers:

  • Why Security+ is still the strongest foundation for many entry-level candidates

  • When Network+, ISC2 CC, CySA+, BTL1, SC-200, AZ-500, ISO 27001, CISA, CRISC, CISM, eJPT, PNPT and OSCP make sense

  • Why CISSP is usually a mid-to-senior career credential, not an entry-level shortcut

  • Why CEH and mystery bootcamp certificates can be overhyped

  • The cert-stacking trap that keeps candidates busy but does not always get them interviews

  • The decision framework Luke would use before spending money on another certification

The core message is simple: certifications help when they send the right signal for the role you want. They do not replace practical evidence, projects, labs, commercial experience, or a clear resume.

If you are trying to decide what to study next, start with the job you want. Look at real job ads, identify the repeated requirements, choose one relevant certification, then build proof that you can apply what you learned.

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/cyber-careers-with-luke-gough/id1896616557

You can also search Cyber Careers with Luke Gough on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Submit a question for a future episode: podcast@lukegough.com or fill out a form at https://tally.so/r/816lNl

For career advice and how to break into Cybersecurity:
https://www.youtube.com/@Luke-Gough

For 1-on-1 cybersecurity career coaching, visit https://lukegoughcoaching.com

]]> Episode 2: The biggest cyber resume mistakes (and how recruiters actually screen) https://thecareercompass-newsletter.beehiiv.com/podcast/s/cyber_careers_with_luke_gough/episode_2_the_biggest_cyber_resume_mistakes_and_how_recruiters_actually_screen You're applying for cybersecurity roles, sending out your resume, and hearing nothing back. No recruiter calls. No interviews. Sometimes not even a proper rejection. In this episode of Cyber Careers, Luke Gough breaks down the biggest cybersecurity res... Thu, 21 May 2026 02:55:00 +0000 1188 The Career Compass by Luke Gough false full 2 1 You're applying for cybersecurity roles, sending out your resume, and hearing nothing back. No recruiter calls. No interviews. Sometimes not even a proper rejection.

In this episode of Cyber Careers, Luke Gough breaks down the biggest cybersecurity resume mistakes he sees from the recruiter side of the table. He explains how resumes actually get screened, what recruiters look for in the first few seconds, and why a decent candidate can still get skipped if the right evidence is not obvious.

Luke covers:

  • Why your resume is not a full career history

  • How recruiters and hiring teams scan cybersecurity resumes

  • Why a generic professional summary hurts you

  • How to make your target role clear

  • Why responsibilities are weaker than evidence

  • What to include if you do not have cyber work experience yet

  • How to use projects, labs, GitHub, LinkedIn, and portfolio links properly

  • Why tailoring your resume matters more than sending hundreds of generic applications

If you are trying to break into cybersecurity, move from IT into cyber, or improve your callback rate, this episode will help you tighten the signal before you send your next application.

Submit a question for a future Cyber Careers episode: https://tally.so/r/816lNl

Cyber Job-Ready Blueprint: https://lukegoughcoaching.com/cybersecurity-job-ready-blueprint/

]]> Episode 1 - Starting Cybersecurity From Zero in 2026 - The Recruiter’s Roadmap https://thecareercompass-newsletter.beehiiv.com/podcast/s/cyber_careers_with_luke_gough/episode_1_-_starting_cybersecurity_from_zero_in_2026_-_the_recruiter_s_roadmap_1 Starting from zero in cybersecurity can feel noisy: too many certifications, too many job titles, and too much conflicting advice.In this first episode of Cyber Careers with Luke Gough, Luke breaks down the practical 2026 roadmap he would follow if he ... Wed, 13 May 2026 04:31:24 +0000 2473 The Career Compass by Luke Gough false full 1 1 Starting from zero in cybersecurity can feel noisy: too many certifications, too many job titles, and too much conflicting advice.

In this first episode of Cyber Careers with Luke Gough, Luke breaks down the practical 2026 roadmap he would follow if he had to start again from scratch. This is not a shortcut or a "get hired in 30 days" promise. It is a realistic path for beginners who want to understand the market, build the right foundations, create evidence, and apply with a clearer strategy.

In this episode, you will learn:

- How to map the cybersecurity job market before choosing a lane
- Why networking fundamentals matter, even if you are aiming for SOC, GRC, IAM, or cloud security
- How to build practical evidence through labs, projects, and write-ups
- Why networking and visibility matter before you need a job
- Where certifications like Security+ fit into a realistic beginner plan
- How to apply smarter with a targeted resume, LinkedIn profile, project evidence, and follow-up messages

The podcast-only Q&A also covers:

- Whether help desk is required before cybersecurity
- Why Security+ is useful but usually not enough on its own
- How long it may realistically take to break into cybersecurity
- How career changers can position previous experience
- What to do this week if you are starting from zero

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction
2:44 - Part 1: Map the Battlefield (Weeks 1-2)
10:06 - Part 2: Build the Foundations (Month 1)
14:22 - Part 3: Build Evidence (Month 2)
18:48 - Part 4: Build Connections (Month 3)
22:32 - Part 5: Get Certified Strategically (Month 4)
26:51 - Part 6: Apply Smart (Months 5-6)
31:02 - The Full Roadmap Recap
32:32 - Q&A: Podcast-Only Section
32:50 - Q1: Do I need help desk first?
34:17 - Q2: Is Security+ enough to get hired?
35:33 - Q3: How long does it take?
37:12 - Q4: What if I'm older or changing careers?
39:27 - Q5: What should I do this week?

Host: Luke Gough
Show: Cyber Careers with Luke Gough

Have a cybersecurity career question for a future episode?

Submit it here: https://tally.so/r/816lNl

You can also email me at podcast@lukegough.com.

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