Cyber Certification overload. Its a real thing!
When starting a cybersecurity career, professionals often consider certifications—Security+, CEH, CISSP—to strengthen their resumes. While certifications have their value, accumulating them before gaining practical experience—often referred to as “certification overload”— might not help and can even unintentionally delay your progress.
Understanding Certification Overload
Certification overload occurs when individuals focus heavily on obtaining multiple cybersecurity certifications without corresponding real-world experience. Employers can recognise this imbalance:
“Many entry-level candidates mistakenly think certifications alone will guarantee a job, but practical experience always weighs heavier.”
— Ron Sharon, Cybersecurity Leader (LinkedIn)
Cybersecurity District echoes this view, noting that certifications without hands-on experience can leave candidates ill-prepared for the realities of the job (Cybersecurity District).
The Power of Practical Experience: Belle’s Story
Belle England’s journey is a clear example of how prioritising practical experience can open doors in cybersecurity. With no previous IT background, no certifications, and while working full-time and raising children as a full-time mum, Belle enrolled in the Harness Projects Cybersecurity Career Launcher program.
Through the course, she completed industry-grade projects such as risk assessments, web application vulnerability testing, and incident response planning. Despite being new to the field, Belle impressed her mentors and peers with her ability to apply tools like Nessus and Nmap, and her proactive engagement with current security trends. By the end of the program, she had built a strong record of real project experience and through the knowledge obtained on these projects, was even largely prepared to sit certification exams—requiring only a small amount of additional preparation using certification prep resources provided through Harness Projects.
Today, Belle works as a GRC Security Analyst at Sprinklr, a job she landed before even finishing the Harness Projects course. Her story demonstrates that practical project experience, not early credentials, can be the fastest and most effective route into the field.
Why Australia Needs More Practical Pathways
Reports consistently show that Australia faces a severe cybersecurity skills shortage. StickmanCyber reports a gap of 10,000 open technical roles, and the 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy calls for stronger collaboration between government and private education providers to train a job-ready workforce (TechRepublic, Home Affairs).
Employers are responding with a shift toward hiring based on demonstrated skills and capability:
AustCyber highlights industry demand for candidates with applied, hands-on cybersecurity experience (AustCyber). Sectech Solutions state “Over-reliance on certifications can obscure a candidate’s true capabilities. Real-world application of knowledge is the essential differentiator.”
Why Project-Based Learning Works
Programs built on real-world projects offer a high-impact alternative to theory-heavy training: ThriveDX and INE both affirm that graduates of project-based programs are better prepared and more confident in workplace settings (ThriveDX, INE).
Harness Projects stands out in this space by delivering an experience that is built around actual cybersecurity work environments—guided by leading cyber industry professionals.
Harness Projects: One Program, Covers All The Essentials
The Cybersecurity Career Launcher from Harness Projects combines:
- Project-based learning with real deliverables and client interactions.
- Guidance from working cybersecurity professionals who mentor you throughout.
- Built-in networking opportunities through collaborative cohort learning.
- Access to certification-aligned study content and support for post-course certification prep.
Graduates like Belle leave with a complete package.
This includes real-world experience, mentorship, a portfolio, industry contacts, and the tools to complete final certification preparation—all from a single course. Certification can boost your cybersecurity career—but only when layered on top of real-world experience. Harness Projects offers a practical, supportive and employer-aligned alternative to certification-first pathways. Like Belle, you don’t need to come from IT, and you don’t need to start with a certificate. You just need the right experience first. Harness Projects makes that possible.
Interested in joining us for our upcoming Cybersecurity Career Launcher course?
Book a call with our team to see if it’s the right fit for your cybersecurity journey.
