Stop Telling Beginners to Start With CompTIA A+.

📰 Medium · Cybersecurity

Don't advise beginners to start with CompTIA A+ in cybersecurity, as it may not be the best foundation for all learners, and consider alternative starting points

beginner Published 24 Jun 2026

Action Steps

Reevaluate the traditional advice to start with CompTIA A+
Consider alternative certifications or learning paths for beginners
Assess individual learners' needs and goals to provide personalized guidance
Explore online resources and communities for cybersecurity education
Develop a comprehensive understanding of the field before recommending a starting point

Who Needs to Know This

Cybersecurity professionals and educators can benefit from reevaluating their advice to newcomers, ensuring they provide the most effective guidance for entering the field

Key Insight

💡 One-size-fits-all advice can be misleading, and it's essential to consider individual learners' needs and goals when providing guidance for entering the cybersecurity field

Key Takeaways

Don't advise beginners to start with CompTIA A+ in cybersecurity, as it may not be the best foundation for all learners, and consider alternative starting points

Full Article

Title: Stop Telling Beginners to Start With CompTIA A+.

URL Source: https://medium.com/@cybermindspace/stop-telling-beginners-to-start-with-comptia-a-5ef8dfef1a7e?source=rss------cybersecurity-5

Published Time: 2026-06-24T18:03:30Z

Markdown Content:
[Sitemap](https://medium.com/sitemap/sitemap.xml)

[Open in app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.medium.reader&referrer=utm_source%3DmobileNavBar&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)

Sign up

[Sign in](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=login&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40cybermindspace%2Fstop-telling-beginners-to-start-with-comptia-a-5ef8dfef1a7e&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------global_nav------------------)

[](https://medium.com/?source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)

Get app

[Write](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fnew-story&source=---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------new_post_topnav------------------)

[Search](https://medium.com/search?source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)

Sign up

[Sign in](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=login&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40cybermindspace%2Fstop-telling-beginners-to-start-with-comptia-a-5ef8dfef1a7e&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------global_nav------------------)

![Image 1: Unknown user](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:32:32/1*dmbNkD5D-u45r44go_cf0g.png)

# Stop Telling Beginners to Start With CompTIA A+.

[![Image 2: CYBER MIND SPACE](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:32:32/1*fYcAtgaVb1t3QP-hEDfh3w.jpeg)](https://medium.com/@cybermindspace?source=post_page---byline--5ef8dfef1a7e---------------------------------------)

[CYBER MIND SPACE](https://medium.com/@cybermindspace?source=post_page---byline--5ef8dfef1a7e---------------------------------------)

8 min read

·

1 hour ago

[](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F_%2Fvote%2Fp%2F5ef8dfef1a7e&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40cybermindspace%2Fstop-telling-beginners-to-start-with-comptia-a-5ef8dfef1a7e&user=CYBER+MIND+SPACE&userId=8a108c485612&source=---header_actions--5ef8dfef1a7e---------------------clap_footer------------------)

--

[](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F_%2Frepost%2Fp%2F5ef8dfef1a7e&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40cybermindspace%2Fstop-telling-beginners-to-start-with-comptia-a-5ef8dfef1a7e&user=CYBER+MIND+SPACE&userId=8a108c485612&source=---header_actions--5ef8dfef1a7e---------------------repost_header------------------)

--

[](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F_%2Fbookmark%2Fp%2F5ef8dfef1a7e&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40cybermindspace%2Fstop-telling-beginners-to-start-with-comptia-a-5ef8dfef1a7e&source=---header_actions--5ef8dfef1a7e---------------------bookmark_footer------------------)

[Listen](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fplans%3Fdimension%3Dpost_audio_button%26postId%3D5ef8dfef1a7e&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40cybermindspace%2Fstop-telling-beginners-to-start-with-comptia-a-5ef8dfef1a7e&source=---header_actions--5ef8dfef1a7e---------------------post_audio_button------------------)

Share

Press enter or click to view image in full size

![Image 3](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/1*hgJE_X6tRrZ46BkDAfW0hA.png)

## The Most Repeated Advice in Cybersecurity Is Wrong

Someone joins a cybersecurity Discord. Types one sentence:

_“I want to get into cybersecurity. Where do I start?”_

Within minutes, the thread fills up. And somewhere in the first five replies, it appears:

_“Start with CompTIA A+. It’s the foundation. You need to crawl before you walk.”_

This advice gets repeated so frequently, so confidently, and by so many people — t

Read full article → ← Back to Reads

Stop Telling Beginners to Start With CompTIA A+.

Key Takeaways

Full Article

Related Videos