Learning to code so that you can land a job in tech can feel daunting. That’s why we’re sharing inspiring stories from Codecademy’s community — to show how people like you (yes, you!) can embark on a learning journey and end up with a totally new career. We hope these stories serve as a reminder that there’s no single path to a more fulfilling work life.
Today’s story is from Jimmy Sorto, a 30-year-old SOC Security Specialist at Expel, living in Washington DC-Baltimore. Read more stories from Codecademy learners here — and be sure to share your story here.
Why I chose to learn to code
“Career-wise, I have about 7 to 8 years of marketing experience. That was my bread and butter for the longest time, mainly on the content creation side. I was also involved in social media and email marketing. Last year, my good friend Neiko said, ‘Cybersecurity is now more than ever a really demanding industry, and it’s only going to be more demanding down the line.’ I heard what he was saying, but my passion was content creation and being behind the camera. I was apprehensive at first, but he gave me the opportunity to dive into it and understand a little more.
He explained the gamification of cybersecurity, saying, ‘Think of it like Call of Duty. There’s an opposing side and an objective to achieve. Depending on which side you’re on, you have to stop the opposing team from achieving their objective. In cybersecurity, there’s a blue team and a red team. The adversaries try to gain credentials or access to an environment.’ That made sense to me, and it piqued my interest. He introduced me to Codecademy, which was my stepping stone into cybersecurity.
Codecademy played into the whole gamification aspect because of how user-friendly it is and the completion of courses and modules. Completing a module felt like an achievement, and it helped me have a pathway to dive into cybersecurity, coming from a completely different world.”
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How I made time to learn
“I got laid off in October, and my last day was in December. It was a terrible time, and I was between jobs, so I gave myself some grace. I thought, Hey, the holidays are right here. Just enjoy the time with family and friends. Then, around January, I decided to pick up the pace and go full throttle. That’s when Codecademy came in as that stepping stone.”
How I saved up money to switch careers
“For the first 2-3 months, I was just cranking out these modules and honestly, using any resources I could come across. Codecademy was also budget-friendly, which was a big thing for me, trying to find as many resources as I could. I was definitely utilizing a lot of free trials for various resources. I think my background in freelancing also made it a bit easier for me; I could do a video gig for an event one week, and then I’d be good for the month, allowing me to dedicate more time to studying.”
How long it took me to land a job
“I started in January 2024 and got my first job in October.”
How I got in the door
“In June, a few months into learning everything, I got my CompTIA Security+ certification. That was a big achievement in itself. It gave me the confidence that I do know some stuff. For me, it was like, Hey, I passed on the first try. I realized, I can definitely do this.
In September, I was on the road working on a documentary when my friend Neiko was like, ‘Hey, there’s this opportunity at my company, and I already recommended you. They’re going to be hitting you up in a day or two.’”
Did you know we now offer skill paths to prepare for industry certifications? Check out our CompTIA Security+ path, and the rest of our cybersecurity, IT, and cloud certification prep courses.
How I nailed the interview
“The questions in my first interview weren’t as technical as I expected for the first round. It was more about who I am as a person and an individual. They weren’t testing me on whether I could decipher a malicious script. They were more interested in whether I can work in a team environment, take constructive criticism, and use it to get better. I think those qualities are something I’ve carried throughout my career. One of the things that also stood out was my love for storytelling.
In cybersecurity, and particularly where I am now, there is a level of storytelling where you have to paint the picture. Whether it’s for the next SOC [Security Operations Center] Analyst or the customer themselves, you need to explain the investigation. You have to paint a picture for them and write out the story of what happened. For example, it started off as an email, then the user clicked on that link. Being able to guide them through the process is crucial.
I only had one technical interview, which involved understanding technical vectors, specifically within emails. I had to read through email headers and understand email spoofing, how attackers can hide or change their IP to make it look like it’s coming from google.com or Microsoft. I needed to understand spoofing and read through it. I had a basic understanding of it, just enough to get by. They saw some good qualities and potential in me and decided to take a chance.”
How day one and beyond went
“My day-to-day basically revolves around phishing emails. I’m pretty much flying through the queue of alerts from our customers, whether it’s a scam, blackmail, or social engineering. The spectrum of attacks we see is very wide. Maybe it’s the gamer in me, but the fun ones are the actual malware where we see, Oh, this is a Trojan. If you click on this, it downloads, and someone is going to gain access to your computer. I say that laughing, but it is serious stuff where you have to be careful. I jokingly say to my friends, ‘Hey, I’m fighting evil behind my computer.’”
What I wish I knew before I started learning
“Don’t be scared to reach out to people. By that, I mean someone on LinkedIn or someone you think is a guru in the industry. A good chunk of people in the industry are willing to help. I’ve learned that the community in cybersecurity specifically is very down-to-earth and willing to extend a helping hand.
At first, I was very apprehensive. I was a shy person, already changing careers and entering a whole new world. But the more I learned and met people, the more comfortable I became. Everybody wants to help because they’ve been in your shoes at some point. So, I think not being scared to reach out, ask for help, or just communicate with someone is crucial. That would be the one piece of advice I would give myself: don’t hesitate to talk to someone.”
Not sure where to start? Check out our personality quiz! We’ll help you find the best programming language to learn based on your strengths and interests.
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