Forget SOC? IAM Roadmap 2026 for Cybersecurity Beginners

Most beginners looking for a cybersecurity career think about SOC analyst, GRC, cloud security, or pentesting. But one of the most overlooked cybersecurity career paths is IAM: Identity and Access Management.

IAM matters because every organisation needs to answer the same security question: who should have access to what, and how do we prove it?

In this video, I break down the IAM roadmap I would follow in 2026 if I was trying to get into cybersecurity, especially from IT support, help desk, service desk, systems administration, compliance, operations, or admin experience.
#IAM #CybersecurityCareers #CybersecurityRoadmap

You will learn:

What IAM actually means in plain English
Why identity and access management is such an important cybersecurity career path
Who IAM is a good fit for
The beginner IAM skill stack to focus on in 2026
The step-by-step IAM roadmap I would follow
Three IAM portfolio projects you can build
What IAM job titles to search for
The biggest IAM beginner mistake to avoid
If you are trying to choose a cybersecurity path that is realistic, useful, and less crowded than the default SOC analyst route, IAM is worth understanding properly.

Are you looking at IAM, SOC, GRC, cloud security, or still figuring out your cybersecurity path?

Some links may be affiliate links, which support the channel at no extra cost to you.

0:00 Introduction
1:06 What is IAM?
2:13 Why nobody talks about IAM?
3:19 Four IAM roles you should know
4:26 What IAM roles pay
5:33 Tools needed to learn
6:29 90 day IAM Roadmap
8:19 Certifications that matter for IAM
8:43 Certifications to skip for IAM
9:00 How to land interviews

🔗 LINKS

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📌 Links to each certificate on Coursera:

▸ CompTIA Security+ Preparation: https://imp.i384100.net/3kA6Mn
▸ Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate: https://imp.i384100.net/vDzGgL
▸ Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate: https://imp.i384100.net/0GG0aO
▸ IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate: https://imp.i384100.net/YVDEkr

Watch next:
How I Would Start Cybersecurity in 2026 (If Starting From Zero)
https://youtu.be/qAztehdV6VQ
How to Get Into Cybersecurity (No CS Degree Required) — You Already Have the Skills
https://youtu.be/tfc8K64smQ8
Beginner to Cloud Security: Complete Roadmap for 2026
https://youtu.be/dVkR4_BH23Q
LinkedIn Optimisation for Cybersecurity Jobs (Recruiter’s Honest Take)
https://youtu.be/rErKCc_JTgE
Beginner to GRC Analyst: Complete Roadmap for 2026
https://youtu.be/okXSWABwxB8
Top Cybersecurity Certifications to take in 2026
https://youtu.be/XJOTRTMm1Xw
How to Land your first Cybersecurity job with no experience - https://youtu.be/Kxb86K_FU5Q
5-Step Cybersecurity Roadmap for Beginners - https://youtu.be/_4rzWYoBFOg
Top 5 Cybersecurity Skills That Will Get You Hired in 2026! - https://youtu.be/bMW

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👋 About Me: I’m Luke Gough, cybersecurity recruiter & career coach. With over 14 years of recruitment experience, I help people break into cyber and take control of their careers through the Career Compass Method™.

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Видео Forget SOC? IAM Roadmap 2026 for Cybersecurity Beginners канала Luke Gough