NOW

One career direction. One main weekly outcome. Clear next actions.

Primary objective

Get a suitable technical job while running My Master Roadmap — the curriculum that turns my direction into demonstrable security-engineering ability.

Career direction: Career Direction
Curriculum: My Master Roadmap — the source of truth for what I learn and in what order.

Roadmap position

Current phase: Phase 1 — C and computer science fundamentals (memory, data representation, pointers, processes, and the programming mistakes that create security vulnerabilities), entered through the Phase 0 setup. Then Phase 2 — operating systems and Linux internals.

See My Master Roadmap §3 (Phases 0–2) and §8. Phases are completed by their definition of done, not by the calendar — the roadmap is a sequence, not a fixed 18-month clock.

Two tracks run in parallel:

Current stage

Computer Science graduate with a completed software-engineering project (VeriDoc). Running Phase 1 of the roadmap and applying for technical roles in parallel.

Priorities, in order

1. Curriculum — the current roadmap phase. Produce finished, tested work (C programs, the Unix utilities project, a mini shell) with notes and evidence.
2. Employment — apply in parallel. Prepare materials and submit applications consistently; do not wait for the curriculum to finish.
3. Evidence: turn each finished phase and project — starting with VeriDoc — into credible, demonstrable portfolio material.
4. Professional presence: keep GitHub, portfolio, LinkedIn, and CV consistent with the direction.
5. Long-term specialization: the roadmap's later phases (application security, then AI application and agent security).

Weekly time budget

The roadmap targets 15–20 focused hours per week for the curriculum. Job search runs alongside it.

The curriculum hours follow the roadmap's 15–20/week target; the job-search hours are extra and adjustable around applications and interviews. If time is short, protect the curriculum hours first and shrink the job-search effort — not the other way round.

Current work

1. Curriculum — Phase 1 (C and computer science fundamentals)

Outcome: a tested C repository with a mini shell, design notes, debugging examples, and a security lessons document (roadmap Phase 1 deliverable).

Next actions:

• Complete the Phase 0 setup: a security-learning workspace with notes/, labs/, projects/, scripts/, a README, and an experiment/findings template.
• Work the C-focused CS50 material — fundamentals, memory, data structures, debugging.
• Write C outside the lectures; compile with warnings, debug, and run sanitizers.
• Build the Unix utilities project (mycat, mycp, mywc, mygrep, myhead, mytail), with tests and error handling.
• Build the mini shell (commands, arguments, cd, pipes, redirection) and understand fork(), exec(), wait(), pipe(), dup2().
• Write a weekly progress note.

See My Master Roadmap §3 (Phases 0–2) and §8.

2. Employment (parallel track)

Outcome: a repeatable job-search process that runs alongside the curriculum.

Next actions:

• Audit CV, LinkedIn, GitHub, and portfolio — and align them with a security-engineering direction.
• Select suitable entry-level roles.
• Record recurring requirements from job descriptions.
• Submit tailored applications and track responses.
• Practise technical explanations and interviews.

3. VeriDoc (existing asset — do not make it the current focus)

Outcome: a clear, credible example of applied software engineering and security, ready to talk about in interviews.

Next actions:

• Keep the repository, README, and architecture documentation accurate.
• Use the finished VeriDoc system specification as the interview explanation.
• Keep it public and current — but do not add major features.

The full security assessment of VeriDoc is a Phase 7 (application security) deliverable in the roadmap, not current work.

4. Parked (roadmap's later phases)

Deliberately not now — these belong to later roadmap phases:

• Application security labs (Phase 7) and the VeriDoc security assessment.
• AI engineering (Phase 12) and AI/LLM security (Phase 13).
• The Agent Security Gateway (Phase 14) and AI red teaming (Phase 15).
• Cloud and DevSecOps (Phases 9–10).

This week's main outcome

Complete the Phase 0 setup and begin Phase 1 (C fundamentals), and set up the job-search tracker.

Definition of done:

• Learning workspace created, with a README and an experiment/findings template.
• Development environment verified (compiler, debugger, Git, test tools).
• CS50 C material started and small C programs written.
• Job-search tracker created and at least 10 relevant job descriptions collected.

Not doing right now

• Starting another large application.
• Switching to a different primary career direction without meaningful new evidence.
• Jumping ahead to AI security, cloud, or container work before the foundations phases.
• Studying unrelated frameworks without a concrete use.
• Rebuilding stable Linux infrastructure without a real need.
• Spending weeks polishing VeriDoc instead of running the curriculum and applying for jobs.
• Waiting until every skill gap is closed before applying.

CURRENT / NOT NOW

Park new temptations here instead of starting them.

Open decisions

1. [TODO — the single focused security project to build after the foundations phases]
2. [TODO]
3. [TODO]

Weekly review

At the end of each week, record:

• Curriculum: what I built, tested, broke, and documented this phase.
• Applications submitted
• Responses and interview invitations
• Skills practised
• Biggest obstacle
• One main outcome for the next week
• Did I spend time on something that should be postponed or removed?

Decision rule

Do not reopen a settled career decision simply because another field looks interesting.

Review the direction when application outcomes, employer feedback, hiring requirements, or practical experience provide meaningful new evidence.

Navigation

• My Master Roadmap
• Career Direction
• Constraint
• Decisions
• VeriDoc
• Job Search
• CV
• Identity & Presence