In this post, I’d like to share my journey with my first ever certification—the eJPT (eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester)—which played a major role in helping me break into the cybersecurity industry. The eJPT is an entry-level, hands-on certification that tests your ability to perform penetration testing tasks. Offered by INE, it’s designed for beginners and focuses on practical skills like network scanning, vulnerability assessment, and basic exploitation—all in a simulated lab environment.

Why I Chose the eJPT?.

  • Hands-on Labs: The cert is built around a lab environment that simulates real-world networks. You’re not just reading—you’re doing. At that time I had some experience using THM and HTB so i felt confident when I first tried to hack the labs.
  • Beginner-Friendly: The content is approachable and well organized. It helps a lot if you don’t have a solid technical background yet.
  • Affordable: Compared to other certs like OSCP or CEH, eJPT is budget-friendly—perfect for someone just getting started or somebody who is trying to test their skills.
  • Self-Paced: I was working full-time and learning in the evenings, so being able to learn at my own pace was crucial when choosing a certification.

What I Learned?

The course covered a lot of foundational skills that I still use today:

  • Networking fundamentals
  • Information gathering
  • Scanning and enumeration
  • Exploitation basics
  • Post-exploitation steps
  • Simple web app testing

It’s not just theory—they give you access to a range of labs where you get to apply what you’ve learned in a simulated network environment. I can’t stress how valuable that hands-on experience was.

As a little tip I would like to mention that this knowledge is acquierable via other methods as well, if you just want to pay for the exam voucher. For example, TryHackme’s “Jr Penetration Tester” Learning Path covers most of the above mentioned concepts and you can practice them on the following machines to prepare:

  • Steel Mountain
  • GoldenEye
  • Easy Peasy
  • Mr Robot
  • RootMe
  • Ice
  • Blog

(Also, the actual labs on the course are a bit harder than the exam, so don’t worry if you have to check the write-ups provided online.)

How It Helped Me Get into Cybersecurity?

After I passed the eJPT, something shifted: I felt like I was ready to start applying for jobs. More importantly, I could actually demonstrate my skills—not just list them on a resume.

  • I added the cert to my LinkedIn and resume.
  • I shared a short write-up about my experience (which got some traction).
  • During interviews, I was able to talk through actual labs I completed, which really helped set me apart.
  • It gave me a strong foundation in the penetration testing process—one that I still follow to this day.

It wasn’t long before I landed my first SOC analyst role, and the eJPT definitely played a role in getting me in the door.

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely. If you’re starting out and looking for a certification that gives you real-world, hands-on skills without draining your bank account (it costs 250 with the training material), eJPT is a solid choice.

Is it the only cert you’ll ever need? No. But it’s an excellent launchpad—especially if you’re aiming to get into roles like SOC analyst, junior pentester, or even GRC analyts.

Final Thoughts

Certifications aren’t everything, but the right one at the right time can change your life. For me, the eJPT wasn’t just a certificate—it was a confidence boost, a skills upgrade, and a door-opener all rolled into one.

If you’re preparing for the eJPT and need some guidance or tips, don’t hesitate to connect. I’ve been there!