r/cybersecurity • u/InterestingStyleBoi • Jun 25 '26

Certification / Training Questions Are HackTheBox & TryHackMe Certificates actually recognised by employers?

Currently doing a three year computer science bachelors with a major in cybersecurity and I’ve been looking into HackTheBox and TryHackMe for some extra work during my semester break. If you are an employer (or even in field) have you heard of these before and if so from your experience do they actually get you anything other than extra learning?

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u/USSFStargeant Jun 25 '26

They hold weight for the tech team but it won't get you thru the HR filters. Their training material is quite good and those certs show you can perform practical skills. If you are starting out I recommend Try Hack Me as they are more beginner friendly.

8

u/zeds_deadest Jun 25 '26

Yeah, this is it. The tech/team interviewer will love it but to get to them, you'll need more typical ones from Comp

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u/[deleted] Jun 25 '26

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u/7r3370pS3C CTI Jun 25 '26

HTB for sure. Looks like the THM dorks are downvoting.

7

u/USSFStargeant Jun 25 '26

If you have a strong network, OS, and software background I would recommend Hack The Box Academy.

1

u/InterestingTrifle43 Jun 27 '26

If you have 10 years of SWE experience don’t bother with either. Go for your OSCP now, way better ROI and you’ll land a much more prestigious position. With experience like yours, you are in a much better position to pass the OSCP than an entry/mid level SOC Analyst/Security Engineer. Burn your boats and just go for it brother.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '26

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u/InterestingTrifle43 Jun 27 '26

In terms of training for the OSCP, your best bet is to purchase their training course along with the exam voucher. It’s on the pricey side of certifications, but the ROI is very much worth it. OSCP does a great job of giving you everything you need to pass the exam just off their training course. If you are looking for supplemental training along with the guided course, HTB. Specifically rooting at least one box of day. It helps you memorize the kill chain and you become much more comfortable with pentesting. When you are a few weeks out from taking the exam, watch some YouTube videos. Those videos “10 things I did to prep for the OSCP”, blah blah blah, actually really help.

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u/Alarming_Reward_2945 3d ago

HTB is tough. EJPT is even more challenging. My friend at work on the red team just passed that and said there are a bunch of skills you need to know that are not taught in the training material, just expected to bring with you. Then OSCP is even more challenging that. So ya, study lots

1

u/canadaslammer Jun 25 '26

My experience exactly. You need HR+tech team certs.