Are you open to moving and open to starting in a SOC? Generally I've found security positions while they like certs, they love experience more. My career got started by running towards an urban city center (Northern Virginia) and through the sheer demand of the security center got hired starting out in a SOC. I had 4 years of IT administration at the time and was selected over several other candidates who were more qualified (they had more certificates I had none) this occured because the hiring managers want the experience and are willing to work with you to meet and additional certs they need you to have.

My personal opinon is see if Verizons or AT&Ts SOCs are hiring. (One in VA, the other in SC)

I definitely don’t have anything against working in a SOC, I would work as a SOC Analyst no problem. I’m currently in New York City and I’m sure I can probably find some here with open positions but am open to other areas. It’s that experience thing that really seems to frustrates me the most because that’s what I’ve been told in the past. Experience over education. It kind of just feels like “oh man I have this education for me to still not even be considered because of lack of experience”. So I’ve also been looking at internships just to gain some experience.