Hi there. From my personal experience, degrees and certs are good (and in some jobs, a requirement), but they only get you past the Human Resources telephone interview. Also remember, most places are not going through 10 or 15 candidates, but rather a stack of 100s. Some will have no certs, some won't even be qualified for the job, others could run the department. What I've personally seen are IT managers looking for individuals that are "24/7 IT", not "9/5 IT". What I mean is they are looking for individuals that have a passion for this field, not button pushers that merely clock in - clock out. These people live it, breathe it, and treat the small section of their chosen field as a way to give back to the larger community. For example, things like blog writing or creating how-to videos on YouTube. I can imagine a channel that documents your personal journey into IT (and the eventual job you'll land) would be very helpful to others just entering the situation and are unsure how to proceed. Or a blog showcasing your talents and what you've learned while you've been on your path to your Masters. You don't need to travel uncharted territory, just show what you've already learned and break it down in such a way that someone not in your field could understand. You'd essentially be creating a portfolio of your IT experiance outside of your formal education. For example with me, when I interviewed for my current job I made sure to also mention I did Bug Bounty Hunting in my free time, wrote a How-To blog (that I haven't updated in forever) and that I have a Github page for simple tools I've written that are available to the public. Several years ago, I was responding to ads on Craigslist for people that needed computer repair work done. My rates were extremely reasonable ($20 to $50 flat fee), with the agreement they pay for all of the needed replacement parts. Not only did it feel good to provide an affordable option, but also it was another bullet point on my resume that separates me from other candidates. While you're doing this, you could reach out to various companies and express your desire to work for them should a position become available in the future. Don't be generic in your email, but really personalize it to the company/position. If this were before COVID, I'd also recommend attending local conferences geared toward your IT specialty (like B-Sides for us in Cyber Security) and meet with the hiring reps, give them your business card and resume and add them to your list of people you contact every so often for available opportunities. This is all my .02 on this matter based on what I've done. I wish you luck and don't get discouraged. It may seem daunting at times, but remember stay positive and remain persistent.