How to Get Into IAM in 2026 | The Real Career Path, Tools & AI

How to get into IAM in 2026? In this video, we explain how to start a career in IAM (Identity and Access Management), what IAM skills you need, which IAM tools to learn, and what the real IAM career path looks like. Andrew Chanthaphone shares his 14+ years of experience in Identity and Access Management and explains how he went from testing and IAM analyst roles to project management, IAM engineering, and senior engineering. If you're looking to start an IAM career, move from Helpdesk to IAM, or get into cybersecurity through Identity and Access Management, this interview gives you practical advice on what to learn and how to build real IAM experience. We cover IAM fundamentals, IAM tools, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, SailPoint, Identity Governance, Workforce Identity, Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM), IAM jobs, and IAM career opportunities. Where you can find Andrew:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQt1akSIv5b8GW6yp2sQzjwWebsite: https://allthingsidentity.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/allthingsidentity/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@allthingsiam2Online Courses: https://courses.allthingsidentity.com/pages/courses-and-pricing Topics covered in this IAM career interview:00:00 Introduction01:28 14+ Years in IAM: Career Journey02:56 Why Identity & Access Management Matters08:46 Is Helpdesk the Best Way Into IAM?10:30 How to Move From Helpdesk to IAM12:33 What IAM Skills Should You Learn?14:00 IAM Tools & Real-World Experience20:00 Okta vs Microsoft Entra25:00 SailPoint & Identity Governance30:00 IAM Career Opportunities35:00 What IAM Employers Look For40:10 IAM Tools vs IAM Fundamentals42:30 The Future of IAM45:26 Customer Identity vs Workforce Identity48:50 AI Agents & Non-Human Identities52:28 AI, Security & Human Oversight53:50 IAM Career Quick Hits In this video you'll learn:• How to get into IAM• How to start an IAM career in 2026• How to move from Helpdesk to IAM• What IAM skills to learn• What IAM tools to learn• Microsoft Entra ID and Okta• SailPoint and Identity Governance• IAM Analyst, IAM Engineer and IAM Architect roles• Workforce Identity vs Customer Identity• IAM jobs and career opportunities• AI in IAM and cybersecurity• AI agents and non-human identities• The future of IAM If you're interested in IAM, Identity and Access Management, cybersecurity, identity security, IAM jobs, or building a career in cybersecurity, this interview is for you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.