Short answer: if you want to do the work, take a practical exam — PNPT or CPTS to start, OSCP when you can afford it and have the hours. CEH gets you past HR filters in government and large corporate settings but teaches little. No certification gets you hired alone; a practical one plus a real report does.

Short answer: expect 12 to 24 months from zero. Learn networking, Linux, Windows and Active Directory, and Python first — then attack techniques. Most people are hired on demonstrated work: a home lab, a handful of documented engagements against legal targets, and one report a stranger can read. A degree is not required; the ability to write is.