A well-written portfolio is absolutely crucial for landing that dream cybersecurity role.
When you think of the interview process you might think of a standard interview, where you meet either online or in-person, you answer a few questions, there may be a practical test and before you end the conversation, you might make a few enquiries of your own.
There can be a lot of overlap in the interview process and you could be forgiven for thinking that after a while, they all blend into one another. But when it comes to applying for a job in the cybersecurity sector, there are some extra steps you should take, starting with the creation of a cybersecurity portfolio.
This is a larger document that details your skills, qualifications, projects and any other related achievements or experience, for the purpose of showing a recruiter or employer why you are suited to the role.
Have a clear objective
As with any important document, there needs to be a clearly defined purpose. A rambling portfolio, filled with irrelevant information, not only looks messy but it could result in the reader missing out on the key points. If you are starting the process of creating a portfolio, first draw up a summary of the document’s intended purpose.
For example, is it meant to show how you as an early-career starter are equipped to begin your professional journey? Or, are you further along than that and is it designed to highlight your substantial experience in the field? Once you have nailed down the core message and the portfolio has an identity of sorts, you can begin putting it together.
Pick a good home
It can be helpful to establish your own website to host the portfolio. A project in itself, you have full control over the material and it shows off your website-building skills, creativity, determination and programming abilities.
Alternatively, you can link other platforms in your document to highlight your abilities. Such as GitHub which is a platform where users can share projects and collaborate, or literally any other website where you have displayed your capabilities, such as capturing the flag, ethical hacking and coding sites. If you make your own tutorials or advice videos, those too are a great way to show you are engaged and motivated.
Basically, if you used it to develop your skills and there is proof by means of a well-constructed and completed project, then you should link to it.
A robust education
The world is changing in relation to what is expected of qualified professionals. The standard route through traditional education is no longer the only way to work towards your career goals and it has in many ways democratised working life. So, if you are self-taught, you should make sure to include all of your educational experiences and certifications.
This might include any online courses you undertook, open-source projects you contributed to and learned from, voluntary or work experience in a related field, even industry-level podcasts or videos you used as study materials. Also, include the links to any certifications you earned. This section is all about showing how you learned your skills and how adept you will be at putting them into practice.
Specific skills
The skills element of the portfolio is important and should be very concise. If the listed skill doesn’t make sense in terms of the role you are applying for then it shouldn’t be there. Showing personality is great, but not in a portfolio, save that for the interview.
With that in mind, this part of the document should also be frequently amended to reflect the role you are applying to. For example if you know the role will be heavy on coding, skills such as problem solving, data analytics, additional languages and creativity will be sought after, so they should be present at the top of the list.
Similarly, if the role is heavy on security, it should have in top position skills that show an awareness of safety frameworks, compliance and regulation, among others.
Looking good
The appearance is important, as anything fussy is distracting and anything too plain or spaced out can make the document appear sparse. If you are unsure of how to format it, make use of an online template, there are so many to choose from.
Also, choose colours and fonts that complement each other, but don’t get too creative. Elegant, simple and clear is always best when creating an online cybersecurity portfolio. The complexity of your skillset and projects will speak for itself.
And on that note, if it becomes apparent that your document looks sparse because your qualifications and skills are lacking, then don’t panic. You have identified the problem and now you can work on it, one skill, video or course at a time, until you have a well-built professional cybersecurity portfolio.
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