How can you demonstrate your experience with penetration testing?

I'm not convinced certifications demonstrate competence in pen testing although I have huge respect for OSCP & GPEN. For me, I believe the best way to demonstrate knowledge is to validate career history and to show progression in knowledge and skills. Representing a reputable company will also demonstrate competence as you are delivering on their behalf. During an assessment it is also essential to be able to talk competently to technical and non technical staff. Finally the report is a critical demonstration of competence. It needs to speak at multiple levels, give accurate information on threat and exposure and finally achievable recommendations. If I have to rewrite an expensive report into business language you won't be back.

In terms of certification, there are multiple very practical certifications that can effectively showcase the level of hands-on experience. Such certifications can immediately demonstrate the professed level of expertise. When combined with other factors, such as proven reporting skills, interpersonal communication abilities, and job background, a reputable certification can become a significant factor for employers to consider when offering a position.

A candidate must exercise exceptional caution to avoid oversharing details from commercial penetration testing activities. The extent of information that can be disclosed to a potential employer should be carefully planned in advance and, if necessary, coordinated with the current employer. For instance, verify whether it is permissible to share a sanitized version of a report and present within these constraints. By doing so, the candidate will demonstrate not only professionalism but also maturity to the prospective employer.

In the digital age, where data is king, the significance of penetration testing cannot be overstated. It's not just about identifying weaknesses; it's a meticulous exploration of potential entry points and a strategic dance with the ever-adaptive adversaries. Penetration testing is a double-edged sword. While it's a proactive measure to enhance security, ethical considerations are paramount. Striking a balance between uncovering vulnerabilities and avoiding damage is a delicate dance that requires a deep understanding of both technology and ethics. In the fast-paced world of cybersecurity, the journey of a penetration tester is ongoing. As threats evolve, so must the strategies employed to thwart them.

If we change the focus of this section a bit, we can also demonstrate our skills as a pentester in a network like LinkedIn by sharing multimedia content, such as screenshots, code snippets that illustrate our skills in action. However, we should not limit ourselves only to execute commands and scripts, we also have to demonstrate that we have those pentesting skills and to achieve this it would be recommended to explain how the systems, protocols, applications or services we are evaluating work as well as identify and exploit vulnerabilities manually or automated. This can give a good approach to the knowledge and skills that has the professional or future professional in cybersecurity.

While technical skills and certifications are undoubtedly crucial, crafting your practical expertise through hands-on projects and demonstrating your understanding of pentesting methodologies are just as essential. Hands-on experience is king in this field - it's what truly separates the wheat from the chaff and showcases your true capabilities as a pentester. After all, without concrete achievements and evidence of your skills, how can anyone truly assess your level of expertise?