How can you demonstrate your passion for Information Security to an employer?

Portfolio is the summarisation of all your achievements and experience around information security which is relevant for any level of consultant in the field. Few key things can be mentioned in portfolio: - Technical capabilities achieved in projects or practical labs - Accreditations and certifications proves your possession of technical skills at a certain level - Complicated projects handled that shows your ability to deliver in particular situation - Your non technical skills mentioning about your strengths like logical reasoning, analytical thinking, dedication etc.

A portfolio is a dynamic, visual representation of your journey and growth in Information Security. It's not just about what you've done, but about what you've learned, how you've applied it, and the way you've grown in your knowledge, skills, and abilities. Each project in your portfolio is a story of a problem faced and solved. It's a tangible way to showcase your skills in penetration testing, security analysis, or whatever niche you specialize in. Additionally, it's important to clearly communicate the problems you addressed, the solutions you implemented, and the results you achieved. This not only shows your technical expertise but also your ability to think critically and convey complex information in an understandable way.

You have to be able to think outside the box…PERIOD. The most natural answer anyone will say is oh ask questions, get certs, be attentive etc and they are not wrong. However, when you show an employer that you are able to think outside the box and figure it out, then you have cracked that code.

Building one's own portfolio of skillset helps distinguished oneself from others. It will enable one self to master a particular profile within information security. There are various skillset based on which one can develop their portfolio for e.g., IT/IS GRC, Vulnerability Management, Penetration Testing, Security Operations Centre - Incident Response handling, etc.

Personal Projects: Showcase any personal projects related to information security. This could include developing security tools, contributing to open-source security projects, or setting up a home lab for practical hands-on experience. Other initiatives to consider include Education and Continuous Learning, professional certifications, blogging and writing, Networking and Community Involvement e.g. upskilling new interests may be from uni, or engage in Bug Bounty Programs

I believe that obtaining certifications represents a personal journey of continuous learning and dedication to staying ahead. Currently, I am in the process of pursuing my Security+ certification. What makes this pursuit truly fulfilling is knowing that the knowledge gained doesn't just contribute to a certification but demonstrates my commitment to my career growth and staying current in my field.

One way to prove your passion for information security to an employer is through certification. Certification can be classified as vendor-specific and vendor-neutral. Achieving vendor-specific certification demonstrates your skills in the tools and technologies utilized by your employer. This reflects your commitment to align with employer’s technology strategy. However, vendor-neutral certification may need to be redone as employer‘s priorities change and therefore a change in the underlying technologies. Achieving vendor-neutral certification demonstrates your skills in information security standards, capabilities and best practices. In summary, both types along with solid hands-on experience advance your career in information security

Certifications are the easiest way to communicate your passion to employers as it emphasizes the rigour and discipline that you had to go through to study and pass a relevant exam.

Here are several ways you can convey your passion for information security to potential employers: - Tailor Your Resume - Create an Impressive LinkedIn Profile - Build a Professional Online Presence - Establish a personal website or blog to share your insights, experiences, and projects related to information security. - Contribute to Open Source Projects - Participate in Hackathons and Capture the Flag (CTF) Competitions - Attend Conferences and Meetups - Obtain Industry Certifications - Showcase Personal Projects - Write Security Blogs or Articles - Share your knowledge and insights by writing security blogs or articles - Network Actively - Stay Informed - Express Enthusiasm in Interviews

Getting certifications it’s key to improve your knowledge and your career . Focus on what you would like to do , and get certifications that get you there ! if you lose them at the first time, don’t get discouraged. Try harder!

Being an active member of Information Security communities illustrates your enthusiasm for staying connected and engaged with the field. Participate in forums, attend conferences, or join local or online groups focused on Information Security. For example, engaging in discussions on platforms like InfoSec Institute or attending events like DEF CON can provide networking opportunities and insights into current security trends.

I have join various communities related to information security in Linkedin, Facebook group and also Telegram group which I find is beneficial for me to get informed of trends, challenges faced by others, issues that people are discussing, future prediction, and so forth. It is also a way to get to know other experts and establish an arsenal of subject-matter experts which I can explore when a project calls for such expert. I guess when you are passionate in certain area, you will tend to get connected with such communities, likewise for Information security.

Being active in the cybersecurity community is a crucial aspect of success in this ever-evolving field. By engaging with fellow professionals, you can stay up-to-date with the latest trends, methodologies, and technologies, and gain a broader understanding of the cybersecurity ecosystem. Engaging with the community helps you: Stay informed: Cybersecurity is a rapidly changing field, and keeping up with the latest developments can be challenging. Engaging with the community allows you to network with other professionals, attend webinars and conferences, and read industry publications, all of which will help you stay informed about the latest threats, mitigation techniques, and emerging technologies.

Networking & Community Involvement: Engage with the information security community through networking events, conferences, or local meetups. Active participation demonstrates your interest beyond just work. Tailored Resume & Cover Letter: Customize your resume and cover letter to specifically highlight your passion for information security, mentioning key experiences and achievements that align with the role.

Curiosity is key. Applicants for information security roles need to demonstrate a history of continually asking ’why?’ Getting to the root cause of a cyber issue is crucial and this can be demonstrated through a strong appetite for learning. Develop that hacker mindset and backing it up with broad deep technical knowledge will help you stand out and set you up for career success.

Showcase your passion for information security with continuous learning. Find some key blogs, websites, podcasts, conferences, and groups to keep learning every day. I always ask people what they like to read or listen to for new ideas and diving in deeper. If someone doesn’t have at least a few go-to sources they’re not keeping up. Information security moves at a rapid pace. You need to love it to be able to keep learning enough to be relevant.

While it is important to constantly learn, it is also important to exactly define your learning objectives, define outcomes and set a deadline. Else, it is very easy to get overwhelmed and lost in the deluge of information available on security topics. Try to align your learning path with organizational goals and how you can implement it in your work. Identify a problem statement you are facing or your team is facing, define what you need to learn to solve the problem and get hands-on practice as you continue to learn. At the end, you will have something tangible to demonstrate as outcome, while also making the learning process more effective and enjoyable (rather than just read the theoretical aspects only).

One cannot make continuous learning as a secondary consideration because it should be an essence of your lifestyle since exposure to various understanding of various disciplines allows one to tackle various challenges. Likewise in Information security, it is important to be in a continuously learning mode on various aspects like cybersecurity, hacking techniques, data governance, Privacy Enhanced Technologies, etc. Currently, much is focus on cybersecurity which looks into Data Integrity and Data Availability. However, in future Privacy protection will be in the forefront since it focuses on Data Confidentiality. A hacker can hacked a system but if the data he has exfiltrated is well encrypted, his effort will be useless.

Information Security is a field that constantly evolves with new threats and technologies. Show your passion by staying informed and up-to-date with the latest security news, trends, and technologies. Subscribe to relevant blogs, follow thought leaders on social media, or take online courses in emerging security topics.

You could ask questions from the IT security team in your company and find out what their current challenges are and what you could do to possibly assist. That could be some research work, an admin task such as audit work, or creating content. This might have to be done outside of your standard working hours if you have other roles in the company but will showcase your interest, curiosity and dedication- all of which are traits that are highly sought after in security teams. Asking (respectfully) questions from experts in the field, either via forums or social media platforms like LinkedIn is another way to make yourself visible over time.

During interviews or meetings with potential employers, ask insightful questions about their security practices and challenges. This demonstrates not only your interest in their specific security environment but also your overall curiosity and commitment to the field. Questions could range from inquiring about their incident response strategies to how they handle specific security threats.

Birds of a feather flock together! Throughout a career, an information security professional will eventually come across a variety of challenges. Assuming that everyone working in this field is somewhat passionate about technology, people or processes of the spectrum, it is always a good idea to finish off a narrative about e.g. a proud moment by asking back, how the counterpart experienced similar situations. Eventually, you will find a common ground where both parties are emotionally involved. This is also a great chance to see whether the other person shares a similar passion!

I think the best way to show interest, is to genuinely show interest. Interest, leads to inquisitiveness, which drives the urge to understand the information security landscape. Once we set ourselves on this path of understanding, art of asking the right question, to the right people comes to forefront

It also depends on which stage you're at in your career. While hiring for our high-performing team in my previous companies, we always valued and hired those fresh grads involved in security-related research, academic papers, personal projects, participated in hackathons and bug bounties, and free online courses. The focus is to see if they're passionate about the field they're considering investing precious years of their lives. Whereas for experienced professionals, I'd look for their mentoring and training involvement, writing blogs or papers, participating in industry conferences or forums, volunteering, etc. The focus is to see how much they have contributed to the community.

Log off, go home, do hobbies, spend time with friends, family, yourself. It's a job not a lifestyle. Any employer that demands 'passion' for the job will absolutely exploit that passion. The premise of this article is BS. You don't have to be a ninja/rockstar/unicorn. It's ok to log your 9-5 and turn off at the end of the day.

If you are a student o just starting a junior position, you can apply for an internship and get your chance to demostrate your passion and skills.

Through continuous learning, emphasize your engagement with current trends and developments. Highlight any recent certifications like CISSP or OSCP, and discuss your participation in specialized courses in malware analysis or digital forensics for example. Mention how you stay updated with industry advancements through blogs, journals, and news sources. Discuss your use of online learning platforms such as Coursera or Udemy, showcasing your self-directed learning efforts. Also, share your plans for future learning and certifications, underlining your commitment to evolving with the field. This approach effectively communicates your dedication to staying ahead in the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity.

Compartilhamento periódico de conhecimentos, seja através da participa??o de comunidades nas mídias sociais, seja através da participa??o (como palestrante/ painelista/ etc) em eventos colaborativos (acadêmicos e profissionais), seja através da cria??o e divulga??o periódica de artigos e posts. Um outro ponto interessante para demonstrar paix?o pela área de seguran?a é fazendo trabalho voluntário. Além de ser satisfatório ajudar empresas e institui??es, através de consultorias pro bono, seu trabalho pode reduzir a probabilidade de riscos e aumentar os níveis de seguran?a e a resiliência cibernética. Um terceiro ponto que quero registrar é o aprendizado ao longo da vida (Long Life Learning). Estudar e pesquisar...sempre.