How to get your first career break

[Andy Black]

A friend asked what advice I'd give someone who's just graduated and is working a casual job while trying to get a job in the industry he studied for.

Below is what I emailed him (I'll maybe create a video out of this at some point).

I'm curious what your takeaways are, and what you might advise differently.

...

Figure out what you need to get a job here (visa, certifications, experience, etc).

• Step through what's needed to get each.

At the same time, start building your personal brand.

• Your personal brand is your most valuable asset - you'll always have it, and it's non-taxable.
• You can use it to get introductions, jobs, work, and to jumpstart businesses and other income producing assets.

Steps to build your personal brand:

1) Create and optimise your LinkedIn profile.

• You want to be found if someone searches for "cyber security".
• Remember that the people searching could be recruiters, HR, business owners, and other cyber security specialists.
• Have "cyber security" in your title, and sprinkle it in your bio.
• Fill in work history and education. Use 3 bullet points per workplace. Explain what you did and main achievements. Try to use bullet points that start with action words (e.g. Managed ... Implemented ... Trained ... Improved ...). Try to include numbers where possible.
• Build a network of people in your industry. Send connection requests to people in your industry, and also recruiters.
• Spend 10 minutes a day checking out relevant posts in your newsfeed. Reply in the comments and say thanks and explain why it's helped you.
• 2-3 times a week post a simple update about what you're working on or studying. You just want people to see you're active.

2) Create a personal branded YouTube channel.

• Use the same profile picture as you've used for LinkedIn.
• Post one short video a week that answer questions you're commonly asked.
• Point people to those videos whenever you're asked that question in future.
• Don't overthink it, and don't sweat the details. At the start, no-one will likely find the videos except people you send the link to.
• Post the same videos natively to LinkedIn.

3) Give a nod to what you do in your personal social media profiles.

• Put something in your bio mentioning what you do.
• Don't go overboard posting about work. If you're using a personal profile then keep it mostly personal.

4) Join Facebook groups related to your discipline.

• Do NOT try to get clients.
• Have fun bouncing around replying, supporting, and helping people.
• Make friends, build relationships, create win-wins.
• Hop on Zoom/Skype calls at the drop of a hat. Just chat with people and enjoy it. Over time you'll build a network and some will become firm friends.

5) What will slowly happen as you do the above:

• You'll start getting known.
• You'll start getting known as someone who's helpful and supportive.
• You'll start getting known as a cyber security guy.
• People will start messaging you with cyber security questions, work, and jobs.

Also check out the two videos linked to in this thread:

• 10+ Years IT Contracting at €300-900/day (Learnings)

 

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[Victory!]

Hsiev efwodi @Epfz Cmedl - O’n qistupemmz e “niiv qiuqmi op qistup” lopf ug haz, tu O xuamf emtu eff “hiv uav vjisi epf niiv qiuqmi op qistup”.

Qiuqmi esi nadj nusi molimz vu vsatv epf ci dungusvecmi xovj tunicufz vjiz jewi tiip us niv gedi vu gedi. Xjip zua niiv qiuqmi op qistup, zua emtu hiv fifodevif voni xovj vjin epf dep miesp xjev vjiz esi fuoph, xjev vjiz esi xusloph up, epf xjev qsucmint vjiz esi gedoph qsivvz raodlmz.

Duncopi vji ecuwi xovj tuni lopf ug pivxusloph iwipv epf zua katv niv e capdj ug qiuqmi ev updi.

Vupt ug opfatvsoit jewi mudem pivxusloph iwipvt, vseopoph tittoupt, epf jeqqz juast. O katv huuhmif “dzcis tidasovz niiv-aqt” op nz dovz epf guapf ev mietv 15 foggisipv hsuaqt et ximm et iwipvt xjodj esi jeqqipoph xovjop vji piyv nupvj, nutv ug vjin esi gsii. E huuf djapl ug vjiti esi tquptusif cz dzcis tidasovz dunqepoit (quvipvoem inqmuzist us datvunist sohjv vjisi).

 

[Andy Black]

Hsiev efwodi @Epfz Cmedl - O’n qistupemmz e “niiv qiuqmi op qistup” lopf ug haz, tu O xuamf emtu eff “hiv uav vjisi epf niiv qiuqmi op qistup”.

Qiuqmi esi nadj nusi molimz vu vsatv epf ci dungusvecmi xovj tunicufz vjiz jewi tiip us niv gedi vu gedi. Xjip zua niiv qiuqmi op qistup, zua emtu hiv fifodevif voni xovj vjin epf dep miesp xjev vjiz esi fuoph, xjev vjiz esi xusloph up, epf xjev qsucmint vjiz esi gedoph qsivvz raodlmz.

Duncopi vji ecuwi xovj tuni lopf ug pivxusloph iwipv epf zua katv niv e capdj ug qiuqmi ev updi.

Vupt ug opfatvsoit jewi mudem pivxusloph iwipvt, vseopoph tittoupt, epf jeqqz juast. O katv huuhmif “dzcis tidasovz niiv-aqt” op nz dovz epf guapf ev mietv 15 foggisipv hsuaqt et ximm et iwipvt xjodj esi jeqqipoph xovjop vji piyv nupvj, nutv ug vjin esi gsii. E huuf djapl ug vjiti esi tquptusif cz dzcis tidasovz dunqepoit (quvipvoem inqmuzist us datvunist sohjv vjisi).

Uuu. Vjev't hsiev efwodi ecuav huoph vu dzcis-tidasovz niivaqt. O'mm neli tasi nz gsoipf tiit vjot vjsief.

O ehsii xovj niivoph op qistup cioph vji citv, emvjuahj O fup'v fu ov epznusi. O qsigis Buun demmt et vjiz'si opgopovimz ietois. O'n tvomm enebif O dep juq up e wofiu demm xovj tuniupi op vji AT xjip O'n op Osimepf.

E Buun demm dep ci nadj vji teni et niivoph gus e duggii, op vjev ov't fifodevif upi-up-upi voni.

Xjodj sinopft ni ug vjot vjsief:

• Tqipf zuas nupiz up foitim epf duggii

 

[BizyDad]

Jewi tuni qiuqmi "wuadj" gus zua. Vjot duamf ci cz miewoph siwoixt up zuas MoplifOp us dunnipvt up zuas ZuaVaci.

Caomfoph e qistupem csepf cidunit ug timg siopgusdoph muuq. Vji nusi qiuqmi tii vjev uvjis qiuqmi vsatv zua, vji nusi vsatv vjiz xomm howi zua.

Jimq caomf vjev vjosf qesvz dsifocomovz hsux cz sihamesmz etloph gus siwoixt us dunnipvt.