I was recently asked for the resources I use to help market myself and alsowhy I chose Squarespace for my website. I use podcasts, books, and the content I produce to help improve my marketability. As for Squarespace, I like the convenience.
Podcasts
I listen to two podcasts with the intent of improving myself. I listen to Career Tools for business and professional etiquette. For personal improvement I listen to the Art of Charm.
I mentioned Career Tools in the EIS podcast on writing an infosec resume. Career Tools covers various topics. It gives advice on Looking for a new job. Email usage and relationship building with peers. As well as other basic business etiquette in a work environment. Having a solid resume and interviewing techniques is great for external marketability, but don't forget about marketing yourself in your current role.
To improve my soft skills I listen to the Art of Charm. The tag line of the site is, "Advanced social skills training for top performers." Every guest has accomplished some form of success. The topics range from improving relationships, getting ahead in business, or improving your lifestyle. The podcasts gives me a different angle to think about how I approach life.
These are two of the podcasts I found the most useful and enjoyable to listen to. They are not for everyone. Give them a try, but recognize that if they don't work there are plenty of others to listen to. Find the podcasts that work for you. Maybe podcasts just isn't your thing. Maybe your thing is reading.
Reading
I’ve always loved reading. Several books have had a huge impact on my life. One that I’m reading right now is How to Wow: Proven Strategies for Presenting Your Ideas, Persuading Your Audience, and Perfecting Your Image by Frances Cole Jones. The other I will recommend is What Color is My Parachute by Richard N. Bolles.
How to Wow covers several different topics in the professional world. Presenting, interviewing, managing, and more are all topics covered in the book. It’s helping me refine my approach to different aspects in my professional career. Self-improvement books are a genre of books that I've been reading for a while. I don't think I'd be where I am now without them (which may make for another post).
A more technical option for job seekers is What Color is My Parachute. The book is updated yearly with job-hunting trends and techniques. I used this book to help with writing a resume, performing a job search, and interview techniques. One of the lasting impressions the book gave me was the idea that there is no perfect resume. All that matters is if it results in an interview opportunity.
There are a lot of self-improvement and marketing books available. Asks friends, family, or colleagues for suggestions. Another book I recommend is the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. The book is a classic that helps recognize and change habits in day-to-day life.
Website
I’ve messed around with Blogger and I’ve helped manage a few WordPress sites. I choose Squarespace because all I have to do to maintain the site is post content and pay a monthly fee. The fee is between $9 and $16 a month, depending on how much content you put up on your site. After 20 pages it bumps up to $16. Which is where I’m at (I actually pay yearly for the discount). There’s a two-week trial available for those looking to test the waters.
I wanted a clean simple look for my site and that’s what they offered. I was able to choose my theme and go. I uploaded my content and setup links to all the external content on my site. The toughest part was writing the about me page. I don’t have to worry about patches or any other maintenance that occurs on other platforms.
WordPress experience isn’t a bad thing for someone looking to get into IT. I’ve had to manage (and cleanup) a few WordPress sites during my time. It’s also a good opportunity for those interested in web development. For me I’d rather pay for the convenience than deal with the hassle. I’ve got several other things going on in my life and website maintenance isn’t one of them.
Conclusion
The resources I rely on to help with that are podcasts, books, and a website. The podcasts I use include the Manager/Career Tools podcasts and the Art of Charm. Manager Tools focuses on business etiquette. Art of Charm focuses on self-improvement. There are a variety of books that have helped me better market myself. I’m currently reading How to Wow by Frances Cole Jones. I’ve used What Color Is Your Parachute by Richard N. Bolles for resume and job search advice.
I started a website because I wanted to collect all my content in one place. It also allows me to control how I am presented on the web. When someone searches my name I want them to be able to find my site and find out who I am and what I’ve done. There are plenty of website options available. I chose Squarespace because it gives me a clean look and convenience.
Marketing yourself is an important aspect of a professional career. It can help highlight experiences but also who you are as a person. It is valuable for getting into infosec, but also for advancing your career.
This post first appeared on Exploring Information Security.