In the simplest of terms, work experience refers to the knowledge you acquire and the practical skills you accumulate in any real world or professional-type setting. Whether it is ‘for pay’, ‘for good’ through volunteer or community initiatives, through ‘hands-on practice’ in activities such as capture the flag, hackathons or gaming pursuits, or through life experience gained in travel, experience supports personal growth and job readiness.
Early in one’s career, work experience exposes an individual to independent tasks as well as cooperative efforts within a team; to technical and soft skills practice; and to weaving their theoretical understanding with practical skills in that unique career setting.
Often “work experience” is used interchangeably with the term “work placement”. Many candidates complete “work experience” as part of their studies at a company they have chosen. Like internships and apprenticeships, it provides fixed-term employment exposure for the candidate. Cyber Catalyst is committed to supporting job readiness through hands-on work experience and has drafted a sample internship performance contract to guide both candidate and employer during this experiential learning phase.
Benefits of work experience
Work experience can benefit your career in multiple ways.
- It boosts your confidence as a new professional. The more tasks you take on, the faster and more accurate your execution will become. In turn, this increases your faith in your own ability, which is crucial in advancing your career.
- It allows you to acquire new skills and enhance existing ones. Hands-on experience is a surefire way to build a strong skill set. The longer you work, the more diverse and impressive your range of technical and soft skills will be.
- It makes you more employable. Since work experience has the power to increase your confidence on a professional level and build your skill set, it automatically makes you a more desirable candidate in the eyes of recruiters – who rarely understand the parallels to your military equivalency.
- It allows you to form connections. Working within a team is a great way to find mentors who can guide you as you progress, as well as people who might be able to open new doors for you in the future.
- It lets you gain a greater understanding of the industry you plan to work in. There’s no better way to know what you’re signing up for than going for it!
Developing strategies to further your cybersecurity work experience, build practical skills, and enhance your resume all contribute to your job readiness. Include experiential learning in your cybersecurity preparation.
NOTE: Take the time to dig into the military/civilian translation of your past experiences and/or reach out to a mentor or a Cyber Catalyst Career Advisor to assist.