Penetration testing home lab and how to mention it during the job hunt process

NavyMooseCCNA

I am back in the unemployment line and I am looking for ways to describe how I am keeping my skills current and learning new skills. I know not to mention a home lab in the resume. I am putting it in my cover letter with language similar to this:

"My home network consists of a Kali Linux VM and several Windows and Linux images I downloaded or created to learn tools such as NMAP, Nessus, and Metasploit. I am using this home lab as part of my certification studying process and to get better with vulnerability assessment."

How do others describe their home lab environments during the job search process?

Thanks!

EANx

I like to see a mention of "passion for IT". So, for instance "I'm passionate about IT. I have a number of sites I follow to stay up to date and I test things in my home lab. More recently, I have worked on <item #1>, <item #2> and <item #3> and I achieved <certification X> in my personal time with my home lab"

tedjames

That sounds more like something that should go in a cover letter. In your resume, just list skills, tools, etc.

Also, when I look at a resume, I don't want to read paragraphs; I want bullet points. Don't write sentences, either, just fragments that start with a verb:

Developed this...
Created that...
Managed this...
Led a four-person team that created this...

NavyMooseCCNA

EANx said:

I like to see a mention of "passion for IT". So, for instance "I'm passionate about IT. I have a number of sites I follow to stay up to date and I test things in my home lab. More recently, I have worked on <item #1>, <item #2> and <item #3> and I achieved <certification X> in my personal time with my home lab"

I can easily put something like that into my cover letter. I mention in a separate paragraph that I am working on the PenTest+ certification.

Mike7

If you are keen about pen testing, give https://www.hackthebox.eu a try, build your skills and rank level.There is a job offers section where they require you to be a minimum rank level to apply. 

NavyMooseCCNA

I am learning penetration testing with the overall goal to do technical and compliance vulnerability assessments. I want to learn red and blue team functions. I am working through exercises in my Pentest+ book and a Kali Linux book.