Speaking at conferences or in other public settings is a great opportunity to boost your reputation and increase the security of your career.

There are lots of channels to share things you’ve learned and establish your expertise. We can write, we can post videos, and share things on social media, but I can’t think of a more impactful one than speaking in person to a group of people. When you get on stage you have everyone’s attention for the next 30 minutes to an hour.

Everyone in the room is there because they want to hear what you have to say.

Here is what you gain for facing any fears you may have and step up to the microphone:

Your Credibility is Increased

Giving a presentation requires a great deal of study and preparation. You likely already have good expertise in the area you want to talk about. You are seen as an expert in this area by everyone in the room. As a result, your credibility goes up immediately.

Establishes Your Reputation Publicly

There are many smart, talented people in cybersecurity, but the only people that know about them are their co-workers. Being a conference speaker establishes your reputation to a larger group of people. Typically, your presentation is recorded and published on the conference’s YouTube channel. You can (and should) put this on your resume and social media profiles.

You will also be able to meet new people that may introduce you to opportunities that would have never come your way otherwise.

You Become a Stronger Job Candidate

All careers go through ups and downs over the years. You will need to change jobs or find a new one. Depending only on your resume to demonstrate your value to employers can be a very rough road. Potential employers read hundreds of resumes for open positions. If employers can watch you give a presentation on a skill they want, you aren’t two pages of text anymore.

You someone they can see and hear sharing your experience with things they want. You can become a much more desirable candidate.

Beyond these three points, you will make number of new friends if you keep presenting at conferences and being visible in the field. It’s unnerving at times, but it also can be a lot of fun.