Stop Wasting Time on Random Labs: How to Pick the Right Cybersecurity Portfolio Projects in 2025
The Secret to a Winning Cybersecurity Portfolio
A few months back.. I discussed how to gain cloud security experience without waiting for your first job.
The next step is just as critical: choosing the right projects for your cybersecurity portfolio.
Because let’s be honest — not every project is equal.
Running random labs may help you learn, but it won’t necessarily convince a hiring manager that you can solve their problems.
The key is to start with job descriptions and work backwards.
Why Job Descriptions Are Blueprints
Every job posting is basically a company saying:
“Here are the problems we need solved.”
If you take those bullets and translate them into portfolio projects, you’re showing employers proof of value before they even meet you. This applies to every cybersecurity role, including cloud security, SOC analyst, GRC, penetration testing, and even identity governance.
The Portfolio Project Formula
1 — Collect job descriptions
Find 5–10 postings for the role you’re targeting (SOC Analyst, Security Engineer, Cloud Security, IAM, GRC).
Paste them into a doc.
2 — Highlight recurring themes
SOC roles → “SIEM, log analysis, detection engineering”
GRC roles → “policy writing, risk registers, ISO/NIST mapping”
Cloud security → “IAM, GuardDuty, IaC scanning”
Penetration testing → “web app testing, OWASP Top 10, exploit chains”
3 — Translate into projects
Each recurring skill = one project.
Example:
SOC: “Detect brute-force logins using a SIEM”
GRC: “Build a sample ISO 27001 compliance checklist and gap assessment report.”
IAM: “Design least-privilege roles for a sample SaaS app”
Red Team: “Run OWASP ZAP scan against a demo app and document findings”
Deliver something visible
Don’t just do the project — show it:
GitHub repo with scripts/configs
A clean PDF report (Canva, Google Docs)
A Loom walkthrough where you talk through what you built and why
That last one is underrated. When you record a short video explaining your project, hiring managers see not just your technical skill but also your ability to communicate clearly — a huge differentiator.
Example Projects by Role
SOC Analyst:
Spin up a free SIEM (like Wazuh or Elastic).
Ingest logs, simulate brute-force attempts, and detect them.
Deliverables: Loom walkthrough of detection, PDF of rules, and GitHub repository with configurations.
GRC / Compliance Analyst:
Map ISO 27001 controls to AWS services.
Build a gap assessment for a “fictional” SaaS startup.
Deliverables: Excel/Notion risk register, PDF report, Loom explainer of methodology.
Cloud Security Engineer:
Use Stratus Red Team to simulate attacks in an AWS sandbox.
Detect them with GuardDuty and CloudWatch dashboards.
Deliverables: GitHub scripts, Loom walkthrough, screenshots.
Penetration Tester:
Deploy a DVWA (Damn Vulnerable Web App).
Run OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite scans.
Deliverables: A professionally styled PDF report and a Loom video explaining the findings.
Supercharging Project Ideas with ChatGPT
You don’t need to guess. With the right prompt, ChatGPT can take any job description and turn it into project ideas tailored to that role.
Here’s a copy-paste-ready prompt you can use:
Prompt:
“I’m preparing for a cybersecurity role. Here’s the job description:
[Paste full job description].
Based on this, suggest 2–3 portfolio projects I can realistically complete in my own lab setup. For each project, include: (1) what I should build or test, (2) which tools or platforms I can use (preferably free or open-source), (3) the deliverables I can showcase (e.g., GitHub repo, PDF report, dashboard, Loom walkthrough), and (4) how each project maps to the skills the employer is asking for. Make the projects small enough to finish in 1–2 weeks each but impactful enough to showcase in interviews.”
Why Loom is Your Secret Weapon
Most candidates stop at GitHub repos or PDFs. However, recruiters and hiring managers rarely have the time to read lengthy reports.
A 3-minute Loom video where you walk through your project, explain your decisions, and show results makes you memorable.
It turns your project from “just another GitHub repo” into:
A communication demo
A technical walkthrough
Proof that you can explain security to others
In other words, it makes you appear to be someone they want on the team.
Final Thoughts
Don’t think of portfolio projects as random labs. Think of them as mini case studies pulled directly from the problems employers are hiring you to solve.
The process is simple:
Collect job descriptions
Extract recurring skills
Convert them into focused projects
Showcase results with reports, GitHub, and Loom videos
Your portfolio should make it obvious: “Yes, I can do the work you’re hiring for — here’s the proof.”
That’s how you cut through the noise in 2025’s competitive cybersecurity job market.