The same way everyone else does: have a compelling offer (towards the people that have the vacancy). Sometimes your offer can only be compelling if you pass som

The same way everyone else does: have a compelling offer (towards the people that have the vacancy). Sometimes your offer can only be compelling if you pass some gates like having a certification or having studied a specific subject etc. If those were the types of jobs you'd like to have, then getting hired means getting a certification/diploma. The other way around applies too: if a job simply needs you to show them that you can do the work, a portfolio can be enough, just like getting a contract job with a supplier can be (technically that'd be like a portfolio with internal stuff they already know about). For jobs where you primarily need to be able to do the work: - Showing off technical skills in various ways and shapes - Showing off interpersonal skills in various ways and shapes - Build up experience in non-hiring areas (communities, FOSS, contract work) That last bit can be hard since contract work usually doesn't allow you to talk about what you did in detail.