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I am applying to a job in a field that I, unfortunately, don't have any experience in. All I know about it are some books, news articles that mention the breakthroughs in that field and a StackExchange website that I constantly read on.

"I" find all of these great resources to learn about the field.

My question is, is it better to mention these resources that I have used to learn about the field or should I not?

if it matters, the field is computer security

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    these don't seem like formal resources, is it a very junior role?
    – Kilisi
    Nov 29, 2015 at 4:55
  • @Kilisi yes it's an intern position Nov 29, 2015 at 5:00
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    It has pro's and cons, the positive side is it shows you're interested, the other side is that you're probably not expected to be on the cutting edge of the tech and your sources are suspect, which means you might have learnt some bad habits and have preconceived ideas when they would rather train you a certain way. In a nutshell I wouldn't mention your sources specifically although discussing them after landing the job would be ok so long as you're not citing them to say how wrong your employer is doing their security.
    – Kilisi
    Nov 29, 2015 at 5:04
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    +1 to @Kilisi's comment. Do not mention the sources. In case, they are popular in the domain, then good. Else, it would have a negative impression. So, you don't want to take a chance
    – Dawny33
    Nov 29, 2015 at 5:46

2 Answers 2

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is it better to mention these resources that I have used to learn about the field or should I not?

No, do not list the sources on the cover letter. Instead, mention that you have self-studied, which would look much better and would help you get a positive impression and make the reader know that you are passionate about the domain.

It would be a huge plus, if you have done projects (of any magnitude) while you are learning about the domain. If yes, then definitely mention them in a bit of detail.

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My question is, is it better to mention these resources that I have used to learn about the field or should I not?

Not.

A collection of articles, websites, and links to StackExchange don't demonstrate your ability to do a computer security job. Anyone can list such resources - what matters is your background and understanding.

Since you'll clearly need to apply for an entry level position, your educational background, experience in related fields, and ability to learn quickly.

If asked during an interview about how you came to your current level of computer security knowledge, then you can mention a few sites and other resources. But spend most of your time discussing what you learned, rather than just the items you learned from.

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