Cyber Security Recruitment Tips for Employers

Experts in the field of cybersecurity are in short supply. Cybercrime damage is going to reach $6 trillion yearly by 2021, and this growth in demand is putting stress on the already competitive labor market. The scarcity of skilled workers in this industry poses a significant threat to information security.

As of this year, 51% of businesses report a “problematic scarcity of cybersecurity capabilities,” Researchers predict that by 2021, there will be more than 3.5 million vacant cybersecurity posts. If you think it’s hard to find experienced professionals with the right mix of soft and technical abilities to succeed in cybersecurity, try keeping them around.

As the number of cyber attacks continues to rise, it’s reasonable that businesses worry about vulnerability due to a lack of qualified cybersecurity officers with the necessary technical expertise. Recruiters are learning that the tried and true techniques of filling other IT posts do not transfer over into this industry as the demand for cybersecurity skills skyrockets and the supply dwindles. The following strategies have been effective in attracting and retaining top-tier cybersecurity talent. With the right recruitment tips and strategy, you can quickly source and hire the best professionals.

1. Increase Your Financial Outlay

Thmidring of experienced people requires more than just advertising a high salary. Given the options available, many mid to late-career professionals will likely prioritize employment that offers growth and stimulation in their fields.

Paying a market rate pay may not attract top candidates, but it is still necessary to be reasonable. Cyber security professionals recognize the high demand and value of their skills. It is reasonable to offer double the pay compared to other IT roles to secure the vital talent for the Company’s success.

2. Look for the Skills, not Only the Degree

A lack of a bachelor’s or master’s degree is often a deal breaker for potential employers. Yet it’s crucial in cyber security to determine if the candidates require these credentials. Regardless of academic credentials, a candidate should be considered if they demonstrate mastery of the skills your Company needs. Bug bounties and hackathons are two examples of competitions that might help organizations based on ability rather than institutional status.

3. Make your Company Interesting

Differentiate your organization or client as an appealing employer in the competitive cybersecurity job market. Understand your firm or client’s company thoroughly to showcase its strengths to cybersecurity professionals. When hiring directly or representing a client, highlight innovative technologies, successful problem-solving, and integration of emerging security technology. Introduce the daunting task of starting from scratch if the Company’s security team is young.

To ensure that you are providing the most impactful messages possible, you may want to get the marketing department involved.

4. Engage In Community Activities

Engaging with the cybersecurity community on its terms is crucial if you want to attract elite talent. Maintain a presence on platforms used by cybersecurity professionals, but avoid direct sales pitches. Cybersecurity applicants prioritize online privacy and security, requiring a more cautious approach. Utilize the expertise of your Company’s team or successful placements to initiate outreach and introductions within your network.
Companies can aid long-term recruiting success in the cyber security industry by participating in industry-specific events including presentations, meetings, hackathons, and conferences. You should travel in the same direction(s) as other top-level experts. Keep up with the latest developments in your sector to better connect with applicants and win their trust.

5. Make Use of New Talent

You may already have a team of bright, motivated, and experienced IT pros working for you. Encourage internal training and development to streamline the hiring process and ensure familiarity with your systems. Strengthen your staff’s cybersecurity skills by partnering with online or local training providers and facilitating their attendance at relevant seminars and conferences. This approach saves time and ensures capable individuals handle your systems.

It’s also a good idea to reach out to people from different fields who could be interested in working in cybersecurity. Personnel from the accounting industry, the police force, and the communications sector all fit this description. If you’re looking to source from less competitive markets and increase your resource pool, you should consider exploring the talent pool in similar industries.

There’s indeed a severe shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals, but this crisis also presents an excellent opportunity for businesses and recruiters to improve their approaches to talent acquisition.

Improving cyber security positions’ definition, description, and promotion is a vital part of the fight. Both newcomers to the industry and professionals in related fields will take notice of this. It’s also important to devote more resources to upskilling current workers.

The cybersecurity hiring process requires patience and innovation. There is fierce competition for a limited supply of skilled workers. It’s not easy to get the attention of people who work in cybersecurity, but it’s worth the effort to do so.

The consensus in business cyber security is complex and calls for specialized expertise. Cyberseculedge and abilities apply to any situation involving two or more technological systems, whether they are human-to-human or human-to-machine.

The stereotypes that circulate about security personnel have led to a stagnant aesthetic for security teams over the years. When the cyber threat landscape shifts, we must also pivot our approach to cyber talent.

There is a long way to go before the sector is representative of all demographics.

6. Look for Experience and Knowledge

Some of the industry’s most talented cybersecurity experts lacked a traditional education. Yet, they excel at finding novel solutions to problems. As a result of this, they see issues from a different perspective.

Candidates should also have strong soft skills, but most people won’t pick those up in school. Brown from the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation states that universities offering cybersecurity degrees lack emphasis on essential soft skills such as communication, business writing, leadership, and critical thinking.

Candidates with a hacker mentality are also desirable. Every structure, according to this way of thinking, can be compromised. They know that one’s enemies can keep trying to find ways to breach one’s defenses indefinitely.

While examining a piece of technology, a skilled security analyst will want to know how it can be exploited or manipulated in ways other than what it was designed for.

A candidate’s compatibility with the team should also be taken into account. Hiring an individual is different than putting together a formidable group.

7. It’s important to be open to Training New Hires

An ideal applicant may not exist, making the search fruitless. The ideal candidate is not actively job hunting.

Training new employees can be done in-house or through external providers.

With the broad concept of “security,” there may be candidates who aren’t an exact match initially but can become suitable with proper instruction. Employers and computer professionals may get stuck if they focus too narrowly on specific security skills.

8. Put a candidate’s Qualifications in Context by Using Certifications

Certifications are a good indicator of a candidate’s level of knowledge and commitment to furthering their education. While certifications might be helpful, experience often trumps them.

These credentials show the candidate’s dedication and preparation in acquiring the necessary knowledge and expertise.

10. Be Aware of Your Company’s Qualities

Top minds in cyber security are probably already employed elsewhere. Because of this, most people who work in cybersecurity report receiving multiple recruitment pitcheseek. Get the appropriate person for your cybersecurity position by being more aggressive than other managers who are hiring for similar positions.

When the standard channels for finding new employees have yielded no results after six months, it’s time to broaden your search. Do you participate in any in-person gatherings of your industry’s peers? Do you know what books and magazines local cyber security experts recommend? The location of their online conversation. It would be best if you spent time and effort networking to uncover fresh talent.

Although this may appear to be a difficulty, it presents many businesses with a chance to improve their diversity. Suppose you look beyond your typical recruiting channels and establish relationships with organizations like Secure Diversity. In that case, you’ll encounter individuals from underrepresented groups who can assist you in building a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Businesses can do much more to encourage diversity in this sector.

11. Value Experience Over Education

One of the most common errors in cybersecurity recruitment is instantly ruling out individuals who lack the necessary degree. Any HR representative worth theiMany you that a top candidate possesses far more than just the minimum education level for the position. These days, many businesses place a higher value on a candidate’s track record, reliability, and breadth of expertise.

You may attract more top talent by narrowing your search to those who are hungry for knowledge and who would be interested in working for your Company if given a chance to advance in their careers. Companyted and talented individuals are more likely to apply for a position if they are told the Company values their personal and professional progress and are also more likely to remain with the company after being employed if they are told this.

12. Examine the Position’s Role Again

Creating an accurate job description is a significant obstacle in the cybersecurity industry when hiring new employees. It’s common for a company to miss out on dozens of qualified individuals because they aren’t advertising for the proper position or using the correct title.

If a position has been open for months and still hasn’t been filled, it’s time to take a good, hard look at the advertisement. There could be warning signs garage talented people from applying. Find out who authored it and why by going back to the beginning. Did you copy and paste text from another opesolar position in cybersecurity? Asking the candidate to do the work of two or more persons at once? If that’s the case, you should consult with HR again to revise the job description and attract more qualified applicants.

Conclusion

A correct job description and a strong network get you more resumes in your inbox than a favorable corporate culture and social media activity regarding cybersecurity recruitment. With the knowledge of our recruitment specialists, we have compiled this list of cybersecurity recruitment recommendations to help you uncover better talent in less time.
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