How To Hire And Retain The Best Cybersecurity Professionals

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A report from certifying organization (ISC)2 (International Information System Security Certification Consortium), shows that 70% of cybersecurity professionals are willing to change their current jobs, although will not be overtly looking for new job searches.

On the other hand, 15% of cybersecurity professionals have admitted that they are comfortable in their current work positions and environments. These tend to be mid-career professionals that have advanced positions and high pays.

Younger professionals tend to change their jobs often to gain more experience, better positions, and higher pay. However, this is not always good news for companies, as it is time and money-consuming to recruit and train new employees.

68% of cybersecurity professionals said that they want their opinions heard, 62% wanted to have clear responsibilities and protect data, whereas 59% were concerned with training, tech investments, and the code of ethics.

Thus, it is important for employers to be upfront with their candidates and demonstrate that they understand the priorities and values of the cybersecurity professionals they seek to hire. They should also offer an appropriate working environment within their organization. Although a competitive paycheck is also attractive, cybersecurity professionals value a high-tech working environment more.

The market is highly competitive, however. Cybersecurity professionals are some of the most sought-after workers right now. 46% of cybersecurity professionals are being employed quickly, whether they are actively looking for a job or not. 18% of them admit they receive phone calls for job offers, although they are not seeking a new job.

Cybersecurity professionals will choose their job carefully. They will refuse to work for a company that doesn’t take their security seriously. However, 54% of the professionals admit that they would be willing to work for a company where a breach has already occurred.

64% said that they would be willing to work for a company whose breach has been publicly disclosed, pointing out the eagerness to contribute to that company’s security and grow professionally. These situations apply most to experienced professionals and those actively looking for new employment, an IT company can use to their benefit for recruitment.

Yet, 85% of these professionals said they would want to investigate the security situation of a company before accepting the job. 52% want to work for a company that properly invests in cybersecurity, whereas only 40% said they would work for a company whose security tech needs improvement.

A clear job description is key to portraying the understanding that companies and recruiters have on security. A vague description of the job might result in turn-offs. Cybersecurity strategists, management, user education, risk assessment, and security operations are the top skills sought-after.

Research the job description and learn what keeps them busy. 58% use network monitoring skills on a daily basis, 53% use security analysis, 53% use security administration, 47% use intrusion detection, 39% use risk analysis and management, and 39% use security analysis. Learning about these skills will make it easier to write a more accurate description to attract employees.

Indicating a clear job description won’t only make you more appealing to potential candidates, but it will also attract the right ones. Not all cybersecurity professionals have the same skills, thus it is important to know what you are looking for.

So, to conclude, make sure you respect your security and are willing to invest in high-tech to protect it. Make research regarding the skills needed for the job you are offering and outline clear responsibilities for your staff.

Listen to your cybersecurity professionals’ ideas, invest in your staff’s training and certifications, so they can be updated on the latest trends, and offer a satisfying salary so you can keep them happy. This way you are guaranteed both in attracting the best talent, but also keeping them around for a long time.