How To Overcome The Cybersecurity Talent Shortage

Technology is progressing at such a rapid pace that many people struggle to keep up with its advances. Since it’s a matter of ‘’blink and you miss it’’, HR teams and chief information security officers are simply ignorant about the requirements of the cybersecurity field.

The result of this ignorance is that there is a serious misalignment between the requirements and the job role. 

It’s quite easy to see why if you consider the broken hiring process many organizations have even in 2022. For example, the chief information officers may tell the security manager to fill an entry-level position and expect it to be done without any oversight. 

The HR will then ask for a list of requirements and responsibilities for the position, which is where most trouble starts. Hiring managers tends to come with unrealistic expectations and because there will be no pushback from the HR team (who also have limited knowledge of cybersecurity), they’ll use that information in the job listing.

Typically, this leads to a situation in which the entry-level position requires qualifications that only senior cybersecurity professionals possess. Additionally, the experience required for an entry-level position will be two to five years, and we’re willing to bet it will be impossible to fill as no experienced professional will accept an entry-level job.

It’s important to note that the cybersecurity talent crisis can’t be resolved overnight. Yet, you can at least solve it in your organization by bridging the gap between the job role and the requirements.

Here’s how:

1. Stop focusing on degrees and dive into new talent pools

Academic credentials aren’t the be-all and end-all, regardless of what recruiters are trying to tell you. By relying on academic credentials as the main factor, you will always have a shallow talent pool to hire from. 

Thankfully, you can break out of this mold by expanding your parameters. Instead of requiring undergrad degrees in computer science, simply look at those individuals who have the skills and limited credentials. 

That way, you can fill cybersecurity positions faster while also retaining them for the long run. In fact, if you’re filling an entry-level position, you should always prioritize skills over credentials. That way, you can address the lack of cybersecurity talent by training your new employee instead of requiring a degree and five years of experience. 

2. Become familiar with different industry certifications

If you include a specific certification you are looking for as a prerequisite for a cybersecurity role, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. In doing so, you’re excluding potentially qualified applicants who might be certified by other organizations.

There are many companies now that provide appropriate knowledge and training on cybersecurity to talented individuals. It’s your and your hiring managers' job to learn to recognize different certifications from different areas in the industry and fine-tune your job descriptions to include these additional sources of cybersecurity talent.

3. Accept different types of experience

Just as there are many different certifications available, there are also various ways for professionals to gain experience with cybersecurity. For instance, online lab platforms are almost as good as the real thing these days. They offer virtual environments that new cybersecurity talent can use to hone their skills. 

They can perform and gain hands-on experience with things like penetration testing, without ever leaving their home.

By expanding your criteria to include these online training platforms as relevant experience, you will again have a wider talent pool to draw from. 

4. Practice more involvement in the hiring process

Hiring managers, as well as HR teams need to work as a single unit while putting together job descriptions and figuring out the necessary qualifications to avoid any disconnects in the process.

Additionally, chief information security officers should be involved in the process and advise HR and hiring managers on the latest changes in cybersecurity roles, along with the evolution of necessary qualifications. 

5. Hire employees through a staffing agency

Sometimes, you may cast a wide net without attracting any cybersecurity talent. It might be due to timing or location, if you’re hiring in a highly competitive area.

If this happens, don’t be shy of extending your job search to include remote employees. Alternatively, you should consider hiring cybersecurity talent through a staffing agency.

Tech staffing agencies like Griffin Global specialize in connecting organizations to highly sought-after employees from all the niches in information technology, including cybersecurity.

Staffing agencies already have access to broad talent pools that contain ready-to-work talent.

Since there is a distinct shortage of cybersecurity talent, these agencies know what steps need to be done to attract hidden talent (employees who aren’t actively looking for a new job). That way, you can snag that perfect employee for yourself, even in times of scarcity.

They can also extend your geographical limits and connect you to highly skilled remote cybersecurity experts in other states or even in other areas of the world.

While you might be thinking that this wrestles control from you, it doesn’t. An agency will find the candidates, conduct pre-screening and phone interviews, and l connect the candidate to your company once they are 100% certain they’re a right fit for you. The final call will be in your hands

This is just the bare minimum you can do to avoid falling victim to the cybersecurity talent shortage in the US. By improving your hiring process and being more forward-thinking by including non-traditional candidates, you can future-proof your company and attract the right kind of cybersecurity specialist.

The best thing is - you can make these changes today and even if that fails, you can leverage third-party services to expand your reach even further. Before long, you’ll have a prospective young employee and you can pat yourself on the back as you successfully overcame the cybersecurity shortage.