Home Tips to Hire and Retain the Right Cybersecurity Professionals

Tips to Hire and Retain the Right Cybersecurity Professionals

You must have heard the major issue the industry is facing right now? – a significant shortage of talented, skilled cybersecurity professionals. And it’s likely on pace to get worse with more than 1.8 million hit by 2022.

Have you ever thought that your business could be the next victim of a cyberattack? The worse is that an estimated 60 percent of small businesses will close for up to six months after a major cyberattack.

For over 25 years, the information security landscape seems to evolve at a faster clip each year. In fact, cybersecurity came in a long way and Info-Security World has been there through it all.

Although, an unprecedented demand for well-trained cybersecurity workers continues to grow. But, several companies have built traditionally direct traffic from one destination to another, passing judgment about the content; shortage of qualified personnel.

To develop the right cyber workforce, the tide of opinion is to make a change.

Cybersecurity is the act of protecting computer systems, networks, and programs from all forms of cyberattacks. However, the flaw will always be an advantage once you adopt to hire the wrong personnel. But once you understand the basics of having the right cybersecurity workers then the deeds are well to be safe.

Below, therefore, are tips for hiring and retaining the right cybersecurity professionals.

1. Don’t Rely on Experience and Certification, But Ability and Motivation to Learn

Having one or more certifications sounds pretty sensible in today’s world, doesn’t it? And many business owners are always interested in those with the best. But what is certification when workers lack the ability and motivation to learn?

No wonder Google, Apple, and other companies give less attention to certificates or degrees.

Yea, many individuals holding a well-graded certificate and have achieved the experience might be the best to pick out of the options.

Don’t get this wrongly, the point here is to cybersecurity. Cybersecurity has to do with technology, however, technology evolves quickly, and knowledge that’s relevant today will seem hopelessly outdated sooner than you think.

For instance, say you needed a certificate to develop iOS apps; you employee a shiny certificate that would probably be outdated every year or two, as Apple rolls out new versions of the software.

You’re now only recruiting iOS 7-certified developers with Swift certificates, you agree to the qualifications, and by the end of next quarter, that requirement will change to Swift 2021 certificates only.”

Yes, this is an exaggeration for effect, but the principle holds: the evolution of technology makes many certificates obsolete pretty quickly.

Afterall cyber attackers won’t stop learning how to get into businesses, so throw this question on the list while interviewing:

Do you have the ability to learn? And Are you motivated to learn? If the answer is yes then that might be who is needed to be at the position to hold tight to your business cybersecurity.

2. Drop Default Requirements For College Degrees

Education requirements are a standard part of any job description. And a bachelor’s or an advanced degree is often a hard and fast requirement in the business world.

Though two-thirds will graduate with a degree even if 70 percent of Americans will study at a four-year college, you might still want to inflate the value of a college degree.

Relevant Skills and experience are primarily what you’re looking for when hiring. You want to make sure anyone who joins your team knows their job and it’s easy to assume a college graduate learned their craft in school.

Smart employers seek candidates with relevant certifications and who keep up with the latest trends in the space.

So in the case of a college degree, placing a default requirement can be a good idea to look for the major candidates and focus more on their supplemental education – especially for roles that are continuously evolving. Some big companies like Apple and Google already did that.

3. Offer Better Compensation and Perks

What are employee benefits? What benefits and perks can you render when you’ve found the talented cybersecurity professional? How valuable are these compensations and perks to them?

According to Glassdoor’s Employment Confidence Survey, 79 percent of cybersecurity professionals would prefer new or additional benefits to a pay increase. Specifically, more women 82 percent than men 76 percent prefer compensations or perks to a pay raise.

Google checked in at the top one. (Surprised? I didn’t think so.) The tech sector, in general, dominates the list, accounting for nearly half of the ranked companies.

As a business owner, you may wonder about your rights and obligations as well as popular trends when it comes to offering perks. Well, you can offer it and many companies in your size are doing the same.

It simple, offering flexible times, vacations, e.t.c. All you did was giving the chance to your employees to be out of the office and focus on their personal lives while still receiving a paycheck.

Guess what! This makes them respect you as the boss and they will not for once take the job position for granted, trying to avoid mistakes and make perfection all the time.

4. Ask For Skills that go Beyond Technical Certifications and Technical Abilities.

There are good skills for any business, which means they should be top-of-mind for every employer. And they’re good skills for any resume, so qualified candidates should be including these skills in their resumes.

How would it be when you employ one who has no skill in decision making or someone who lacks time management or analytical and problem-solving skill. Just imagine how your position would be exposed to cyber attackers.

Business moves at a much quicker pace today, and employees are expected to be appreciated and to move up in the companies with a very kind of strategy. As a business owner, you need workers who can do the job today with an eye toward what they might do in the near future.

However, the employees should have some skills that have always been in demand for perfection in modern business.

5. Develop Training Programs to Increase the Perception of Potentiality

In the business world, developing programs to enlighten employees is an extensive process that plays a crucial role in the company’s overall operations.

When a new employee starts, they’re a sponge, ready to absorb information about your company, your policies and procedures, and their role and responsibilities.

Existing employees also need ongoing training to learn new skills, improve existing ones, and continue to grow over time.

6. Use Job Sharing and Rotation Programs to Broaden their Skills

There are many reasons for job rotation programs when it comes to cybersecurity in your business. Employees, particularly millennials, want more opportunities to learn, grow, and advance their careers. In fact, job development is so important that 87 percent of millennials want it.

Today’s cybersecurity professionals are dedicated to advance their professional development, however, some can be hard to hold onto. Why? Because one way to support employees’ desire to learn and grow is with job rotation programs.

Job rotation is a strategy where employees rotate between jobs in the same business. Employees take on new tasks at a different job for a period of time before rotating back to their original position. With a job rotation system, employees gain experience and skills by taking on new responsibilities.

Job rotations are meant to promote flexibility, employee engagement, and retention. Employees don’t always have to change companies to get the development they want. However, implementing a job rotation strategy will help you retain the talent you really need in your organization.

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Adedeji Omotayo Is a Content writer with an interest in marketing, technology, startups, and entrepreneurship. He writes for several publications and at the same time work with startups on their marketing strategies.

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