7 Steps to Combat the Cybersecurity Skills Shortage

Think Outside the Box

According to IT professionals association ISACA, over half (53 percent) of security pros say it takes three to six months to find a qualified candidate. This hiring timeline is far too long considering the wealth of qualified candidates hiding in college campuses and diverse demographics. Offering an internship for college students is a great way to cultivate fresh talent through longer-term training and full immersion technical practice.

With women comprising a mere 11 percent of the information security workforce, diversity in cybersecurity is still an enormous industry issue. Slight changes in hiring practices — such as removing gender-specific pronouns in job descriptions — can make a significant difference when it comes to unbiased hiring. Working with diversity initiatives like Ms. Tech can help establish your organization in different communities and validate your commitment to diverse hiring.