That's particularly true in cybersecurity, where it's increasingly difficult for organizations to fill critical roles during a worsening global talent shortage.
There were more than four million unfilled cybersecurity jobs at the end of 2023.
While generative AI may make current cybersecurity analysts more efficient, GenAI is also helping criminals create more advanced threats faster, which increases the workload for security teams.
Part of the challenge in filling cybersecurity roles is the growing need for talent.
Organizations that maintain or begin DEI initiatives can build two advantages in the search for cybersecurity talent.
ICS2 also found that in 2023, 57% of surveyed cybersecurity workers said staffing shortages put their employers at moderate or extreme risk of attacks.
It's important to hire as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of burnout that's contributing to attrition among overworked cybersecurity professionals.
At the same time, schools aren't graduating enough computer science students to fill all the open roles - even if all of them went into cybersecurity.
One of the most often discussed ways to bring more people into cybersecurity jobs is to expand the search beyond the typical demographic in the industry.
Historically, cybersecurity talent came from IT departments, which are - and in many cases still are - mostly male and mostly white.
One survey of cybersecurity workers in the U.S., Canada, Ireland and the U.K. found that 70% of professionals aged 60 or older were white men, and just 2% were women.
The demographics are changing as more companies fill roles with computer science graduates, and career changers with cybersecurity certifications who may or may not have college degrees.
Among cybersecurity professionals under age 30, 24% are women and 40% are non-white men.
Still, there's more that organizations can do to accelerate cybersecurity diversification to fill open roles.
Testifying before a congressional subcommittee in 2023, industry representatives discussed their companies' strategies to recruit women, military veterans, neurodivergent people, people with disabilities and people who are changing careers and seeking entry-level cybersecurity positions at a later age.
Seeking more diverse hires is just the start of solving the cybersecurity talent shortage.
Simply hiring from new talent pools isn't enough-new hires need an environment that's a good fit to stay with the company and in the cybersecurity field.
With updated hiring criteria, companies may get the quickest wins by looking within their ranks foremployees who want to upskill into a cybersecurity role.
There are federally funded cybersecurity training programs for veterans and their spouses across the U.S. that companies can connect with to find talent.
Taking these steps can help fill open cybersecurity roles to make your company safer, help with security team retention, and avoid falling behind.
This Cyber News was published on securityboulevard.com. Publication date: Mon, 01 Jul 2024 10:13:07 +0000