In our last blog, we shared how organizations can solve the cybersecurity skills gap with a forward-thinking cybersecurity talent strategy. Since the traditional pool of IT network talent isn’t deep enough to fill the skills gap, a new talent strategy that combines relevant training, hands-on learning, workforce development, and skills-based modules is crucial—especially since the workforce crisis is here to stay.
In this blog, we’ll discuss four of the top cybersecurity pain points and also share a straightforward solution on shoring up your company’s defenses.
New research from a Trellix survey found that 30% of the current cybersecurity workforce is planning to change professions in the near future. In a landscape where the skills gap is already hindering the ability of organizations to secure their complex information systems and networks, these findings heighten the need for organizations to act. The issue is further exacerbated given that 80% of organizations attribute at least one breach they have suffered to a lack of cybersecurity skills or awareness. And with nearly 3 out of 4 businesses being targeted by ransomware in the past 24 months, an increase of 18% from just last year, it’s clear that there is a connection between a lack of cyber literacy and talent with increased business risks.
So what is causing cybersecurity workers to leave the industry at an increased rate? There are several points of frustration that are driving these professionals to seek other jobs. According to the Trellix survey, a lack of a clear career path (35%), a lack of social recognition (31%) and limited support to develop their skills (25%) are the top three reasons why cybersecurity workers want to quit. On top of these reasons, many professionals also cited that they felt burnt out or were unsatisfied with their salaries.
The good news is that all of these reasons are solvable. In fact, by tackling the pain points that current cybersecurity professionals are feeling, your organization will also be laying the groundwork to build a pipeline of new talent.
A career path is a long-term plan that includes a set of jobs that prepares an employee for upward growth in the industry. This allows employees to anticipate the specific qualifications, skills, and experience they will need in order to advance.
For organizations focused on retaining their cybersecurity employees, developing career paths within the context of the company is an effective way to make them feel valued, motivated, and able to grow as professionals. The 2021 IT & Security Talent Pipeline Study found that organizations with well-defined cyber job roles and clear career paths were more successful at hiring. In fact, successful hiring managers were 67% more likely to have well-defined cyber roles and 15% more likely to report clearly defined career paths.
By creating goal posts for advancement, your employees will be more excited about their work and what they can achieve. In addition, they’ll be more psychologically motivated to do exceptional work rather than the bare minimum. These goals can look like helping with special projects, taking an online course to develop new skills, recertifying to stay updated on industry best practices, and much more. Developing a career path aligned with industry standards will also make it easier for new talent to enter the field since they can better understand the factors for success. This may also encourage trusted, current employees from outside of your IT department to switch to cybersecurity and stay with your organization.
Everyone likes to feel valued, and—with 92% of respondents in the Trellix survey agreeing that cybersecurity is purposeful, soulful work that motivates them—cybersecurity professionals are no different. Burnout is a widespread challenge among security professionals, so publicly acknowledging employees for who they are and what they do can make a huge difference in workplace engagement, productivity, and employee retention. This can look like direct managers sharing positive feedback during regular one-on-ones or peer-to-peer appreciations during company meetings. Creating a culture of recognition and support also makes working for the organization more attractive to new pools of talent.
However, cybersecurity professionals want to feel recognized for not only their individual contributions to their organizations but also their positive impact on society at large. Cybercrime is a multi-trillion dollar industry with consequences ranging from organizational data disruption to national and economic interference. That’s why it’s crucial to show appreciation and recognition for those that work in a state of continuous hyper-vigilance.
Cybersecurity training has traditionally been created in-house, which unfortunately can lead to training that is out-of-date or too focused on compliance. Cyberattacks are evolving in sophistication and using new techniques that make them harder to spot. This is why partnering with outside experts that dedicate all of their resources to cybersecurity is an effective way to improve the security of your digital ecosystem.
Soft skill development is also critical for cybersecurity professionals. Critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork were reported by the Trellix survey respondents to be the skills most useful to them in their role. Flexibility, communication, and detail-oriented were the next most useful skills. Fortunately, all of these soft skills can be learned over time. By encouraging the development of these skills, organizations can set up their cybersecurity professionals to progress within their careers as well as provide an encouraging environment for new talent to enter the field.
Another factor in the cybersecurity skills shortage is that many firms are refusing to provide salaries commensurate with the positions—and today’s high inflation levels are no help. According to the Trellix survey, 24% of those who are planning to move to a different career reported that they were not satisfied with their salary or opportunities to make more money within their professions. And with U.S. workers still having a considerable amount of leverage in the job market, many employees are seeking higher pay.
This means that organizations seeking talented cybersecurity professionals need to offer competitive salaries. Since the talent pool is already so small, it’s important for salaries to reflect how valuable these professionals are. Otherwise, organizations run the risk of losing their employees, whether they decide to work for a competitor or in a different industry altogether. This results not only in hampered productivity and depleted team morale but also in financial risk. Studies estimate that the time to replace a salaried cyber employee is 6 to 9 months’ salary on average. You have to ask what the increased risk is to the business from that absence and add to that the placement and onboarding costs of a replacement. Those costs quickly add up and should be considered in your salary planning and retention investments.
From filling vacacines and reducing turnover to managing spiraling salaries and being able to take a vacation, finding a cyber talent partner that tackles these challenges for you is a gamechanger.
Meet FOUR18.
FOUR18 Intelligence provides your organization with access to cybersecurity skills and talent at all levels and budgets with hands-on real-world skills. We turn raw talent from our own government-funded cohorts and partners into job-ready analysts through subsidized 90 day on-the-job training programs. And we provide the career path, peer recognition and ongoing skills development for your people to thrive.