The concept of cybersecurity is about solving problems. These can be problems related to sensitive data, financial data, seamless workflow, functions, or simply network-related security issues. However, there is one problem that has been dwarfing the growth of cybersecurity itself— shortage in the skilled workforce.
An industry report estimates there will be more than 4 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally by 2021, up from 1 million openings in 2014. Statistics suggest that although employment figures from the U.S. are high (715,000), yet currently there are 314,000 vacant positions that need to be filled up immediately. The most alarming cybersecurity talent shortage though is seen in Europe, where 48% believe finding a perfect match for this role is a rare possibility. Talking about the numbers game, cybersecurity job openings in India have had a huge boost in recent years. But with the high demands of a rapidly growing digital economy, 1 million cybersecurity positions are set to remain void.
Thus, with a view of understanding the expectations of the evolving cybersecurity industry and to arm the potential candidates with what it takes to break open their way into this domain, CISO MAG and EC-Council University (ECCU) conducted a “Market Trends Survey on Confidence in Hiring”. The survey which was vetted by industry experts, advocates, and EC-Council University’s world-renowned faculty was conducted among our academic partners, known CISOs, and those responsible for hiring in organizations.
Some of the key findings from the survey are:
- The top three qualities for hiring for cybersecurity roles include problem-solving abilities, technical skills, and knowledge of multiple disciplines.
- 16% of respondents said engineers and technical personnel find it difficult to settle into leadership roles as they climb the career ladder.
- Certifications not only validate the knowledge of a candidate but also create confidence in the ability to meet security challenges.
- 80% CISOs feel Human Resources’ lack of understanding of cybersecurity job descriptions/ job roles is their biggest hiring pain.
