EXPERT SPEAK simple and effective solution , this doesn ’ t account for the complete picture . Just as it is often stated that no solution offers the ‘ silver bullet ’ to addressing all cyberthreats , training cannot guarantee future success . Cybersecurity threats are evolving faster than training programmes can keep pace with . No matter how talented any cybersecurity professional may be , there will always be days when the bad guys have developed some new technique that has never been seen before .
More challenging still , the need for many of the skills that new recruits are being taught today are likely to become unnecessary in the months ahead as cybersecurity becomes more automated . Advances in , for example , Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) will not replace the need for cybersecurity professionals anytime soon . However , the bar in terms of the knowledge that will be required will soon be higher as more low-level tasks that allowed entry-level cybersecurity professionals to be trained on the job are simply no longer required . Entry-level cybersecurity tasks such as log monitoring , maintaining backups and managing updates are all becoming increasingly automated .
So , it isn ’ t just training , but rather constant , career-long commitment to upskilling and adapting that will prove to be the hallmark of a top cybersecurity professional . Unfortunately , many human resources professionals are out of touch with this reality . Instead of hiring candidates who are willing to be trained , they post entry-level positions that , for example , require certifications that take years to acquire .
Only a third ( 33 %) of the respondents to the aforementioned Cyberbit survey reported that human resources recruiters
Poorly trained workers are much more likely to suffer from poor morale . for their company usually or always understand the requirements for working on a cybersecurity team . Additionally , 70 % of respondents said that cybersecurity candidates are being assessed in the same way as other workers – through interviews – rather than using tools to assess their practical skills .
Reassessing hiring
These challenges can only be addressed by a radical revaluation of hiring policies . In the fast-paced world of cybersecurity , hard-earned skills and certifications that were months or years in the making can be rendered obsolete in far shorter timeframes . New technologies will constantly erode the value of low-level skills , while new threats will promote the need for constant learning .
In such a stressful work environment , only the most ardent and determined of recruits will have the unshakable will to ‘ stay the course ’ and constantly seize upskilling opportunities in their quest to becoming invaluable industry veterans .
The most important thing to HR teams to evaluate therefore when it comes to hiring cybersecurity professionals is now going to be attitude . After all , skills can only be acquired by the willing and able . The most important thing is to determine as early as possible who has the fortitude to do the job not only as it is known today , but the willingness to adapt to how it will inevitably evolve tomorrow . •
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