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Governments and companies continue to struggle in their search for cyber security professionals as the demand outweighs the supply, resulting in soaring wages.

According to a research by ISC2, the global shortage of cyber security professionals reached 3.4 million in 2022, while the total cyber workforce was 4.7 million. The study revealed a significant gap in sectors such as aerospace, government, education, insurance, and transportation. To fill the current vacancies, the workforce will need to increase by approximately 70%, as stated by ISC2 chief executive Clar Rosso.

Isaca, another IT security association, conducted separate global research that identified the greatest skills shortages in soft skills (communication and interpersonal skills) and cloud computing.

This shortage of cyber security workers poses vulnerabilities in both the private and public sectors, with more than half of the survey respondents indicating that their organizations are at moderate or extreme risk of cyber attacks due to staff deficits.

In response to the heightened threat, recruitment initiatives have been launched, including an entry-level certification in cyber security offered by ISC2 and a training program for mid-career workers provided by Toronto Metropolitan University.

Despite these efforts, competition to hire cyber security workers remains intense, leading to high salaries. In 2022, Statista reported that average global salaries for cyber security professionals ranged between $128,000 and $150,000.

In this thriving job market, candidates have the power to negotiate their employment terms, thanks to the current demand. To address retention, Michael Armer, chief information security officer at RingCentral, emphasizes the importance of personal growth and has developed a training program that focuses on skills in boardroom communication, risk assessment, and calculating returns on investment.

As a way to address the skills gap, companies like Leonardo, one of Europe’s largest defense companies, have recruited former military personnel for their cyber security consultancy unit. They have partnered with WithYouWithMe, a data platform that helps organizations recruit technology workers from underrepresented groups and trains them to match employers’ needs.

When it comes to recruiting cyber security workers, some companies prioritize broad skills, such as business acumen and composure under pressure, over specialized technical certifications. Anthony Young, co-chief executive of Bridewell, highlights the challenge of finding candidates who possess all the required skills and suggests that technical skills can be taught while emphasizing the importance of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences in the field.

Despite efforts to increase the diversity of cyber security hires, Tia Hopkins, a cyber security executive and founder of Empow(H)er Cybersecurity, believes that some organizations are not genuinely committed to this goal. Hopkins argues that diversity is crucial to keep up with the diverse nature of cyber security threats.