The information security talent shortage is among the most challenging of issues facing today’s organizations. There are currently an estimated 1 million unfilled cybersecurity specialist jobs worldwide, and analysts believe the skills gap is growing rapidly. An estimated 25 percent of U.S. businesses are exposed to hackers due to a lack of internal talent or resources.
While the state of information security talent is dismal, HR leaders aren’t without hope when it comes to winning the run on talent. Consider the following four facts about outsourced IT, and what they mean for your organization in the fight against security threats.
1. Think Outside Your Organization: Outsourced IT
Organizations with the ability to hire outsourced cyber-security specialists may unlock a dramatically-expanded talent pool. Indeed reveals there is a talent mismatch “in the employer’s favor” in certain markets worldwide; including a significant rise of security professionals in the United States in 2016.
SysArc, a Washington DC based IT company, states that its clients have expressed that they’ve opted for an outsourced IT team because of the inherent benefits outsourcing provides. First, it provides substantial cost benefits by having an entire team of talent at a company’s disposal, rather than one or two salaried employees. And secondly, it provides a fresh, outside perspective to seize opportunities and exploit weaknesses unique to the company.
2. Internal Cyber-Security Training Matters: IT Consulting
Providing your current talent with the skills, experience, and certifications needed to fight cybercrime could mitigate disappointing applicant pools. A staggering 45 percent of security leaders recently reported that job applicants “didn’t understand the business of cybersecurity,” an alarming statistic in an age of growing threats.
Because of this, many SysArc clients value a hands-on approach to cybersecurity, offering clients’ employees cyber-security training on best practices to mitigate the risk of cyber threats.
3. Technology is Improving: Staying Ahead of the Curve
As the field of artificial intelligence (AI) advances rapidly, tomorrow’s next best hire may not be human at all. It could be software. The Harvard Business Review writes that today’s cutting-edge AI tools are up to 60 times faster than humans at identifying security threats.
Companies rely on outsourced IT companies like SysArc to stay ahead of the curve, leveraging new cyber security technologies and techniques so they can, not only minimize costs, but focus on running their businesses and not have to worry about trends in information technology.
4. Hiring Talent is Getting More Expensive
For some organizations that are struggling to fill job vacancies, a core issue could be failing to dedicate sufficient resources towards salaries. With median computer security specialist salaries currently at over $76,000, the skills gap has made it costlier than ever to hire the right talent. Another study revealed that less than half of organizations are putting more resources towards their security programs.
This fact further emphasizes the need for companies to consider outsourcing their IT to a local IT company, such as SysArc, which specializes in partnering with small and medium sized business who may not have the luxury of hiring an internal team of IT professionals.
Conclusion: The Security Skills Shortage isn’t Simple, But There is Help
The arms race for security talent, as well as the fast-changing nature of the threat vector, are a complex challenge. “Businesses can’t solve the skills gap with just a few training sessions,” writes Security VP Ryan Barrett. Any single-focused approach to on-boarding talent may not be enough to get desperately-needed talent in the doors. However, by expanding your talent pool by partnering with an experienced outsourced IT company that leverages the skills and talents of its team of IT professionals, you may gain an edge in the information security arms race.