Cyber Pro Shortage Extends to Private Sector

Earlier this month, I wrote about a recent survey that found the federal government is having a hard time finding and hiring qualified cybersecurity personnel. But according to the global results of that same survey, the private sector is facing the same hurdles.

Comparing the federal vs. global results of the 2012 Career Impact Survey by (ISC)2, found that both government and the private sector are facing similar challenges in finding and hiring qualified candidates for cybersecurity jobs. For example, 79 percent of hiring managers globally said it was somewhat or very difficult to find qualified cybersecurity professionals, while 83 percent of federal hiring managers said cyber hiring was somewhat or very difficult.

At the same time, cyber professionals overall are enjoying nearly full employment, a market where salary increases, job stability and career progression are the norm -- both unprecedented trends in today's weakened economy. Nearly 70 percent of global respondents received a salary increase in 2011, compared to 62 percent who received a pay raise in the federal government, the study found.

"It's a world shortage," W. Hord Tipton, executive director for (ISC)2, told Wired Workplace last week. "We need two million people in this space by 2015. The government is a bit more demanding in the types of people they look for, but they're all going through the same issues and levels of difficulty in finding the right people they need."

Surprisingly, the government also is not alone in the length of time it takes to hire new cybersecurity workers. For example, 44 percent of hiring managers globally said that it has taken one to three months to find and hire the right security personnel, while 36 percent said it has taken them three to six months and 12.5 percent said it has taken six or more months. These numbers are similar to the federal government, where hiring security personnel took one to three months (42 percent), three to six months (33 percent) or six or more months (17 percent).

The global survey collected data from more than 2,250 security professionals in more than 135 countries.