The first quarter of every year is when our security recruitment company is approached by the largest number of job seekers. We hear from people whose resolutions for the coming year include finding a new job, and this year many reach-outs are from current federal government employees.

It remains the case that more than 65% of the overall security candidate pool have a public sector background. In the United States, years in which there is an incoming new administration often accelerates the number of government employees looking to transition to the private sector. 2025 has been particularly active in that regard with many new security job seekers from federal law enforcement agencies approaching us.

Regardless of motivation to change jobs, people often misunderstand the role a recruitment company can ethically play in an individual’s job search. Understanding how a search firm works is one of the first steps you can take in your job quest.

Companies like SMR Group are hired by organizations to find candidates for specific searches. We always have contractual relationships in place prior to sourcing candidates, and we present potential employees to our clients only after obtaining the candidate’s written permission to do so.

We keep every individual’s personal data in our candidate management system (CMS) that meets stringent global privacy compliance requirements. And our CMS is the first place we look for potential candidate matches when we start a new search. Creating a profile in our CMS and keeping it up to date is a fantastic way to get noticed.

Many of the first-quarter emails from job seekers request “I would like to talk to you about your services and learn how you can find me a new job.” While we are always happy to talk to security professionals about their career aspirations, our recruiters are ethically bound to work for our clients, not job seekers.

Companies you should not hire to help you with your job search are recruiters who ask you for money to help you to find a job. Kickbacks and pay-to-play are not activities any ethical search firm will suggest.

People you can hire to assist with your job search include career coaches, resume and CV writers, and companies who focus on helping people to transition from the public sector to the corporate world. Check the company’s references before hiring them and be cautious of hiring moonlighting corporate security practitioners with “connections”. Find a solid source for these services and you will have a job search plan and a compelling resume in hand, both of which will improve your odds of success finding a new job.

It is important to keep in mind that a great resume successfully markets you with factual information. Do source the correct names for each of the entities you have worked, the schools you have attended, and any associations you belong to. Many resumes we receive have misstatements or misinformation, and issues like that slow down our intake process and may mean you are not quickly presented by to a potential employer.

You should also pay close attention to consistency across all the marketing materials you use in your job search. Your resume should match your LinkedIn profile. Similarly, other social media presences you have control over should not have statements that contradict your resume or your LinkedIn profile. Also, keep up with your references and ensure they know you are looking for a new job and from whom they are going to get calls.

Working with an ethical recruitment firm can be a great assist in finding your next security job. Understand how these firms run and ensure they have the most correct, marketable information about you. It will yield the best recruitment experience for you and likely a great new job!