Do you know where your security job is leveled in relationship to the rest of the positions in your organization? Our recruitment team asks this question of every candidate we interview. Most often, the answer we hear is “no.”

Unlike non-security jobs that have similar duties and differ primarily in level of seniority in the role, security positions often have wildly different responsibilities. This makes it challenging to classify or grade all security roles across an enterprise in parity with other functions. The exception tends to be roles at the senior-most level where common titles across functions include those like director, chief, or vice president. Security jobs containing these titles are often more in sync with similarly titled roles in a company.

Security practitioners who have transitioned from the public sector into private are more familiar with the concept of grading due to government law enforcement agency structures. In contrast, a corporation where the team responsible for leveling jobs sees one or two security roles a year, can be a confusing experience for those coming from the public sector. This is also true for people moving from one company to another where similar titles or grades do not necessarily represent the same thing.

Organizations structure their job leveling to define role responsibilities, identify career paths and standardize compensation ranges. These goals are designed to achieve things like qualification of expectations on performance appraisals and ensure equity across the enterprise. Clearly defined levels outline specific scope of responsibilities, and the competencies and skills required to achieve them.

As the security profession continues to evolve, practitioners should strive to collaborate with human resources managers to identify the criteria for accurate classification of security jobs in their company. A good first step is to assist with an analysis of each of the security roles. Framing a security structure that is in alignment with the company’s current structure and goals can help you achieve parity with other functions. Identification of the organizational importance of these roles is also useful.

Once the framework is laid out, it is important to establish growth within the structure. The reason many candidates cite as the catalyst for why they want to leave their current company is the lack of options to progress their career where they are. A clear map of how someone can grow within an organization is an important employee retention tool. It motivates employees’ investment in their roles and allows them to see a long-term future with the company.

A well-structured and correctly leveled organization chart also helps to identify potential gaps within a security program as well as across the competencies and skill sets of its security practitioners. Career development opportunities present themselves in the form of additional or re-leveled jobs. This also fosters engagement and offers high-potential employees the opportunity to grow their security career with the company.

Knowing where your job is leveled within your organization is a critical career data point you cannot afford to miss. Understanding where you fit will inform you where you can go, even if outside of the security function. Work to develop your intracompany career plan or know when it is time to leave. Either way, leveling up your career expectations is always a great idea.