For years we’ve talked about the dearth of skilled cybersecurity professionals which ISACA reports is now estimated to reach two million by 2019. Encouraging more individuals to pursue technical and engineering degrees can help address the shortage. But we can also expand the talent pool by thinking more broadly about cybersecurity and what it takes to be an expert.
When it comes to the cybersecurity talent shortage, an already troublesome situation is getting worse: The shortage is expected to grow to 1.8 million employees by 2022, which is 20 percent greater than a forecast from 2015, according to the 2017 Global Information Security Workforce Study.
The military has produced many incredible leaders and accomplished business people who have made many noteworthy and life-changing contributions to corporate America. These individuals took what they learned in the military with them into civilian life and their corporate careers.
Security organizations both in the private and public sectors have made considerable progress in gaining stature. More and more senior security executives truly have a seat at the table today as a respected member of the C-suite. Many security executives regularly interface with the Board of Directors and maintain excellent relationships with board members. Security organizations still have a lot of room for improvement.
Without question a realistic and self-aware approach is of tremendous value in everything from resume and personal brand development to interviews and successful onboarding in a new role.
Introducing the Bill Zalud Memorial Award for Professional Excellence by International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) that will be awarded each year to an individual or organization for professional excellence and/or outstanding service/acts in the security profession.
Developing budgets that make sense, support the mission of the enterprise, are thoroughly justified and garner the support of the C-suite is a challenge that security executives have faced for ages. Why is this the case? Is it that the C-suite doesn’t recognize the importance and value that an effective security program provides to the enterprise? Is it because security executives have not done an effective job of developing and documenting the inherent value to the enterprise of an effective security program?
Acquiring a higher-level education is time consuming and expensive, and fraudsters have long been marketing fast-track ways to obtain what appears to be an impressive diploma, at least on the surface. These programs and methods have been around for many years; therefore, it is not always easy to identify what is real and what is a wasted investment of your money and time.
Do you have a new job as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Chief Security Officer (CSO), the Security Information Manager or something similar? Congratulations! You’ve just received a great job opportunity – one that can either be your dream job, your worst nightmare, and sometimes both simultaneously.