Bridging the Cybersecurity Skills Gap
Recent figures from the UK government reveal a pressing issue in the cybersecurity landscape: 44% of businesses are struggling with basic technical cybersecurity skills, while 27% report significant gaps in advanced areas such as penetration testing. For recruitment managers, this presents both a challenge and a strategic opportunity. It is crucial to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap.
At Certes IT Recruitment, we specialise in helping organisations address these shortfalls by sourcing, vetting, and placing exceptional cybersecurity talent. Drawing on nearly four decades of industry experience, we’ve put together key tips for recruitment managers navigating this critical talent market.
1. Prioritise Skills Over Titles
Insight: Many businesses report low confidence in incident response capabilities—48% of organisations are unsure how to handle cyber breaches, up from just 27% in 2020.
Tip: When recruiting, focus on demonstrable skills and hands-on experience rather than job titles alone. Use technical assessments or scenario-based interviews to verify practical capabilities.
2. Look Beyond Traditional Backgrounds
Insight: Diversity in cybersecurity remains low—only 17% of the workforce are women, and just 6% identify as disabled.
Tip: Broaden your search by working with agencies like Certes that actively promote diversity in tech. Consider candidates from non-traditional routes such as apprenticeships, reskilling programmes, or career-switchers with relevant transferable skills.
3. Align Your Hiring Strategy with Threat Evolution
Insight: As AI continues to influence the threat landscape, new roles are emerging, demanding a shift in the traditional cybersecurity skillset.
Tip: Keep job descriptions up to date with emerging needs—such as AI risk management, automation strategy, or threat intelligence. Partner with recruitment experts who understand these evolving dynamics and can source candidates with future-proofed expertise.
4. Invest in Retention as Much as Recruitment
Insight: Recruitment is only part of the equation—businesses also struggle to retain cybersecurity talent due to high demand across sectors.
Tip: Work with your talent acquisition team to understand market rates and employee expectations. Use exit interview insights to identify retention risks. Certes can also support with contract staffing, allowing you to remain agile while exploring long-term solutions.
5. Leverage a Specialist Recruitment Partner
At Certes, our Precision Resource Management (PRM) methodology ensures that every candidate we place is the right fit—technically and culturally. We help you move beyond simply ‘filling a vacancy’ to building a resilient, high-performing security function.
Final Thought
The cybersecurity skills gap isn’t just a technical issue—it’s a business-critical risk. By adapting your recruitment strategy and working with the right partners, you can turn this challenge into a strategic advantage.
