When, and How, to Hire Cyber Experts
When your business is faced with a cyberattack, the last thing you want to do is scramble to find qualified cybersecurity professionals. Instead, you’ll want to depend on a qualified IT team already in place to handle these and other cyber-related challenges.
It's not only difficult to find experts in this field; it’s also expensive. Many organizations are turning to apprenticeship programs as a way to fill their cybersecurity needs.
Apprenticeship programs offer students the opportunity to learn on the job and develop the skills needed for a successful career in cybersecurity. At the same time, they offer employers the opportunity to save money and hire diverse, qualified tech talent.
In this article, we’ll discuss how businesses can identify when it’s time to hire a cybersecurity team, what that process should look like and how your organization can benefit from hiring cybersecurity apprentices instead of traditional cyber professionals.
Why is having an effective cybersecurity team so vital?
Organizations face an ever-growing number of cyber threats. These threats can come in the form of malware, phishing scams and denial-of-service attacks, to name a few.
According to research by IBM, it takes 280 days to find and contain the average cyberattack, while the average attack costs $3.86 million.
A cybersecurity team can help protect an organization from these threats by implementing security measures and monitoring for suspicious activity. When an attempted cybersecurity breach does occur, those same cyber teams work hard to mitigate damages and reinforce support.
In short, having an effective cybersecurity team in place is critical for any organization that wants to maintain a secure online presence and avoid the cost of a data breach.
How do I identify my organization’s cybersecurity needs?
The first step in hiring a cybersecurity team is to assess your organization's needs.
- Do you need someone to monitor your network for suspicious activity?
- Do you need someone to develop and implement security measures?
- Do you need someone to do both?
Perhaps you’ve even had cybersecurity challenges in the past, and you need someone to revamp — or entirely refresh — your organization's approach to cybersecurity.
The exact cybersecurity needs of your business will vary depending on the size and type of your organization, as well as the industry you're in.
For example, a small business that primarily sells products online will have different cybersecurity needs than a large bank that deals with sensitive customer data.
Once you've identified your needs, you can begin searching for candidates who have the skills and experience necessary to meet those needs.
How to build an effective cybersecurity team
Building an effective cybersecurity team requires more than simply hiring a few qualified individuals.You’ll also need to ensure that your team has the right mix of skills, knowledge and experience to keep your company’s users and data safe.
We've put together a few tips on how to build an effective cybersecurity team.
1. Identify a need for improved IT security
To build an effective cybersecurity team, you’ll need a clear idea of what your organization's needs are.
Take some time to assess your current security posture and identify areas where improvement is needed.
Remember, every organization has different IT security needs, so don't try to compare yourself to other businesses. Instead, take the time to grow familiar with your company’s areas of need. Consider asking current employees, and particularly any members of your IT team, where they see a need for enhanced cybersecurity.
Focus on identifying where your organization is vulnerable and what you can do to mitigate those risks.
2. Identify the type of cyber team you’re looking for
Before you start searching for candidates, it's important to have a clear idea of what you're looking for.
Start by identifying the specific skills and experience your ideal candidate or candidates would have. Then, consider how those skills and experiences would fit into the overall structure of your team.
For example, if you're looking for someone with experience in network security, they might be responsible for monitoring and protecting your network from attacks. If you're looking for someone with experience in application security, they might be responsible for ensuring the safety of the software your team uses.
Once you have a good understanding of the skills and experiences you need in a cybersecurity team, you can begin searching for candidates.
3. Create a job description that attracts the right candidates
Once you know what your organization needs, you can start writing a job description that will attract the right candidates.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when writing your job description:
- Be clear about the skills and experience you're looking for;
- Describe the team's culture and how the role will fit into it;
- Offer a competitive salary and benefits package.
These and other qualifications can help you separate the best cybersecurity candidates from the rest.
4. Ask the right interview questions
Once you've written a great job description and started receiving applications, it's time to interview candidates for your cybersecurity team.
During the interview process, be sure to ask questions that will give you a sense of how the candidate would perform in the role. For example, you might ask them to describe how they would handle a specific cybersecurity threat.
You can also give them a hypothetical situation and ask them how they would react.
The interview process is a great opportunity to get to know the candidate's personality and see if they would be a good fit for your team. Ask specific questions about your team’s cybersecurity needs, to get a better idea as to how they would function as a member of your cyber team.
5. Select candidates that fit your company culture
Once you've selected a few candidates, it's time to start the hiring process.
The first step is to check their references.
Be sure to ask their previous employers questions about their work ethic, how they handled difficult situations, and if they would recommend the candidate for the job.
You'll want to make sure that the people you are hiring fit into your company culture and positively complement the team you’re actively compiling.
The next step is to conduct a background check.
This is important to do for any new employee, but it's especially important when you're hiring someone for a position that requires handling sensitive information.
You'll want to verify the identity of each potential cybersecurity employee.
Once you've done your due diligence, it's time to make an offer.
Solve your cybersecurity problems
There are a range of benefits to training your internal IT team in cibersecurity best practices, rather than paying top-dollar for a traditional cybersecurity specialist.
For one, internal cybersecurity teams are more cost-effective over time. Providing your IT team with cybersecurity training apprenticeship costs a fraction of what you would otherwise pay in salary, benefits, PTO, and training when hiring even one full-fledged cybersecurity professional.
Our Cybersecurity Bootcamp can help solve your organization's information systems security problems. Industry-leading experts provide updated instruction in firewall maintenance, control structures, and other critical cyber processes.