With more people working from home and more organizations operating on cloud, it comes as no surprise that cybercrime is at it’s peak. This past year has certainly seen concerning statistics about cybercrime, some of which we’ve mentioned in past articles.
Here’s the recap: cybercrime is costing the world trillions, is being committed by individuals and foreign governments alike, and has only been heightened by the pandemic.
This is bad news for businesses. What’s more concerning is that the increase in cybercrime is increasing the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals, and this demand is not being fulfilled. In short, there’s a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals.
According to an analysis conducted by Microsoft, for every 2 cybersecurity jobs in America that are fulfilled, 1 sits empty. At the time of the analysis, more than 1 in 20 open jobs in America were for a cybersecurity role.
Organizations looking to add cybersecurity members to their team are very familiar with this issue. These are also high paying jobs with opportunities for growth, so why the shortage?
It ultimately comes down to the fact there aren’t enough people that match the level of cyber skills organizations are looking for.
2 Successful Ways to Approach the Challenge
Outsourcing
Whether it’s because they don’t have the capacity to hire or don’t need long term cybersecurity staff, small and medium businesses (SMBs) often don’t have dedicated cybersecurity teams. And, in all honesty, they might not need them.
Considering that there is now a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals, outsourcing cybersecurity needs could be in the best interest of SMBs. But this is also a great option for large organizations.
By outsourcing, organizations can call upon skilled professionals when they have a cybersecurity need rather than (unnecessarily) keeping a full time team.
We always say that cybersecurity solutions must be proactive rather reactive. By outsourcing, businesses of any size can acquire solutions that will do the work for them and yield a high ROI in the long term.
It’s important to note, however, that just as you would carefully select a new hire, you should also carefully consider who you outsource with. Select a business or company that has proven results, you can trust, and you can realistically see forming a long term relationship with. Here’s why over 300 organizations trust us.
Training
Every organization’s needs and preferences are different and it might be that your organization wants or needs a cybersecurity specialist on their team.
While we could delve into the many ways to get quality applicants for a job, the two cents we’re offering for your team is this: adopt a student mindset. In a field like cybersecurity, new information arises constantly and learning is the tool that will help you tackle challenges like cybercrime.
By training new hires and encouraging your staff to stay up to date with certifications, you strengthen the combined skill set of your team and increase your chances of success. We know this because our team has always benefitted from learning new skills!
In the short term, training and certifications might add time and costs, and we know it seems off putting. But the long term payout of the student mindset will increase your team’s efficiency and success.
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