While federal agencies see their difficulties in retaining employees as a management challenge, the companies gaining those employees view the government as a “talent source,” according to a report by an association representing private sector cyber professionals.
In a survey of 250 of those professionals, (ISC)2 said that half of their organizations “have successfully recruited talent from the government ranks; they know these workers typically undergo extensive training to fight against nation-state threat actors and organized cybercrime.”
In contrast to a recent industry-wide survey that found cyber employees overall to be “less motivated by salary than employer attributes such as taking the work of cybersecurity staff seriously and adhering to a code of ethics,” the latest survey found that two-thirds of respondents cited salary as a primary reason cyber employees leave the government.
“It’s no secret private companies generally pay better than government agencies, so it stands to reason many recruits from the government would welcome higher pay. Other deciding factors for government recruits include having a great leadership team (60%) and working for a mission-based organization (59%),” it said.
Respondents also said that having a strong cybersecurity culture is key to overcoming “the ongoing challenge of finding and retaining cybersecurity talent in a market where demand outstrips supply.” That includes top management that appreciates the importance of cybersecurity, having policies align with cybersecurity strategy, and having a properly staffed information security office, it said.
