“How can we recruit and interview candidates, all of which state they are interested on the phone, yet astonishingly, call to cancel the face-to-face interview before it takes place? One by one, they explain that they have accepted another position. What is it with these information security people?! I have never seen anything like it.”
Recently, one of our key clients expressed extreme concern and desperation in trying to hire key Information Security talent. Positioning to attract heavy-hitter subject matter experts in the areas of Vulnerability Management, Cyber Analytics, Fraud Monitoring, Malware Analysis and some of the many other in-demand disciplines continues to pose a problem for companies ranging in size from the mid-market to the Global 50. They are struggling to attract the qualified talent that they so desperately need.
As Practice Director over Talent Acquisition at Halock Security Labs and as a professional security organizational architect, I have a few tips for you as you strive to hire the best candidates.
Tip #1: Produce creative, compelling content within your job ads.
A typical run of the mill Job Advertisement will contain a breakdown on the following: A summary, the general role, day-to-day responsibilities and skill requirements, correct? If that is all you have and it is followed up by a “click here to apply” you have already been eliminated. Candidates want companies to provide them with pointed, exciting reasons to work for you. Do the work to set your organization apart from the others who are vying for their attention by highlighting the reasons your company stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Tip #2: Do your research.
You must understand that several companies have called them this week, and several more have e-mailed, In-mailed, sent them gifts and provided free lunches any day or every day Monday through Friday. Many of those companies have invested several years and significant budget to hone a shiny, successful staffing brand. Who competes with you for talent? Do you know everything possible about the strategies they employ? Determine what your approach is lacking and make the needed changes.
Tip #3: Listen.
Let’s face it – recruiting is closer to sales than human resources. There, I said it. You may not agree; however, if you think about the psychological process that every candidate goes through, then you must admit that they make decisions based upon emotions and life factors, and not logic. It’s always personal, so, you must build rapport and find out what is important to them and why, as a first step when interacting with Information Security candidates.
Tip #4: If you are a Recruiter, you must know what you are talking about. This candidate pool will not let the details slide. You may know the pertinent acronyms, yet even if all is going as planned the candidate you are trying to recruit may ask you deeper technical questions as a natural part of the interviewing process. An inability to answer the tough questions at that time may be the difference between winning and losing the candidate.
Naturally, recruiting the very best talent is both an art and a science. We would love to hear from you and invite you to add your thoughts or experiences in our comments section. Happy Hunting!
