The month of October brings us cooler weather, falling leaves and pumpkin-spiced latte. But October also brings awareness to two important topics, being national cybersecurity awareness month as well as national diversity month. In this month’s blog post, we’re going to discuss diversity in cybersecurity and how organizations can improve their diverse footprint.
We all know about the tech shortage, but research suggests that there could be a shortfall of as many as 3.5 million professionals in the cybersecurity industry by 2021. The problem here is actually twofold. Not only do we need more people, but we also need more diversity.
Cyberattacks are perpetuated by all sorts of different people from all over the world, so those who defend us should also be from diverse backgrounds. Different perspectives in cybersecurity lead to new approaches and innovative solutions. And by improving diversity in the industry, we widen the talent pool for this essential field.
Hackers and cyber attackers are constantly innovating to penetrate evolving security techniques. To stay ahead, the industry must also constantly innovate. To do this requires creativity, flexibility, and new viewpoints.
Women in Cybersecurity
Women are particularly underrepresented in cybersecurity. According to research from the ISC2, women make up 11% of the workforce in cybersecurity and they earned less than their male counterparts. This lack of diversity is detrimental to the industry as it also means there is a lack of different approaches and that businesses are not making the most of the potential workforce.
One of the reasons for the lack of women in cybersecurity is perception. Many women are discouraged from entering the field or have experienced bias so that they feel this industry is not a good fit. This is neither true nor acceptable. If the industry is to adapt to changing demands, its workforce needs to adapt, too.
Race, Sexual Orientation, and Cybersecurity
Gender is only one area in which there is a lack of diversity in the cybersecurity industry. A lack of diversity in race is also notable, with technology fields often considered to be the domain of white males. People from different walks of life, however, with different world views and experiences are essential and have much to offer. A different way of understanding the world and a different approach to solving problems leads to innovation and insights that could otherwise be missed. Differences in sexual orientation, age, race and other aspects can all help create a great team.
Technical skills are just one aspect of the requirements of cybersecurity. Many do not realize that these technical skills can be learned. Tech ability is enhanced by other skills that are often sorely lacking, including attention to detail, communication skills, experience, and the ability to see an old problem from a new angle.
The cybersecurity industry, like other industries, benefits most when it can draw on a wide pool of talent. By discriminating against groups, for whatever reason, the talent pool narrows to everyone’s detriment.
Improving Diversity in Cybersecurity
1. Create an inclusive environment
Beyond adding more diversity to staff, businesses must also foster an inclusive environment, where every employee should fee welcomed, heard and respected. Some tactics include observing diverse traditions and holidays, setting up diversity training and mentoring programs, and taking a good look at your employee policies to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to grow and succeed.
A great way to develop a more inclusive workforce is to set up Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committees. At MMI, we’ve established employee-led committees to explore how we can improve in areas such as internal hiring, social media and communication, community outreach and internal culture. The teams meet regularly to strategize and execute objectives that address bias in all areas of our company as well as promote support of outside organizations with missions centered around diversity and inclusion. These committees challenge us to ensure that diversity and inclusion are ingrained in our culture and reaffirm our ongoing commitment to these goals.
2. Undoing misconceptions
One of the fundamental things that needs to happen is changing perspectives and offering diverse groups accurate information about the field of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is about the interaction of people with technology, not just about technology. It’s perceived as a very technical subject, but in fact it draws on many kinds of skills. This range of knowledge, skills, and experience can be useful to solve issues in cybersecurity therefore the field should be open to many kinds of people. It’s necessary to show that the cybersecurity field benefits when occupied by people from all walks of life.
To help attract more women to the field of cybersecurity, businesses can work with groups that support women in cyber, such as WiCyS, Women in Cyber Security. Mitchell Martin is an active member of WiCyS and helped found the NY Metro Chapter. The group promotes engagement, encouragement and support for women in cybersecurity and brings people in the field together to share knowledge, experience, networking and mentoring.
3. Educating younger people
Attracting diversity in technological fields needs to start at a young age. It is here that people develop their ideas about what technology means and whether or not it can be for them. Both individuals and businesses can support organizations and initiatives that work to attract underrepresented groups to technology fields.
Mitchell Martin partners with an organization called Npower, which helps young adults from underserved communities launch careers in technology. We support Npower by providing career training, mentorship, job placement and other services to their students and are rewarded with a wider pool of diverse, freshly trained candidates who are ready for their first tech careers.
4. Offering Training
While recruitment should take some responsibility for improving diversity in the workforce, ensuring that cybersecurity training is available within your company will encourage more diversity. It will do so by providing the tools to attract and support a more diverse workforce that may lack some technical education. By providing training, businesses will be able to hire for integrity, leadership skills, communication skills, problem-solving, ideals, and other qualities other than technical certifications.
Supporting non-profit organizations such as Per Scholas is another way to expand diversity and get connected to more diverse cyber talent. Per Scholas offers no cost technical training to people who are unemployed or underemployed in communities throughout the United States. Their cybersecurity program equips students with the fundamental concepts in security specialties and provides hands on training. Students graduate the program with a Cybersecurity Analyst Certification (CYSA+). Mitchell Martin partners with Per Scholas to support their programs as well as offer placement services to their graduates.
5. Dismantle unconscious bias
Another approach to increasing diversity is to take a look at our existing businesses. Here, we can aim to dismantle unconscious bias, which is built into corporate cultures. People need to be aware that unconscious biases are exactly that – unconscious. By exposing this and introducing people to new ways of thinking, firms can be more open to different backgrounds and experiences.
If you’re finding it difficult to conquer unconscious bias in your organization, a staffing firm can help expose you to a wider pool of diverse talent, especially one like Mitchell Martin who specializes in cybersecurity. This means there are existing relationships with tons of great cyber candidates, even those who may not be currently looking for a job change.
Many improvements can be made to the cybersecurity industry. Gaps remain, needing to be filled with those with the diverse experiences, skills, and viewpoints required to make decisions, innovations, and creative connections to keep the industry at the top of its game. This is not something that’s going to change overnight, but it is something we can start changing today.