Based on some requests, feedback and conversations, I posted a forum topic about expanding the Catalyst community to include finding a way to help qualified security professionals find good jobs. We got some good initial comments and feedback, and I got a few solid emails, too.
Based on those discussions and my own “lessons learned” in hiring people,I have worked out a few ideas on paper — and they all come down to validating the people applying for the position and working with the hiring managers to make sure they know what they need, and ask for what they need.As I have been working on this, I came across an interesting study in the April 2006 Harvard Business Review where the researchers studied the top 6 skills and traits of sales people - by asking the companies what they thought were important, then asking the customers and lastly measuring what the companies actually hired for.
Results? You guessed it — the companies had a different set of expectations from their clients (and disconnect is bad); more over, the companies were not hiring for the same skills that they said they valued (and didn’t manage to hire based on what the clients found important). April 2006 Harvard Business Review Reprint: F0604G
Bottom line: we are in a quickly maturing industry — and we’re finding that people claim security when they shouldn’t, and hire for security when they shouldn’t.
Here’s the rub: the validation on both sides that this requires takes time. Since it will cost time, I don’t foresee this being a volunteer effort. The reality of it is, in my opinion, that job boards don’t work. And the hiring process for a lot of positions is flawed. If we can circumvent that and validate people and positions — we solve a problem.
I have the process designed. The bigger question is whether or not people are willing to pay for it. I honestly don’t know what the costs of this approach will be. I have a few “must” follow steps, and a few optional steps that will provide added value, but aren’t needed.
I envision growing our Catalyst efforts into a constructive community that fosters the advancement of security. I see being able to connect qualified job seekers with the right jobs as an important function….
Eventually, I’ll get around to doing a survey. Until then, I’d be curious to hear from both job seekers and current hiring managers:
- what is your biggest challenge in finding a job?
- what is your biggest challenge in finding a talented candidate?
- how much money have you spent searching for a job?
- how much money have you spent searching for a candidate?
- what is the perceived/actual value to you of a service that pre-qualifies people and helps you make a connecction, based on the experience of dedicated and proven professionals?
Let me know - and I’ll work to build it.
Share your ideas, comments, gripes and offers to help, fund or otherwise support it here:
FORUM DISCUSSION (Free registration required I am always available to you via email: securitycatalyst*NOSPAM*@gmail.com
Listen in as Martin McKeay (Network Security), Dan Kuykendal (Mighty Seek), Larry Pesce (Pauldotcom Security) and Michael Santarcangelo (The Security Catalyst) discuss email security during the first Security Round Table. We recorded the podcast from a conference bridge, so the quality is about what you would expect from the broadcast radio.
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