What’s Broken in Cybersecurity Hiring?
What’s Broken in Cybersecurity Hiring?
https://www.govinfosecurity.com/proof-concept-whats-broken-in-cybersecurity-hiring-a-30402
Publish Date: 2026-01-07 09:43:00
Source Domain: www.govinfosecurity.com
Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.
Experts Dissect the Widening Gap Between Talent Supply and Employer Demand
Anna Delaney (annamadeline) •
January 7, 2026
Clockwise, from top left: Anna Delaney, Tom Field, Brandy Harris and Chase Cunningham
In the latest “Proof of Concept,” Chase Cunningham, CSO at Demo-Force.com, and Brandy Harris, director at CyberEd.io, joined editors at Information Security Media Group to examine why cybersecurity hiring continues to fail. Despite a growing talent pipeline, outdated frameworks and unrealistic expectations block progress.See Also: Going Beyond the Copilot Pilot – A CISO’s Perspective
Cunningham challenged the logic behind industry claims of unfillable roles. “You have certified, available, educated, useful people, and they’re not getting hired. Something ain’t right,” he said. “It can’t be both – millions of people looking for work and millions of jobs no one’s filling.”
Harris pointed to the mismatch between marketed opportunity and the lived experience of job seekers. “What we read out there every day is just not the lived experience that people have right now,” she said, pointing to the lack of viable entry points, especially for early-career professionals.
Both experts pointed to deeper structural issues: HR systems that misclassify roles, job postings that confuse entry-level with mid-career roles, and a broad absence of mentorship and hands-on training. As artificial intelliegence tools reshape security operations and compress traditional roles, organizations must evolve how they define, attract and grow cybersecurity talent, they said.
Cunningham and Harris joined Anna Delaney, director, productions, ISMG, and Tom Field, senior vice president, editorial, ISMG, to discuss:
Why the cybersecurity job gap reflects hiring dysfunction, not talent scarcity;
The impact of AI on workforce demand and role expectations;
How organizations can build internal capability through mentorship and hands-on training.
Cunningham has more than two decades of experience in cyber forensics and analytics operations and has expertise in driving market innovation, strategic partnerships and growth initiatives. Previously, he was a chief strategy officer at Ericom Software and vice president and principal analyst at Forrester. He has also held senior security and analyst roles at the NSA, CIA, FBI and other government agencies.
Harris is an accomplished academic leader with a passion for affecting positive change in our cybersecurity workforce. With nearly 20 years of experience in education and almost a decade in technology education, she has a proven track record of designing, implementing and evaluating cybersecurity programs. Harris holds a master’s degree in education, a master’s degree in cybersecurity and a Ph.D. in organizational leadership. She is passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion for all students while being committed to academic excellence.
Don’t miss our previous instalments of “Proof of Concept,” including the May 12 edition on how AI identity fraud is hitting a strategic inflection point and the May 23 edition on rethinking identity in the age of AI agents.
