Growing cyberthreats risk business continuity, and many organizations struggle to find the right talent to stay protected. The global shortage of cybersecurity professionals makes it harder to respond quickly to incidents, manage ongoing risks and recover from breaches.

Traditional hiring often filters candidates by degrees or job titles. Still, that approach overlooks skilled individuals who can do the job but don’t fit the usual mold. Skills-based hiring offers a fresh alternative, prioritizing real-world ability, practical problem-solving and hands-on experience over formal credentials.

Why Change Is Urgent

The demand for cybersecurity professionals grows, yet there’s a global shortage of 3.4 million qualified workers to fill these roles. Many organizations still rely on traditional hiring filters like degrees or job titles, often overlooking competent individuals from nontraditional backgrounds.

This ongoing talent gap delays recruitment and threatens essential areas like risk management and business continuity. A skills-based hiring approach helps bridge this gap by focusing on proven abilities instead of outdated credentials. It allows businesses to leverage underutilized talent pools and build stronger, more agile security teams ready to handle fast-moving threats.

1. Redefine Job Descriptions by Outcomes

Organizations need to rethink how they write cybersecurity job descriptions to effectively apply skills-based hiring. Rather than focusing on how many years a candidate has worked in the field, it’s more useful to highlight the actual tasks the role involves. These include investigating phishing attacks, monitoring intrusion attempts or responding to ransomware alerts.

This approach shifts the emphasis from arbitrary experience levels to practical, on-the-job responsibilities. It makes job postings more relevant and appealing and helps hiring managers evaluate whether applicants can perform the required duties. Companies can attract a broader range of skilled candidates ready to contribute from day one by focusing on real-world capabilities.

2. Remove Degree Requirements Where Possible

Unless legal or regulatory degree requirements bind a cybersecurity role, companies should consider removing education filters from job postings altogether. Around 70% of organizations have already taken this step. They recognize that dropping bachelor’s degree requirements helps create a more diverse and capable workforce.

Some of the strongest candidates in cybersecurity are self-taught, boot camp graduates or veterans with real-world training that outpaces traditional classroom instruction. These professionals bring hands-on experience and problem-solving capabilities that are often more valuable than a diploma. Employers can unlock a broader and more prepared talent pool by focusing on what candidates can do rather than how they learned it.

3. Partner With Bootcamps and Cyber Training Programs

Companies that want to get serious about skills-based hiring should look beyond traditional education pipelines and collaborate with programs focusing on hands-on, project-based learning. Coding boot camps, cybersecurity academies and workforce development initiatives mirror real-world scenarios and tools give learners practical experience that translates directly into job readiness.

Because they move fast and stay current, graduates from these programs often bring more up-to-date techniques than many traditional degree holders. Building partnerships with these training providers maximizes a steady flow of candidates who are already trained on the platforms, protocols and problem-solving techniques.

4. Create Apprenticeships or Entry-Level Pipelines

One of the most effective ways to close the cybersecurity talent gap is to grow talent internally through structured, skills-based programs that offer hands-on training and real-world experience. Cybersecurity roles take 21% longer to fill than other IT positions, so relying solely on external hiring can slow security operations and stretch existing teams thin.

Investing in apprenticeships, job-shadowing opportunities or internal upskilling tracks can teach the exact capabilities while building a sense of loyalty and long-term commitment. This approach speeds up the hiring process and creates a workforce that’s closely aligned with the company’s tools, culture and security challenges.

5. Involve Current Cyber Staff in Hiring

Involving current cybersecurity team members in the hiring process is a practical way to strengthen skills-based recruitment. They understand the real challenges faced on the job, including responding to live threats, analyzing complex logs or managing alerts during high-pressure situations.

Designing technical assessments or participating in interviews offers insights into the specific capabilities that matter in the field. Their input helps identify candidates with the proper knowledge and who can apply it effectively in real-world scenarios. This collaborative approach leads to smarter hires, stronger teams and smoother onboarding for everyone involved.

6. Use Real-World Skills Assessments

Simulating actual job tasks helps assess candidates in a skills-based cybersecurity hiring process. Employers can evaluate how well they handle real-world challenges by asking applicants to perform relevant exercises like analyzing threat logs, drafting incident reports or patching virtual systems under time constraints.

These hands-on assessments go beyond resumes and reveal how candidates think, problem-solve and work under pressure. They also help set clear expectations about what the role involves. This is especially crucial since a lack of clarity around responsibilities is among the most common reasons new hires leave within the first few months. Giving candidates a job preview leads to better hiring decisions and improves retention by aligning capabilities with daily demands.

7. Prioritize Transferable Skills

In cybersecurity hiring, focusing solely on technical ability can cause companies to overlook candidates with strengths that are just as vital. These include critical thinking, risk analysis and clear communication. These soft skills are influential in identifying threats, evaluating potential impact, and translating complex issues into actionable insights for technical teams and business stakeholders.

Experts point out that cybersecurity roles require at least 17 distinct skill sets, ranging from technical competencies to process-driven and strategic thinking. Prioritizing a broader mix of capabilities can build teams that are technically strong, collaborative and better equipped to handle the demands of modern cyber defense.

8. Showcase a Growth-First Culture in Job Listings

Companies that want to attract top cybersecurity talent should value continuous learning and professional growth. Including details in job listings about training budgets, internal promotions or access to certification programs shows candidates that development is more than a buzzword. Instead, it’s part of the company culture.

Offering dedicated lab time for experimentation, testing new tools, or exploring emerging threats signals that the organization supports curiosity and innovation. These kinds of learning opportunities help employees stay sharp in the field and foster long-term loyalty and engagement. Companies investing in growth hire talent and keep it.

Why Skills-Based Hiring Builds a Stronger Cybersecurity Team

Cyberthreats don’t wait for perfect resumes or traditional career paths. Skills-based hiring opens that door to agile, capable professionals who can contribute from day one. Organizations can close the talent gap and build a stronger, more resilient cybersecurity strategy by focusing on proven abilities instead of outdated credentials.