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How Cybersecurity Layoffs Affect the Job Market  

Recent rounds of layoffs at cybersecurity firms mean more industry veterans seeking new jobs, which could have a range of impacts on the sector’s long-bustling employment market.

hiring people 4009327 640As Security Week reports, the layoffs involving not just tech giants but also smaller firms from One Trust to Sophos could reduce the “skills gap,”:which is the difference between the evolving skills required by employers and the skills available. But it probably won’t reduce the cybersecurity “talent gap,” which demands a deeper knowledge of how computers actually work, likely reflected in degrees and certifications.

Mark Sasson, managing partner and executive recruiter with the Pinpoint Search Group, told the publication that “people are going to get scooped up and we’re still going to have the same situation with the talent gap.” Michael Piacente, managing partner and co-founder at recruiting firm Hitch Partners, added that employers can reduce the talent gap by refocusing on “human character elements” rather than resumes. Dave Gerry, CEO of IT security company Bugcrowd, calls for more “internships, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training.”

As Axios reports, cybersecurity talent has still been highly sought-after lately despite Layoffs.com data showing that more than 57,000 people at tech companies lost their jobs in January. Will Markow, vice president of applied research at labor market analytics firm Lightcast, told Axios that cybersecurity hiring demand “definitely still remains as strong as it has ever been.” Markow notes, however, that a recession might lead toward more focus on filling entry-level cybersecurity jobs.

Citing data from cybersecurity workforce analytics site Cyberseek, total online job postings in cybersecurity fell year-over-year from 769,736 in 2021 to 755,743 in 2022, as CNBC reports. But a reported supply-demand ratio of 68 workers for every 100 openings suggests that the amount of cybersecurity pros needed in America rose by 530,000 in 2022.

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