How do we stay ahead of cyber threats when the talent just isn’t there?
The answer? Agile. Not just in project delivery, but in how we hire, train, and retain cybersecurity professionals.
The UK’s Cyber Skills Gap Is Still Widening
Almost half of UK businesses lack basic cybersecurity skills. And while job ads for some cyber roles have dropped since 2022, demand for incident management specialists is climbing rapidly from 27% to 48%. The shape of the workforce is shifting, but traditional recruitment methods haven’t caught up.
Scrum to the Rescue: The Rise of Agile Hiring
Forward-thinking employers are borrowing Scrum principles like adaptability, collaboration, and fast iteration and applying them to how they hire:
- Hiring in sprints: Breaking long recruitment cycles into quick, focused bursts.
- Cross-functional teams: Recruiting cyber experts alongside developers and compliance leads.
- Skills-first mindset: Prioritising real-world problem-solving over degrees and certificates.
Upskilling as a Strategy
With talent scarce, companies are doubling down on internal growth:
- “Buy then build”: Recruit potential, then train for specialisation.
- Agile learning: Teams apply Scrum to continuous development.
- Career pathways: Structured upskilling = higher retention and loyalty.
What This Means for Recruitment in 2025 and Beyond
We’re moving away from the myth of the “perfect hire.” Instead, it’s about creating resilient, skilled, and agile teams that can keep pace with cyber threats as they unfold.
- Agile hiring is faster, smarter, and more inclusive.
- Skills-first strategies widen your talent pipeline.
- Upskilling builds loyal, long-term cybersecurity strength.
Cyber threats move quickly. So should recruitment.