Dear SOC managers and recruiters,

I feel your pain.

The cybersecurity skill shortage is the bane of our existence. Recruiting and retaining top SOC analysts is vital to your company’s cybersecurity and reputation. It’s also basically Mission Impossible. But just as Ethan Hunt uses his wit, creativity and superhero prowess to get the job done, so do we. The first step, getting the attention of potential candidates, can be very challenging. But if you want to grow your pipeline of incoming SOC analysts, you need to overcome this initial obstacle.  I want to share with you a cool hack my HR recruiting team came up with to rise above the noise of other recruiters and catch the attention, and interest, of some of the most talented SOC analysts out there– SOC Analyst Recruitment Deck.

SOC Analyst Recruitment Deck

We are all familiar with investor pitch decks. The internet is rife with examples of the PowerPoint presentations founders used to pitch their idea to investors. So we put a spin on the investor pitch deck and created a new one aimed at getting the attention of SOC analysts and convincing them our company is worth checking out for their next career step. VCs invest money, employees invest their days, months and year our company. We needed a clear way to communicate why joining our company was the best career investment they could make. Hence, the Recruitment pitch deck was born. We use a basic template and then customize it for each role in our organization and personalize it for each candidate.

Every SOC Analyst is a Human Being

Nobody likes spam. SOC analysts get so many requests and offers from recruiters, that they literally feel like spam; generic and annoying. So, the first step in building an effective recruitment deck is to make it personal. Use their name, picture and maybe a few things you have taken the time to learn about them. Don’t be creepy but learning a bit about a candidate will help make the message more personal and worth listening too.

People Always Come First

Your SOC Analysts Recruitment Deck should open with people. One of the biggest fears people have about changing jobs is the people they will be working with. Make sure the candidate knows you put people first, invest in team dynamics and activities, and let them know the workplace is friendly and productive. They also care about managers and mentors, they are an important factor in professional growth and a strong factor when considering a new position.

Tools and Technology

Ambitious technology experts don’t want to be held back by frustrating, antiquated tools that may soon be obsolete. They love shiny new tech and crave the change to play with it. Include a slide or two about the cool tools and technology your SOC team uses. If you have advanced SOAR technology that reduces mundane workload by automating playbooks and reducing the number of escalations, make sure candidates know about it and how it frees up analysts to concentrate on the most interesting, challenging parts of the job.

Financials

Be open and honest about your company’s financial situation. If you are a startup, let the candidate know about your funding status, etc. Also share your policy about the frequency of salary reviews, bonuses, stock options, and other perks.

Personal Impact

Not many people enjoy the idea of being a cog in the wheel. SOC analysts especially tend to like to be close to the action and take on personal responsibility and initiative. Let them know they will be listened to, involved in a variety of important projects and have plenty of opportunities for personal impact.

Training and Growth

No matter how much experience a SOC analyst already has, they want to keep growing and challenging themselves. Tell them about ongoing training opportunities they will have to continue to sharpen their skills and stay at the top of their field. At Cyberbit we are lucky to also be the developers of the World’s leading cyber range training and simulation platform, the Cyberbit Range.  

Our Range allows SOC analysts to gain prized hands-on experience responding to all the latest emerging cyberattacks, so they can sharpen their skills and stay ahead of attackers. If you don’t have a cyber range on-site, make sure you schedule ample cloud-based training opportunities on an ongoing basis. Also, make online, at-your-own-pace training resources available to all levels of SOC analysts and encourage them to use ‘down-time’ to brush up or learn new skills.

Community Involvement & Volunteering

This is often overlooked in the recruiting process. Big mistake. People care deeply about giving back and sharing the types of projects and volunteering opportunities available to employees is a big draw. Diversity and inclusion are also very important values for many employers and employees. Making your policy knows to candidates can make a big difference in how they feel about saying ‘yes’ to your offer.

A Part of Something Bigger

Show candidates how far-reaching your company is. Does your SOC protect assets in multiple locations? What is the sum value of all the assets you protect? Is your SOC distributed across the country, around the world? Being a SOC analyst is so much more than fielding SIEM alerts. An OT SOC literally keeps the lights on for millions of people. Medical SOC ensures uninterrupted delivery of life-saving medical care. Let them know they will be part of something much bigger.

Everything is Personal

No matter how big or small your SOC and your company, make sure candidates and new employees are personally greeted, onboarded, introduced to team members and made to feel at home. At Cyberbit, we create a personalized gift basket based on the individual’s personality and interests.  Finally, extend a personal invitation to continue the conversation, including contact details for both HR, the SOC manager even current members of the SOC team.

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