A new study by consulting firm (ISC)2 reports that despite the current economic downturn, company hiring managers are having a difficult time filling critical information security jobs, largely because salary expectations and skill levels do not meet current demand. But according to Hord Tipton, executive director for (ISC)2, that could be good news for the government.
The survey found that more than 80 percent of hiring managers are challenged in their efforts to find the right candidate, with the range of concerns stemming from a lack of desired skills or lack of available professionals within a local area, poor cultural fit and salary demands that are too high for available budgets.
Tipton said on Monday, however, that while the government also shares the challenge of finding the appropriate skill sets for information security positions, the economic downturn could boost the government's ability to compete with the private sector for those critical skill sets. For example, the pay gap between federal and private sector pay has shrunk, he said, making government salaries more attractive. That, along with the inherent job security that's often tagged to federal jobs, Tipton said, gives the government a strong competitive edge. It also makes it less likely that current federal IT professionals will leave their jobs for the private sector, he added.
Brittany Ballenstedt
Brittany Ballenstedt writes Nextgov's Wired Workplace blog, which delves into the issues facing employees who work in the federal information technology sector. Before joining Nextgov, Brittany covered federal pay and benefits issues as a staff correspondent for Government Executive and served as an associate editor for National Journal's Technology Daily. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mansfield University and originally hails from Pennsylvania. She currently lives near Travis Air Force Base, Calif., where her husband is stationed.
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