Page 266 - Cyber Defense eMagazine August 2024

Why Diversity in Cybersecurity Needs More Attention

Diversity is an important topic of conversation in all industries, especially in highly technical areas like
cybersecurity. Because despite increases in women educated in these technical areas, employment
numbers are not changing over time. Below are some of the current challenges the industry is facing:

Unapproachable Role Descriptions

Although hiring managers may have a specific type of person in mind when drafting their job descriptions,
they may often underestimate the intimidation factor of the type of verbiage they use.

Many cybersecurity role descriptions today can be incredibly overwhelming, filled with a never-ending list
of qualifications or next-to-impossible combinations of technical and soft skills. This can often discourage
many people - especially women - from putting their hat in the ring. In fact, studies have shown that
women are more likely than men to self-select themselves out of a job application based on the job
description.

Limited Access to Higher Caliber Positions

Another major challenge in cybersecurity is the apparent lack of advancement opportunities, especially
for female employees. Regardless of qualifications, women can often find their career progression
unintentionally throttled by factors such as a lack of diverse mentors and career champions.

This throttling - whether done consciously or not - has had major ripple effects on the number of women
in higher-caliber positions. The lack of representation in this area could be another reason why females
have found the cybersecurity industry as a whole to be outside of their best interests.

How Women Are Contributing to Improved Cybersecurity Effectiveness

Even though the cybersecurity industry is still male-dominated, the current and ongoing positive impact
that females are introducing to the sector is hard to ignore.

Broader Perspectives and New Approaches to Problem Solving

The most impactful cybersecurity initiatives are born out of a blend of creativity and strategic planning.
Having a more diverse workforce contributes to a wider range of perspectives and ideas to spark creative
thinking.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – August 2024 Edition 266
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