9: What Employers Look for When Hiring IT Security Professionals (with Dr. Lori Sussman)

As organizations become more aware of the need for stronger cybersecurity, they are searching for security IT professionals who not only have the technical acumen, but also the ability to effectively communicate needs and solutions to non-technical stakeholders.

Defendify Co-Founder, Rob Simopoulos, speaks with Dr. Lori Sussman of the University of Southern Maine’s Technology and Cybersecurity program, about what skills employers are looking for that will help meet the growing demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals.

Dr. Sussman’s experience spans from her role as CIO within the U.S. Army, to being the Presidential Communications Officer under the Bush and Clinton Administrations, to senior strategy positions at Cisco Systems and Hewlett-Packard. She currently provides research and guidance around cybersecurity awareness and policies, and educational programs for cybersecurity professionals that lead to CIO and CISO roles.

In this episode, Rob and Lori discuss:
• Operational skills (procedures) vs. People skills (collaboration)
• Potentials changes to the NIST security framework
• Cybersecurity compliance for small and mid-sized businesses
• 3 key areas to boost your cybersecurity program