NextGov.com (02/15/12) Brittany Ballenstedt

According to a survey of 545 federal cybersecurity professionals by (ISC)2, 97% are currently employed, 62% received a salary increase last year, and 48% anticipate a pay raise this year. The survey indicates that 60% of federal cybersecurity pros changed jobs in 2011, and 43% cited pursuit of advancement opportunities as the reason.

However, 83% of federal hiring managers said it is “extremely difficult” to identify and hire qualified candidates, with 42% indicating that the process took one to three months and 33% saying it took six or more months. Of these hiring managers, 68% are seeking candidates with certification and accreditation, 55% want those with operations security skills, and 53% want candidates with experience in telecommunications and network security. In terms of recruitment, the U.S. Cyber Corps program, efforts on college campuses, and job fairs were not viewed as very effective. However, 50% of hiring managers said referrals from colleagues were effective, while 33% cited online Web sites and 10% networking.