Pete Strouse’s Post

When recruiters are starting to recruit recruiters again it’s always a good sign for the market… The Rec2Rec (subsection of the recruitment market that consists of recruiters that only recruit recruiters) market has been pretty silent since the post Covid hiring boom. Back in 2022 any agency side recruiter with even mediocre skills used to wake up with 2/3 of these message in their DMs most mornings but since then things have changed… But whilst these messages aren’t as prevalent as they used to be there’s been a distinct uptick in proactive outreach on the Rec2Rec scene lately which is a good sign for the cyber security jobs market. I’ve even had a few cold calls from some super tenacious Rec2Rec recruiters - Love it, they better be good 😅🙊… Why does all this matter to the cyber security community? The truth is the larger recruitment agencies have deep pockets and they aren’t afraid to spend this on market research in order to fully grasp job market conditions. They are also in my experience very good and understanding and getting a true feel for both current & future market conditions. This means in a nutshell if they are proactively and aggressively starting to headhunt experienced recruiters again they know positivity is on the horizon. After all they don’t staff up with senior folks on expensive base salaries for the sheer fun of it… Let this news be a beackon of shining light to you. Now is not the time to get down!! It’s the time to upskill in a big way for when this highly cyclical market goes ‘pop’ again… Enjoy the ride! :)

My first corporate job paid me £18k. Like most people, I 'fell' into the recruitment world. I didn't even know such work existed. From my first day on the job, making a 100 calls, to my last, helping global organisations hire CISOs. One thing is for certain, it has taught me a huge amount. And has given me all the skills I need to be where I am today. Thing is, I want to help more people. So, 12 years later and I am hanging up my recruitment gloves. Most people with my experience would start a recruitment agency. Why not right? I have the clients, I know the market. Seems like the sensible option. But, the world doesn't need is another recruitment company. I want to have a bigger impact on an industry I have come to love. →Coaching people, →Building products, →Creating a community, →Building 'real' relationships. And ultimately create positive change across the cyber security landscape. In 10 years time I want to look back and say. "I made a massive difference" What is the one thing that needs to change in our industry? P.S. I think it is fair to say growing facial hair was the best thing to happen to me 😂

Warning - ghost/fake security job postings in 2024 are costing you time... This has been a real problem throughout 2024. Organizations are posting job adverts so they can build talent pools for the future and/or see 'what's on the market'. This is wrong on so many levels! Apart from your family and your health, your cyber security career is the most important thing in your life, facts! This makes this tactic that certain employers deploy flipping awful. These firms should be avoided... What's the solution? As a security recruitment agency we're fully retained. For those outside the recruitment world this means our clients pay us a portion of our fees first. Some long standing clients of ours have been known to pay 100% of the fee first as they want (in certain instances) my undivided attention as well as top priority over other clients... Why does this matter & how does it help the wider security community? The customers we have are smart, intelligent, & 'switched on' guys and girls. They don't part with their hard earnt cash unless they are committed and serious about hiring. It means as a security professional you have the reassurance that when you talk to me you know we're 'for real'. I'm too busy to faff around - as are you. This is also why you'll sometimes see me working on search assignments 7 days a week 16 hours a day. My customers are committed which means I am too... What else should recruitment agencies be doing to help the community?

For businesses that face significant skills gap in direct applicants, but “don't use recruiters or agencies!!!!” I genuinely wonder why? Most agencies operate on a contingency basis—meaning you don’t pay anything until you hire someone. Considering the long-term revenue loss from hiring the wrong candidates (picking the best of a bad bunch) or, worse, not hiring at all - forcing you to lean heavily on existing staff, leading to burnout and further internal issues & ultimately - revenue loss. Why not work with a market specialist to access a high-quality candidate pool? If they don’t deliver a strong candidate, you pay nothing. If they don't provide a candidate strong enough to hire, you don't part with a penny. Is this not a perfect 'no win, no fee' model? Genuinely curious as to why businesses continue to flog a dead horse by posting ads on Indeed and seeing a complete mismatch in applicants. Is it a lack of awareness about fees? Is it ignorance? Is it rooted in greed? Is there an inherent dislike of recruiters and agencies? Let’s hear your thoughts! #recruitment #techrecruitment #agencyrecruitment #hiring #techjobs #azure #cybersecurityjobs #cybersecurity #monday

Important Notice: Fraudulent Job Recruitment Messages Targeting IntelliBridge Job Seekers It has come to our attention that fraudulent individuals are impersonating IntelliBridge recruiters to target job seekers. These scams often begin with basic questions about job experience but can quickly escalate to requests for payments, personal identification, or other sensitive personally identifiable information (PII). Please be aware that IntelliBridge will never ask for money or sensitive personal information during the recruitment process. To protect yourself, ensure that all communication is from a verified IntelliBridge recruiter by checking the email domain, which should always end with @intellibridge.us. Additionally, all legitimate job openings will be posted exclusively on our IntelliBridge Careers page (https://lnkd.in/eDutcZDS) and require submission through our official website. At IntelliBridge, we uphold the highest standards of data privacy, compliance, and employment law throughout our hiring process. If you receive suspicious communications from someone claiming to represent IntelliBridge, we strongly recommend reporting the incident to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For further guidance, please review this FTC consumer alert (https://lnkd.in/dgkrq6cz) Your security is our priority—stay vigilant, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns.

What’s actually happening in the security jobs market right now? - Clients are hiring like crazy but there’s still a slight surplus of talent on the market which means some are still feeling the pinch & finding it challenging to get themselves off the market. - The market is beginning to tighten again (6-12 months before wider market notices this). That’s a good sign. As with any market, economy, things are cyclical and always will be. - There’s a very intentional push right now from cyber security related companies - consultancies, MSPs, MSSP, serving both enterprise & SMB clients to hire, source, and secure awesome security sales talent. FYI this is a good sign. Smart employers can see the opportunity that’s looming just months around the corner. Expect a mini war for talent within the security sales space very soon! - You’ll start to notice more agency side recruiters approaching you soon as appose to internal recruiters or talent acquisition teams. Why? Because c-suite are beginning to increase & ratchet up hiring demand but their internal recruiting functions are around 50-80% smaller than they used to be. So, they’ll deploy outside recruitment to support there’s growth plans untill they can find and recruit good quality internal folks again. This means I’ll be getting even less sleep 🙊😄 I hope this market info helps you and gives you some nice visibility in terms of what’s actually happening right now. I’m still on the phone to clients and candidates everyday during the week and it really does feel like a privilege to have access to this information. It’s my duty as a recruiter to share this with you… Happy Saturday, let’s go!!!!!!

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Update on the cyber security jobs market + tips for your search… Things ain’t easy for candidates out there as it stands and here’s why: - Most well known brands are overwhelmed with inbound applications. I spoke to a good experienced internal recruiter last week who told me her & the team have stopped using any form of inbound application channels as they cannot physically handle the workload. They’ve resorted to a more proactive outbound approach targeting candidates. - Whilst most known, experienced, and good specialist agency side recruiters are still kept busy we’re working on very specific assignments when partnering with client organisations. These talent pools are often still tight within specific subsections of the security market meaning we can’t help the masses only the few. What’s caused this storm across the security jobs market? - Meta, Amazon, and other big tech have kicked out huge amounts of talent onto the market via layoffs. Combine this with the fact it’s never been easier to apply for a job (AI, automation etc) we have a perfect storm on our hands & companies are literally getting bombarded with a continuous onslaught of applicants. Are there any positives for candidates? - Yep! Personally I’m noticing an uptick in demand on the client side of the recruitment equation right now which I firmly believe will trickle down to the wider market soon. Keep in mind the recruitment game has been cyclical since the beginning of time. One year clients are in control & the next it’s a candidate led market again… What advice & tips do I have for candidates? - Personalisation is key on a consistent basis. Don’t apply for 200 - 300 roles in a generic way you’ll be lucky to get a reply, apply for 10 in a hyper personalised fashion. Map out the decision makers within the organisation, research these people prior to ‘hitting them up’. Even folks reading this will ignore this advice, if you follow it you’ll stand out. - Be real with yourself. A career in cyber security within the US means you’ll have a salary way WAY into 6 figures given time, options to work remotely, major levels of stimulation, a huge sense of purpose. Essentially you’ll be living your best life, living the dream so to speak. So, this is never going to be easy & to be quite frank it shouldn’t be. - Have a plan, keep your cool, stay persistent, and stick with it. This is a test to see how badly you want this career. Pass the test, cultivate a strong mindset that will carry you through the tough times, & enjoy this journey! Providing you don’t quit you will reach your desired destination. Believe it or not this is all meant to be good fun! You got this & patience is a virtue... If you’re in process with me I will be getting back to you. I always get back to everyone that is but for all the above reasons things are slightly slower. I hope this up to the minute market info helps you.

#HiringManagers — are you noticing that candidates fail your background checks? Here’s how to navigate this challenge: 1. Maintain Rigorous Standards: Don’t lower your hiring standards despite any talent shortages. Protect your company’s culture and reputation. 2. Review Your Process: Ensure you’re not missing out on great talent with minor past issues. 3. Apply the "Three Rs": ✅ Relevant: Is the offense relevant to the job? ✅ Repeated: Was it a one-time incident or a pattern? ✅ Recent: How long ago did it occur? For example: A candidate with a DUI from 10 years ago (and a clean record since then) might be acceptable, but a history of violence or cyber theft may be relevant no matter when it happened. 3 Major Hiring Obstacles and How to Overcome Them 🔗: https://lnkd.in/gBs_bAHr -- #Hiring is time-consuming, expensive and can be tricky to get right. Our #recruiters are here to help. BravoTECH specializes in helping you secure in-demand talent – even those who may not be actively seeking a new role. ☎️ 800.726.7286 📧 info@bravotech.com

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