BlackBerry CISO Arvind Raman looks beyond job titles when he has open positions to fill and instead focuses on the key skills required to do the work. That mindset allows Raman to readily identify and recruit qualified professionals from outside the security field, instead of simply seeking candidates working their way up the typical chain of security roles.
For example, he has hired finance professionals for risk- and compliance-related work and marketing pros for awareness training projects. “It’s about being aligned with what is really needed and what core functionalities are required for the role,” Raman says.
Some roles, of course, must be filled with experienced security professionals, he says, and in those cases, he looks for candidates who have held prior security roles. On the other hand, he believes many security positions can be filled by people skilled in other disciplines. “And for those you don’t have to limit your search to security people,” he adds.