The Bench You'll Need in Three Years Depends on Decisions You Make Now

"Today's entry-level security analysts and engineers will become the mid-level talent available to hire in three years. As AI-native security tools automate alert triage, report drafting, and other repetitive work, that talent pool is contracting. Security analyst postings - the most common starting point in the field - fell roughly 25% between 2022 and 2024, according to CyberSN's analysis of 45 cyber job functions. The downstream effects are predictable: hiring gets harder, benches get thinner, and fewer people are ready to step into more senior roles."

"But this is only part of the story; there isn't a shortage of people interested in security. It's a mismatch - a widening gap between what organizations need and what the available pool has been trained to do. Entry-level roles were the mechanism the industry used to close that gap over time. Eliminating them doesn't eliminate the gap. It just stops the repair. For CISOs and other security leaders, this is an early warning sign of a problem that will eventually show up in hiring, provider quality, and bench strength."

"Whether you are buying security services or building a lean internal team, the future quality of both depends on whether someone is developing the people who grow into senior roles. For midsize organizations, a talent-pipeline problem can turn into an operating problem quickly. Lean security teams with constrained budgets, one or two external security providers, and no real depth on the bench do not have the same options as larger organizations. Bigger companies can absorb a hiring drought by promoting internally, running rotational programs, or simply outbidding the market."

Entry-level security analysts and engineers are the future mid-level talent, but AI-native security tools automate repetitive work such as alert triage and report drafting. Security analyst postings declined about 25% from 2022 to 2024 across 45 cyber job functions, making hiring harder and thinning bench depth. Interest in security remains, but a mismatch is widening between organizational needs and what the available pool has been trained to do. Entry-level roles historically helped close this gap over time, and removing them stops the repair rather than eliminating the underlying problem. For CISOs and security leaders, the narrowing entry path signals future issues in hiring, provider quality, and readiness for senior roles, especially for lean teams with limited budget and provider depth.

Read at Securitymagazine