Red Flags to Watch for When Hiring Cybersecurity Professionals

Hiring the right cybersecurity talent is critical—but making the wrong hire? That can be costly and dangerous for your organization. Cybersecurity professionals need technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and the highest level of trustworthiness.

So, what are the red flags to watch for when hiring cybersecurity talent? Here are some warning signs that could indicate a bad fit:

  1. Overemphasis on Certifications, But No Hands-On Experience

Certifications like CISSP, OSCP, and CEH can be valuable—but they’re not a guarantee of real-world skills. Some candidates focus on collecting certs but lack practical experience in handling live security incidents.

What to do instead: Test for hands-on skills. Give candidates real-world scenarios, CTF challenges, or ask about past security incidents they’ve worked on.

  1. Weak Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking Skills

Cybersecurity isn’t just about knowing tools—it’s about thinking like an attacker. If a candidate struggles to explain how they’d approach a security breach or analyze a vulnerability, that’s a red flag.

What to do instead: Ask scenario-based questions:
“If your organization was hit with a ransomware attack, what steps would you take?”
“How would you secure a cloud environment with limited resources?”

  1. Lack of Interest in Continuous Learning

Cyber threats evolve daily. If a candidate isn’t actively staying up to date with new threats, tools, and trends, their skills will quickly become outdated.

What to do instead: Ask what cybersecurity blogs, forums, or conferences they follow. Passionate security professionals will mention things like:
🔹 SANS, Dark Reading, or Krebs on Security
🔹 Defcon, Black Hat, or BSides
🔹 Participation in bug bounty programs or open-source security projects

  1. Poor Communication Skills

Cybersecurity isn’t just technical—it’s about educating and influencing non-technical teams. If a candidate struggles to explain security concepts in simple terms, they might not be able to work effectively with leadership or end users.

What to do instead: Ask them to explain a complex security concept in layman’s terms, like:
“Explain zero-trust security to someone with no technical background.”

  1. A “Know-It-All” Attitude

The best cybersecurity professionals are humble, adaptable, and willing to learn. If a candidate dismisses new ideas, refuses to admit when they don’t know something, or lacks teamwork, that’s a red flag.

What to do instead: Look for curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to collaborate.

Hiring great cybersecurity talent isn’t just about technical skills—it’s about mindset, adaptability, and trust.

What’s the biggest red flag YOU’VE seen when hiring cybersecurity professionals?

Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇