More companies are realizing they need to increase cyber security, but finding someone with this type of background is not as easy as it seems.
Information technology (IT) professionals are in high demand in the United States and around the world, so finding one with managerial experience will require many man hours scouring job boards and the internet. One of the reasons for this shortage is that chief information officer (CIO) positions are fairly new.
Experienced IT workers may have spent many years managing data centers and protecting the company’s information from theft, but that does not always equal the “mechanics of profit of loss,” Forbes Magazine explained.
“Historically, IT leaders have grown up in IT departments, often from programmer up to the top of the division, without much time spent in other functions,” Forbes contributor Peter High wrote. “As a result, their perspectives are limited to a single slice of the company.”
Even though many senior IT workers may have the proper amount of experience to break down technology jargon to a board of directors, they may not have the other skills that a “chief” position requires. HR software solutions can help businesses find applicants who may be better suited to be a CIO — even if they don’t even know it.
High added that many IT professionals he spoke with said they desired the opportunity to move upward, but aren’t entirely sure how to go about it. Now that cyber security is a priority for all businesses, human resources departments have the opportunity to open that door for IT staff members. HR software solutions can identify IT job seekers who have had experience in other business areas such as operations or customer service.
With the proper amount of training, these employees will feel more confident in their ability to be the organization’s CIO. Failing to streamline could result in a situation like that faced by Target.
Target’s hunt for a CIO and compliance officer begins after its original CIO Beth Jacob resigned earlier this week, CBS News reported. Jacob has been a part of the retailer’s IT department since 2008, but has a background in operations. Jacob previously argued that CIOs didn’t need extensive IT knowledge to run these systems, but she was proven wrong last year.
The discount store’s data breach affected an estimated 110 million customers, damaging its confidence with customers — fourth quarter profits fell 46 percent, according to the New York Times. Instead of looking internally, Target hopes to find someone from outside the company who can better manage today’s technologies.