How to Write a Cybersecurity Job Description That Attracts Top Talent

If you’re struggling to get qualified cybersecurity candidates applying to your open roles — don’t just blame the skills gap.

Take a hard look at your job descriptions.

Too many read like outdated shopping lists:

  • 10+ years of experience (for tools only 5 years old)
  • CISSP required (for junior roles)
  • Generic jargon (“must be a cyber ninja”)

Meanwhile, the best talent scrolls past — and applies elsewhere.

It’s time to rethink how we write for cyber talent.

 

Here’s What High-Converting Cyber Job Descriptions Do Differently:

  1. Focus on Impact, Not Just Tools
    Instead of:

“Must know SIEM, XDR, EDR, MFA, IAM, IDS…”

Try:

“You’ll lead efforts to detect and contain real-time threats across our cloud and on-prem environments.”

Great candidates want to know what problems they’ll solve — not just the tools they’ll use.

 

  1. Ditch the Unrealistic Wish List
    Don’t try to cram 4 job roles into one JD.
  • Prioritise core skills over a never-ending checklist
  • Differentiate between must-haves and nice-to-haves
  • Avoid years-based filtering as your only quality measure

Hire for capability, not checkbox compliance.

 

  1. Showcase Learning, Growth & Culture
    Today’s cyber talent doesn’t just want a job — they want a journey.

Include things like:

  • Training or certification budgets
  • Paths to leadership or architecture roles
  • How your team collaborates and learns

This signals that you invest in people, not just performance.

 

  1. Make It Inclusive
    Want more diverse candidates? Then stop using language that unintentionally excludes them.
  • Replace “rockstar” or “ninja” with role clarity
  • Add a note encouraging applications even if they don’t meet 100% of the criteria
  • Use neutral language — tools like Gender Decoder can help

More inclusive = more applications = stronger hiring outcomes.

 

  1. Sell Your Security Mission
    Cyber professionals want to work where security is taken seriously.
    Be specific:
  • Does the CISO report to the board?
  • Are you building from the ground up or scaling?
  • Is this greenfield, brownfield, or transformation work?

 

The more context you give, the better your chances of attracting the right candidates.

 

Final Thought: Your JD Is a Recruitment Tool — Not Just a Checklist

In a competitive market, your job description is marketing collateral.
It should attract, engage, and convert the right candidates — just like a great product page.

If it’s not doing that? It’s time for a rewrite.

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What’s the best (or worst) cybersecurity job description you’ve ever seen?
Let’s share examples and elevate the standard together