CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS IN SINGAPORE REMAIN HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER DESPITE CAUTIOUS HIRING CLIMATE

With more companies in Singapore moving to ramp up their digital capabilities in the wake of COVID-19, cybersecurity has never been more essential than now. This has kept the previously booming cybersecurity job market buoyant despite a cautious climate and sustained the need for front-line defence roles such as IT security operations, incident response, penetration testers, and ethical hackers (red team). This buoyancy is further aided by the ongoing talent crunch in the sector and the niche nature of the roles that leave candidates with a leading advantage.

Remote working boosts demand  

These are some of the findings from The Inside Story of Singapore, a monthly regional recruitment analysis undertaken by global recruitment expert Hays. Focusing on the cybersecurity sector, the analysis found that the COVID-19-led demand for digitalisation and integration of virtual systems has only exacerbated this demand for cybersecurity in recent times. There is a huge focus on security at the moment with organisations in every sector, from telecom to banking, trying to ensure their systems are secure both internally and externally from attacks.

Cautious yet stable hiring

Cybersecurity hiring in Singapore is currently being led by local or public sector companies, owing to the focus on public or community focused digital initiatives. This is because the public sector is currently being tapped on to support those affected by the pandemic, in addition to being well funded. Local banks also continue to hire as their headquarters are located within the city. Hiring in the online entertainment and e-commerce sectors is also likely to see an increase.

A golden opportunity for cybersecurity candidates

However, the ongoing global uncertainty has undoubtedly created a more risk-averse climate that has been deterring applications and movement from candidates. While this is an obvious sentiment, those willing to make the change will find the market moving to their advantage as there is lesser competition in the market currently, which makes it an opportune time for even gainfully employed candidates to seek the perfect role. The crisis has also ensured that only the most stable, well financed and future-proof companies stay on the hiring market, which means that candidates will not only find it easier to get noticed, but may also be able to cherry pick roles from the best in the business.

Grant Torrens, Regional Director of Hays Singapore commented, “Despite the sustained health of the cybersecurity job market, the road ahead will still see impact from impending global, regional and local recessions. For organisations, striving for shorter hiring processes will help them counter this uncertainty and still grab the best talent amidst the ongoing shortage. I would advise candidates to be prepared for change and remain open minded when taking up new roles. Cultivating an adaptable and agile mindset will help guarantee their success.”

To read the full Inside Story of Cybersecurity in Singapore, please click here   

About Hays

Hays plc (the "Group") is a leading global professional recruiting group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Asia Pacific and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe and Latin America. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As at 31 December 2019 the Group employed 11,600 staff operating from 266 offices in 33 countries across 20 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2019:

– the Group reported net fees of £1,129.7 billion and operating profit (pre-exceptional items) of £248.8 million;

– the Group placed around 81,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 254,000 people into temporary assignments;

– 18% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 27% in Germany, 23% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 32% in Rest of World (RoW);

– the temporary placement business represented 57% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 43% of net fees;

– Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK and the USA