Job seekers, on average, submit 180 job applications to secure a single job offer, emphasizing the competitive nature of the job market.

In the first half of 2025, 1,161 domains containing the word 'careers' were identified as malicious, indicating a significant increase in hiring-related scams.

88% of malicious domains containing hiring-related keywords were either newly registered or newly observed in 2025, suggesting a trend in the tactics used by cybercriminals.

86% of all domains using the word 'jobs' that were determined to be malicious were either newly registered or newly observed in 2025, indicating a surge in new scams targeting job seekers.

In the first half of 2025, 8,724 domains containing the word 'jobs' were identified as malicious, highlighting the rise of hiring scams targeting job seekers.

56% of companies are considering new hiring for skill improvement.

61% of respondents indicate that adaptability is very important in determining a cybersecurity applicant's qualifications.

The top three most important soft skills needed by security professionals are critical thinking (57%), communication (56%), and problem solving (47%).

Prior hands-on cybersecurity experience is considered very important by 60% of respondents, marking a decline from 73% last year.

Professional development training is the most common employer benefit at 60%, three percentage points higher than last year.

Employer-paid employee certification fees dropped to the second most common benefit, offered by only 54% of respondents, a decrease from 65% in 2024

Soft skills are the largest reported skill gap in cybersecurity, increasing from 51% in 2024 to 59% in 2025.

Nearly half (44%) of cybersecurity professionals agreed that their organization's cybersecurity hiring has not yet been affected by the introduction of AI security tools.

21% of cybersecurity professionals say AI has changed their hiring plans and priorities in their organizations.

Three of the top five skills prioritised by cybersecurity hiring managers are non-technical abilities.

54% of cybersecurity hiring managers have passed on candidates due to their social media activity

46% of cybersecurity hiring managers believe apprenticeships are effective methods for identifying early-career talent.

50% of cybersecurity hiring managers expect junior-level cybersecurity professionals to handle Penetration Testing.

84% of cybersecurity hiring managers use skills-based assessments and/or tests for entry- and junior-level cybersecurity applicants.

Most cybersecurity hiring managers surveyed (91%) reported providing professional development opportunities for entry- and junior-level team members during work hours.