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US Govt Just Can't Hire Enough Cyber-Sherlocks

posted by cmn32480 on Thursday November 19 2015, @08:09PM   Printer-friendly
from the what-about-watson dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

American federal investigators are having a hard time hiring computer-savvy staff, according to a memo from the Inspector General for the US Department of Justice.

"Even as it works to expand the ranks of its cybersecurity team, the department continues to face challenges recruiting and retaining highly qualified candidates to do this work," the memo [PDF] states.

Last year the FBI got the authorization and budget to hire 134 computer scientists for online investigations. We're told the agency could only find 82 people interested in working for Uncle Sam. As a result, five of the FBI's regional 56 Cyber Task Force teams don't have a computer specialist on hand.

Why are they having so much trouble?

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2) by TheRaven on Friday November 20 2015, @10:22AM

    by TheRaven (270) on Friday November 20 2015, @10:22AM (#265753) Journal
    If it were some ethical issue then hedge funds and banks would not be able to hire so many of the top computer science graduates / PhDs. The difference between the banks and the government? An extra zero on the end of the salary. Anyone moderately competent in cybersecurity can get a job earning twice as much (far more if they're more than moderately competent) and with much better benefits at one of a few dozen big companies (and a few hundred smaller ones) than they can get in a government job. Offer salaries that are competitive with industry for the same skill set and you'll find it a lot easier to recruit.
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  • (Score: 2) by aclarke on Friday November 20 2015, @03:21PM

    by aclarke (2049) on Friday November 20 2015, @03:21PM (#265838) Homepage

    A hedge fund will hire you as a quant even if you show up at the interview strung out on coke. The FBI won't.