Cybersecurity talent pipeline

Jerry Geisler

SVP & Global CISO at Walmart

Published Jul 15, 2022

A conversation that has continued to be top of mind in the industry is career progression and talent pipelines. I wanted to lend my perspective based on some recent conversations.

Last week, I hosted an executive leadership roundtable with individuals from various verticals and the first topic we tackled was the cyber talent war. A common theme from the discussions that really stuck out to me was the importance of mentorship and sponsorship. I believe it’s important for leaders to dedicate time to meet with early career talent and help them gain exposure, experience and education to further their career.

Rob Duhart recently participated in discussions on the importance of diversity. I’m excited to see him lending his voice and experience to highlight this crucial aspect of building and sustaining a diverse talent pipeline. Something he’s said several times that really speaks to Walmart’s culture and highlights a crucial value within the team is that diverse teams create diverse outputs or how he summarizes it “Diverse teams win”. Check out the recent story that Rob participated in alongside other leaders about this important topic (https://www.protocol.com/enterprise/cybersecurity-talent-gap-diversity-hiring).

A passion of mine is to develop talent from within an organization, which is why I’m proud to see the work being done with Walmart’s Live Better U (LBU) program. As someone who started their Walmart journey as a cashier, I strongly believe that Walmart provides a career path for everyone. I’m excited to share that we had five associates join the Global Tech team this week that are recent LBU graduates. I look forward to sharing more about their career journey after they’ve had time to assimilate to their new teams.

In summary, this topic is a complex issue that is vital to the success of our industry. I’ve seen it referred to as a talent shortage, however I think it’s more about a paradigm shift in how our industry finds, recruits and develops talent. I’m excited to see conversations happening in various forums. I’d encourage leaders to continue to drive these conversations.

Brian Stone

Revenue Leader | New Business Hunter | Coach | Mentor

Couldn't agree more, Jerry Geisler . Although small, Conceal, based in Augusta, GA and is committed to finding and training diverse talent from our local community which includes the Georgia Cyber Center, Augusta University and Fort Gordon MWR.

Tamara Williams, CPC, CMRW

Executive Career Coach | Master Resume Writer | I Propel You to Get Noticed, Hired & Ahead | 5K+ Clients in 25+ Countries

Awesome insights Jerry! As a Career Coach, I often work with clients trying to find ways to increase their exposure, experience, and education to make their career aspirations a reality. I teach the concept of Building a Personal Board of Directors filled with people like you who can fill one of the 7 crucial mentor/sponsor roles most career professionals need to continue progressing their careers. Now from a Tech Recruiter perspective, I've seen a whole new challenge emerge...many highly sought-after candidates are in search of the culture and mentorship from leaders with similar views to yours, where they feel like their growth and success matter to their leadership team. My hats off to you for being a conversation starter on this crucial topic. I have a pipeline of cybersecurity talent (and other tech experts) looking for a new home that makes them feel welcomed and valued. As a former Walmartian, I'm always proud to recommend Walmart as the next stage in their career journey!