Get Cyber Hiring Right Q&A
Get Cyber Hiring Right Q&A
Answering your questions about how RightTrak™ Cyber Aptitude Assessments help you hire better
We had a great turnout for the recent product launch of RightTrak Cyber Aptitude Assessments. In “Get Cyber Hiring Right,” Cloud Range Founder and CEO Debbie Gordon discussed how HR managers and security leaders can use RightTrak to ensure people are in their best-fit roles.
Cloud Range’s RightTrak Cyber Aptitude Assessments help hiring teams free up hundreds of hours in resume review so the focus can be placed on candidates with the best cognitive fit for open cyber positions. RightTrak Assessments can be taken by anyone — no cybersecurity knowledge needed. The series of short modules provide insights into the user’s natural talents and abilities and how they map to different cybersecurity roles. That allows hiring teams to easily identify top talent and put the right people in the right seats. Check out the webinar to learn more.
Some great questions came up during the discussion. We wanted to share them on the blog because they will be valuable to anyone hiring cyber talent.
How long does the RightTrak assessment take? Should I expect candidates to take all the modules at one time?
The assessment has 14 different modules that each take a few minutes. The complete assessment takes about 1 1/2 hours. The security leader or hiring manager can determine how many modules are required.
The modules do not all have to be taken at one time. In fact, it is encouraged to take a few modules together and then have a break before proceeding. It can even be taken over the course of multiple days, according to the preferences of the hiring manager.
When is the best time to use this in the hiring process?
RightTrak is best used when HR managers and security leaders are narrowing down the candidates to determine the best fit for a role.
Will RightTrak help if I’m transitioning people from IT to cyber?
Absolutely – it’s perfect for that. RightTrak helps managers know how someone’s natural skills and abilities are suited to cybersecurity work roles, so you can place employees where they will have the most potential to excel.
Where does the final report go? Will the supervisor receive them?
Both the user and manager can start seeing results immediately online after the first module is taken. Additionally, the comprehensive grids are updated after each completed module. The report is finalized after the last module is taken. An email will be sent to the manager and user with a PDF of the report when the assessment is complete.
Can RightTrak help me outline a career path and training plan for my team members?
Yes! The resulting metric-based report helps security leaders and hiring managers understand how well-suited the candidate is to each of the four main areas of cybersecurity:
Offensive operations (red team)
Cyber defense (blue team)
Development & design
Analysis & forensics
The final report recommends the “best fit” cyber work roles within those categories, which are aligned with the Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity, commonly referred to as the NICE Framework. That helps you plan each person’s potential career trajectory and ensure they are doing work that is best-suited for them.
That information also helps security leaders outline the training path for each team member to develop their individual skills and abilities, such as with FlexLabs. Plus, it arms leaders with the know-how to best train the team together. Live-fire simulation team missions help you build a well-rounded team and measurably improve cyber readiness. Contact us for more information about how Cloud Range simulation training will help you reduce risk.
What makes RightTrak different from an assessment like DiSC or Myers-Briggs?
DiSC, Myers-Briggs and other, similar assessments help someone understand more about their personality. They are self-reporting questionnaires, with multiple-choice answers, and they are not specific to any one industry.
RightTrak also includes a self-assessment, but that is only one of the 14 modules. The RightTrak Cyber Aptitude Assessment also evaluates how participants think and perform specific tasks. And those insights are mapped only to cybersecurity. That is why the results predict with 97% accuracy the individual’s potential for success within cybersecurity roles.
RightTrak is something to take in addition to personality assessments, not instead of.
What is the research behind RightTrak?
RightTrak started as a field assessment that was developed out of the University of Maryland. It was field tested with the United States Air Force (USAF) as a filter for selecting personnel for cyber warfare operations, and it was found to be 97% effective in predicting who would become elite cyber warfare operators. The assessment has since been successfully used by other government agencies, institutions, and organizations before Cloud Range officially launched it. All the technical stuff is pretty dense, but if you’re into that, contact us, and we’ll send you the journal article.
Could this be used in Higher Education to help students know what to study?
Definitely, and it should be a part of the standard process. RightTrak results will help students know where to focus and what classes to take. Plus, the results will give schools insights into what will be the most useful and effective classes to offer.
Can RightTrak help me reduce bias in hiring (expand diversity) in my cyber team?
Yes, it can. Cloud Range is a big proponent of more diversity and inclusion in cybersecurity. RightTrak enables hiring managers to review performance scores and metrics, versus resumes and interviews only. The results help you find the best-suited candidates for your roles based on metrics about the person’s strengths instead of any potentially subjective human interactions or opinions.
Why is RightTrak necessary for the hiring process?
There will be 3.5 million cybersecurity job openings by 2025, and RightTrak can help address this workforce shortage. Many companies worldwide have trouble hiring and retaining the people in their security operations centers. This is due in part to not having the proper tools to create a path specific to that individual. Security leaders around the world are now responsible for workforce talent development, and they need to create effective plans for onboarding and ongoing training. RightTrak is the foundational step in the Cyber Learner Lifecycle.
RightTrak helps security leaders outline career paths for team members specific to their strengths and abilities, ensuring better hiring and retention.
Ready to learn more about RightTrak and how it will help organizations get cyber hiring right?