Janis Mitchell 💫

🫱🏻‍🫲🏽How to Spot Real Cybersecurity Talent (Before You Hire Them) Here’s what separates candidates who “know security” from those who live it: 👇 1️⃣ Live Problem Solving Give them a real-world scenario — “A phishing email bypasses your filters. Walk me through containment.” Watch their process, not their confidence. 2️⃣ Framework Familiarity in Context Instead of asking if they “know NIST,” ask how they’ve applied it. The best can translate theory into execution instantly. 3️⃣ Curiosity Under Pressure The strongest candidates ask questions back. They clarify context before giving an answer — because that’s what real analysts do under fire. 4️⃣ Posture, Not Performance Talent isn’t just technical — it’s temperament. Look for composure, not perfection. Great security pros think before they talk. 5️⃣ Proof of Passion Labs. Write-ups. Side projects. Capture-the-Flag comps. If they don’t practice the craft outside of work, they probably won’t grow inside of it. At Black Swan, we help companies look beyond resumes — to find the cybersecurity professionals who actually build resilience, not just talk about it. #CyberSecurity #Hiring #InfoSec #Recruiting #TalentAcquisition #BlackSwan #Leadership #CareerDevelopment

26

2 Comments

Jimmy Xu and I are looking forward to meeting with the Cincinnati OWASP community and talking: “Future-Proofing your Application Security program” In an era of increasingly sophisticated threat actors, application security has become a critical concern for most organizations. This talk, "Reducing Application Security Risk with ASPM (Application Security Posture Management)," will explore the emerging role of ASPM in fortifying application security and accelerating DevSecOps and cloud native adoption by focusing on how to future-proof your approach for 2025 and beyond. Software development has undergone seismic shifts over the last 20 years: the Agile movement, the rise of DevOps and cloud native practices, and now the AI and generative development era. With AI code assistants and “vibe coding” on the rise, we’re seeing faster delivery, along with new and complex risks. Over the last 10 years of the DevSecOps journey, shift-left has also achieved little success. Application Security needs a fundamental reset for the future. In this talk, we will discuss how modern approaches and technology innovations that are built to solve three of the biggest challenges in application security that must evolve for the AI Era – Speed, Coverage & Scale, and Context. We will explore three common scenarios: 1. Inventory and Secure net new applications 2. Reduce risk and volume of existing security backlog by prioritizing and fixing what matters 3. Expand coverage to address emerging blind spots in AI-assisted application development.

9

Can’t find cybersecurity candidates with the right skills  in 2025? I’ve mastered the art of finding qualified  talent. Watch this 46-second video below. 👇

14

1 Comment

Do MSPs still deliver value? In this candid episode of Talent Titans, Jason Bruckman joins me to explain why he believes today's MSP model is flawed and why it's failing clients, recruiters, and, above all, candidates. I challenge him head-on about whether MSPs are truly to blame or if clients themselves have created the problem through unrealistic expectations and razor-thin margins. Key moments include: 🔹 Why Jason publicly called out MSPs as "sucking" in today's market. 🔹 The evolution of MSPs: from strategic advisor to compliance traffic cop. 🔹 Why clients, MSPs, recruiters, and especially candidates, are all losing right now. 🔹 What small, niche recruiters can do to get onto vendor lists. 🔹 Why fixing candidate experience should be every stakeholder's top priority. 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gGqbnsHS

20

2 Comments

In US Staffing (MSP | W2), delivery success isn’t about speed alone. It rests on 4 non-negotiable pillars. After working across large MSP programs, one thing is clear: High-performing vendors don’t rely on individuals — they rely on systems. The 4 Pillars of MSP W2 Delivery: 1️⃣ Scalability The ability to ramp volumes up or down without compromising quality, cost, or compliance. True scalability comes from standardized processes, not hero recruiters. 2️⃣ Predictability Clients value consistency more than surprises. Stable time-to-fill, forecastable revenue, and controlled funnel metrics define mature delivery. 3️⃣ Governance Clear ownership, data-driven decisions, defined SOPs, and regular cadence reviews. Governance isn’t micromanagement — it’s operational clarity. 4️⃣ Compliance In MSP W2, compliance is not a back-office function. Worker classification, I-9, pay parity, state labor laws, audits — one miss can end a program. The reality: You can’t scale without predictability. You can’t predict without governance. And without compliance, none of it matters. The top MSP vendors design their operating model around all four — not just delivery velocity. Curious to hear how others are strengthening these pillars within their MSP programs. #USStaffing #MSP #W2Staffing #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentLeadership #OperationalExcellence #Compliance #Governance

20

Year over year changes in IT staffing since 2020 and the onset of Covid. The two markets TriCom Technical Services' serves (Twin Cities and KC) have felt this shockwave more intensely as fully remote IT roles pull more Midwest tech talent out than in.

45

6 Comments

Every time a placement falls off, MSPs lose time, trust, and margin. One of our MSP partners at YUPRO Placement cut backfill rates by 30% in a high-volume program after shifting to skills-first hiring. That improvement didn’t come from a new tool. It came from rethinking how roles were scoped and how talent was evaluated, focusing on what candidates could do on day one, not just what was on paper. You can read more about the broader trend here in my article with Staffing Industry Analysts: https://lnkd.in/d39hae3C This approach drives stronger time-to-fill performance, fewer fall-offs in the first 30 days, and better submission-to-start ratios. The support that enables those outcomes (including training, onboarding, and coaching) is led by the staffing partner. The lift stays behind the scenes, but the MSP delivers stronger results where it counts. Clients are noticing and retention is now showing up in performance reviews, in contract renewals, and in how programs are evaluated. If your team has made this shift, what changed first: metrics, mindset, or partner expectations? And if you are still exploring it, what is getting in the way?

18

2 Comments

Most first-time MSP programs don’t fail because the strategy was wrong, they fail because the strategy wasn’t clear from the start. I’ve helped more than 160 organizations launch their first MSP programs and getting it right from the start takes more than process; it takes intention. Strategy, sponsorship, and culture all play a role in shaping outcomes that last. In my latest blog, I share lessons learned over the years. These are practical ways to build a program that fits your organization and delivers real results. Curious how others are getting it right from the start? Take a look: https://lnkd.in/g24adMfe

124

9 Comments

Kforce’s managed service model recently transformed compliance engineering for a global tech leader. Through automation, workflow optimization and a hybrid onshore/offshore model, we helped the client achieve 24/7 coverage and consistent audit readiness. Discover how this approach produced $700,000 in annual savings and 100% compliance: https://kfrc.co/43Papp2 

12

So many MSP conversations get stuck in the weeds. Stacks. Tools. Tickets. Features. Certifications. None of that is what clients are actually buying. Business owners buy outcomes: Stability. Reliability. Security. Clarity. This article breaks down a simple truth: ➡️ Before you can be a “strategic partner,” you have to earn stability. ➡️ Before you talk strategy, you have to remove noise. ➡️ Before IT becomes a growth lever, it has to stop being a distraction. If your client conversations still sound like IT meetings instead of business conversations, read this guest blog post by John Snyder of Net Friends. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gcYj2KKF

16

5 Comments

The numbers behind CMMC are huge: ➡️ 80,000+ suppliers identified by the DoD that will need certification. ➡️ Only 80–90 C3PAOs (certified assessment organisations) currently exist to support them. That’s a supply-demand gap that will dominate the next three years. I’ve been helping certification bodies and consultancies through the process of becoming a C3PAO - and the early signs are clear: demand for qualified assessors will surge as more firms begin the journey. For those already accredited, the opportunity lies in expanding delivery capacity and building partnerships that can handle volume without compromising quality. If your consultancy is exploring CMMC or looking to strengthen its team of assessors, I can share what’s working for organizations already moving through this transition. 📩 jorge.perez@x4engineering.com #CMMC #Cybersecurity #TIC #DoD #Compliance #QualityManagement #Recruitment

10

3 Comments

Cybercrime isn’t slowing down… and neither is cyber insurance. I’ve been watching this space grow rapidly, and it makes sense, businesses of all sizes are realizing that a data breach or ransomware attack can happen to anyone. The real question is: are you prepared before it happens, or reacting after the fact? What I find most interesting is how cyber coverage is starting to move from a “nice to have” to a “must have” in risk planning. I’m curious, have you or your company started exploring cyber insurance yet? If so, what tipped the scales for you? #insuranceIsInteresting

10