Unraveling the unseen: Unconscious bias in cyber security hiring

Goals:

• Educate on unconscious bias – increase awareness among women and men about the impact of this in hiring in tech and cyber security, empowering more women to navigate careers more effectively
• Self reflection – encourage people to reflect on their own biases, particularly in terms of cultural and racial unconscious bias
• Building confidence – equipping people to advocate for themselves and others in the hiring process
• Promote diversity – encourage organisations to adopt more inclusive hiring practices

The following is a very high level draft of our presentation structure:

Opening Statement: Briefly touch on the current state of cybersecurity and the importance of diversity in fostering innovation and security.

Purpose: Outline the goal of the presentation - to explore unconscious bias in hiring, discuss the broader dimensions of diversity and inclusion, and address the misconception of diversity as a checkbox activity.

Overview: Provide a quick overview of the main sections of the presentation.

Section 1: The Unseen Barrier - Understanding Unconscious Bias

Defining Unconscious Bias: Explain what unconscious bias is and its implications in the hiring process.

Real-world Examples: Share examples or case studies demonstrating unconscious bias in cybersecurity hiring.

Impact on Cybersecurity: Discuss how unconscious bias can lead to homogeneous teams, impacting creativity, problem-solving, and security outcomes.

Section 2: Beyond Numbers - The True Meaning of Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity Defined: Expand on the concept of diversity beyond gender and ethnicity to include diversity of thought, experience, and background.

Inclusion Matters: Explain why creating an inclusive culture is critical for making diversity work.

Benefits of a Diverse Cybersecurity Team: Highlight the advantages, including better problem-solving, innovation, and more robust cybersecurity solutions.

Section 3: Common Mistakes in Approaching Diversity

Diversity as Compliance: Discuss why treating diversity as merely a compliance issue is a mistake and how it can lead to tokenism.

Overlooking Inclusion: Highlight the importance of inclusion and the common mistake of focusing solely on diversity numbers without fostering an inclusive environment.

Ignoring Unconscious Bias: Talk about the mistake of not addressing unconscious bias in the recruitment process and its long-term effects on team dynamics and performance.

Section 4: Strategies for Overcoming Unconscious Bias and Embracing True Diversity

Awareness Training: Emphasize the importance of unconscious bias training for everyone involved in the hiring process.

Structured Hiring Practices: Introduce structured interviews, blind recruitment, and diverse hiring panels as methods to mitigate bias.

Building an Inclusive Culture: Offer strategies for creating a workplace that values and practices inclusion at every level.

Continuous Improvement: Discuss the importance of regular reviews of hiring practices and diversity initiatives to ensure they are effective and inclusive.

Case Study / Guest Speaker (Optional)

Real-Life Application: Present a case study or invite a guest speaker to share their experiences with overcoming unconscious bias in cybersecurity hiring and fostering diversity and inclusion.

Conclusion

Recap:

Call to Action: Encourage the audience to reflect on their own biases and take concrete steps toward more inclusive hiring practices in cybersecurity.

Q&A