Cyber security budgets are increasing. Threats are escalating. And the demand for talent continues to rise. 

Yet, almost half of cyber professionals anticipate changing jobs within the next six months. 

Our latest research with 50+ UK cyber security professionals reveals a market that remains firmly candidate-led, but not for the reasons many assume. 

1. Salary is no longer the primary driver 

While compensation remains important, career progression now ranks as the top motivator for cyber professionals (28%), ahead of salary (24%). 

This signals a critical shift. 

High-performing cyber professionals are asking: 

  • Will I develop new skills?
  • Am I going to work with the new technologies?
  • Is there a visible pathway forward? 

Organisations that cannot articulate progression clearly risk losing talent to those that can. 

2. Hybrid working is the baseline expectation 

  • 43% prefer 1–2 days in the office.
  • Only 6% favour full-time office jobs.
  • Fully remote preference sits at 35%, suggesting it is now embedded as an expectation rather than a differentiator. 

Mandating office-first policies may significantly narrow your available talent pool. 

3. Slow hiring is costing you talent 

  • 90% expect recruitment to take four weeks or less.
  • 44% want the process completed in under two weeks.
  • 71% believe two interview stages is ideal. 

Long, multi-stage hiring processes are being interpreted as internal indecision or outdated practice. 

In a competitive market, speed is strategic. 

4. Employer brand is a deciding factor 

73% say company reputation significantly influences their interest. 

Cyber security is a tightly networked community, with LinkedIn, peer groups and informal networks being used to spread the word about companies in the industry and their reputation. 

A compelling role may attract initial interest, but reputation determines whether candidates proceed. 

5. AI Is mainstream but confidence gaps exist 

  • 59% believe it’s having a positive impact. 

However, adoption confidence varies by age group, signalling a need for structured AI training and enablement. 

By investing into the development of AI capability, organisations are likely to increase their productivity and retention. 

6. The market is fluid – hiring alone may not be enough 

With 49% of professionals expecting to move roles within six months, reactive hiring models are increasingly risky. 

Many organisations are supplementing hiring strategies with Statement of Work (SoW) delivery to: 

  • Access specialist expertise immediately
  • Deliver defined outcomes (e.g. cloud security uplift, resilience programmes)
  • Avoid lengthy recruitment delays
  • Maintain predictable, outcome-aligned costs 

An integrated strategy, such as focused recruitment and organized SoW provision, is becoming essential for cyber leaders to negotiate 2026 challenges. 

We can help  

The cyber talent market is no longer a simply about attracting candidates. 

It’s about aligning hiring processes, hybrid policies, progression pathways, AI capability, and employer reputation with how cyber professionals actually think and move. 

For CISOs and Heads of Cyber Security, workforce strategy is now inseparable from security strategy. 

If you’d like to know more about the findings and compare your approach, you can download the complete research report here.