Cybersecurity is continuously branching its way into every industry, and the recruiting sector isn’t new to it; professional recruiters leverage cybersecurity utilizing it to transform business strategies and deliver talent acquisition solutions for organizations. Chelsey Costello, the Principal Consultant at Talenza, is a dynamic leader specializing in recruiting cybersecurity professionals.
Chelsey leads the Brisbane Cyber Security division and is a very passionate advocate for women in technology. She genuinely enjoys working with candidates to find their dream job and working with clients to fill skill gaps in their team. She consults with clients to truly understand their requirements and dig deep into the interwebs to find the perfect candidate for the role.
The Inspirations
For the past four years, Chelsey has been working in Cybersecurity. She expresses that she wishes she had of considered a career in cyber security at a younger age but felt that the options weren’t known or encouraged. Chelsey also notes a lack of female representation overall means that historically, there haven’t been a many female role models within the industry.
Chelsey is constantly inspired by the emerging leaders in the field that have come from various background and stumbled their way into the industry. Her work with AWSN lets her see this firsthand each day.
Overcoming the Scarcity
The domino effect of the pandemic caused disruption globally. Chelsey saw a significant shortage of talent due to a lack of new talent coming into the country. This, in turn, has driven salaries in the junior and mid-levels higher as a result.
Talenza has consulted with its clients and further developed its partnerships by giving direct market information on salaries and candidate insights like what would motivate them to move jobs.
The Imperativeness of Work Culture
Talking about the significance of positive work culture, Chelsey mentions that it doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s a combination of many things that match up to create a positive outcome.
In Chelsey’s opinion, it is essential, but she understands that a positive work culture looks different to everyone. She expresses that it’s up to a company to create a truly unique work culture that attracts people who are going to perform at their best – this looks different from one person to the next.
The Valuable Contribution Towards Communities
When it comes to giving back to the community, Chelsey doesn’t believe that there is one pronged approach, and she strives to contribute to the community across as many paths as possible. Firstly, by actively addressing gender biases in recruitment. She makes it a personal mission to only present gender-balanced shortlists, and in the past twelve months, 44% of the placements she has made in security were female.
Besides, Chelsey speaks at events and aims to truly partner with her clients, candidates, and the industry as a whole. She speaks at events about diversity and inclusion; most recently, this has been as AISA BrisSec. She volunteered for the Australian Women in Security Network at the AusCERT conference. She is a long-term partner of AWSN, helping to support and organize events and encourages new members and networking.
Chelsey’s achievements are going above and beyond for women, creating more opportunity and visibility than they may have previously had. Alongside that genuine partnership piece with clients, she helps them to enrich their business through not only gender diversity but also diversity of thought.
Envisioning Robust Future
The Talenza Cyber Security team is going from strength to strength, with many people taking notice. While it is increasing its headcount on the horizon, for Chelsey, it’s more about making a positive contribution to society as a good global citizen first and foremost.
Bequeathing Emerging Entrepreneurs
Chelsey’s passion for the industry stems from growing up thinking girls had to pick “girl jobs” and boys pick boy jobs. As a self-confessed tech lover, she was completely unaware that a career in technology was an option, and it is because of that stereotype, she didn’t choose a career path that she perhaps would have loved. This is why she has now dedicated herself to paving the way for representation and equal opportunities for women within her industry.
Chelsey says, “There is something for everyone in Cybersecurity, and it is such an inclusive and fun environment. I believe the visibility of this starts at the grassroots. I recently spoke at an event at St Stephens College, addressing young girls on why they should consider a career in IT. It is of paramount importance to me that girls and women know that they can do anything they want to do. You want to be in technology, go for it, astronaut, go you, the most important thing is to stay true to yourself and remember gender stereotypes are just that, stereotypes!”
“I encourage anyone who is looking to take the next step in their career in Cyber to just go for it. The industry is crying out for women in the sector. You will never be out of a job, and it is an exciting, evolving, and FUN community to be a part of,” concluded Chelsey.