No Job Boards. No Guesswork.
Our search methodology is built on a decade of trusted relationships inside the cybersecurity community, combined with proactive headhunting of leaders who aren't looking. Here's how it works and why it's different.
The people you need to hire aren't looking for a job.
The best security leaders are already employed. They're running programs, building teams, and solving hard problems. They're not scrolling job boards. They're not responding to cold InMails from recruiters who can't tell the difference between a SOC analyst and a CISO.
That's the reality of hiring in cybersecurity. And it's why posting a job ad and waiting is the slowest, most expensive way to fill a security leadership role.
Job Board Recruitment
- Reaches only active job seekers (roughly 15% of the market)
- Attracts volume, not quality. You're sorting through noise
- Your competitors see the same ad and know you're hiring
- Senior security leaders rarely apply to posted roles
- Months of screening with no guarantee of a shortlist
Network-Driven Search
- Reaches the 85% of leaders who aren't actively looking
- Candidates are pre-qualified through trusted relationships
- Confidential by default. The market doesn't know you're hiring
- Senior leaders engage because they know and trust us
- Shortlist of 2-3 candidates, typically within 4-6 weeks
How a Search Actually Works
No job ads. No databases of stale CVs. Every search is built from scratch using our network and targeted headhunting.
We Listen First
Before we search, we learn your business. What does the role actually need to do? What does your engineering culture look like? What's the board expecting? We've advised over 90 companies on security hiring. We'll tell you if your expectations are realistic, and if they're not, we'll help you recalibrate before wasting anyone's time.
We Search Our Network
We start with the people we already know. A decade of being embedded in the cybersecurity community, running Career Villages, co-organising BSides, and being at every major conference means we have direct relationships with hundreds of security leaders across Australia, the US, and the UK. We know who's happy, who's restless, and who's ready for something new.
We Headhunt Proactively
If the right person isn't already in our network, we go find them. Proactive, targeted outreach to specific individuals based on your requirements. Not mass InMails. Not spray-and-pray. We identify the exact people who match what you need and we approach them directly. Because we have credibility in this industry, they respond.
We Present, Not Spray
You'll see 2-3 candidates, not 20. Every person we present has been thoroughly assessed against your specific requirements. We've had real conversations with them about your company, your challenges, and what the role looks like day-to-day. Our submit-to-interview rate sits around 95% because we don't waste your time with maybes.
We Stay Involved
We manage the process through offer, negotiation, and onboarding. We check in after 30, 60, and 90 days. If something isn't working, we want to know. The majority of our placements are still in role after two years. We track this because it matters.
Trust is the operating system.
Cybersecurity is a small world. Everyone knows everyone, or they're one introduction away. Reputation travels fast. A recruiter who wastes someone's time, misrepresents a role, or breaks a confidence gets blacklisted quickly.
We've spent a decade building trust in this community. Not through marketing. Through showing up. Running Career Villages where we review resumes for free. Co-organising BSides Gold Coast. Being on panels at Black Hat. Hosting the Hacking into Security podcast. Mentoring people who are now CISOs.
That's not a go-to-market strategy. That's just how we operate. The search capability is a byproduct of genuine community involvement over a long period of time.
Community Presence
Career Villages at BSides Melbourne, Canberra, Black Hat Asia, Black Hat USA. Co-organiser of BSides Gold Coast and SecTalks Gold Coast.
Response Rate
When we reach out to a security leader, they respond. Not because of a clever subject line, but because they know who we are. Many of them we've known for years.
Proactive Headhunting
Every search includes targeted outreach beyond our existing network. We research who's doing the best work in the specific domain you need and start a genuine conversation. No templates, no mass InMails.
95% Submit-to-Interview
When we present a candidate, they get interviewed. That number only works when you know the market deeply enough to match people precisely, not approximately.
Built for companies where security is a growth enabler.
Founders Making Their First Security Hire
You don't know what the role should look like yet. That's fine. We'll help you define it, understand the market, and find someone who can build from zero. We've done this dozens of times.
CTOs Scaling Security Teams
You need someone who can build a function, not just fill a seat. Someone who understands engineering culture and can earn trust across the org. We know who those people are because we've watched them do it.
Boards and Investors Placing Across Portfolios
You need security leadership across multiple companies. One relationship with us gives you access to our entire network. We've placed across portfolios before and we understand the dynamics.
Let's Have a Conversation
The best security leaders aren't on job boards. They're running programs and building security culture from the inside. They don't respond to recruiters, but they respond to us. Tell us what you need.
Investors & Portfolio Leaders
Need security leadership across your portfolio? We work with investors and boards to place builders across multiple companies. One relationship, many hires.
Typical Engagement
4-6
Typical Weeks to Placement
2-3
Candidates Typically Presented