The Makings of a Better Cybersecurity Hire Experience counts, but as one CISO has learned, don't overlook a creative, motivated candidate just because their background doesn't match the job description. (Image: justyle via Adobe Stock) When I studied computer science at university in the late 1990s, Borland C++ was king of the hill. Configuring networks was just as much a physical task as a logical one, and we were looking for faults in cables just as often as configurations. My studies gave me a good understanding of how computers worked and communicated, but there was one key element lacking in the syllabus for both the bachelor and master's degree at that point in time: security.