Check Point, an Israel-based cybersecurity firm, plans to recruit 500 new employees for its Israeli offices by the end of 2025.

The hiring initiative, led by CEO Nadav Zafrir, will focus on research and development roles.

It aims to expand the company’s local workforce by 25%.

Currently, Check Point employs 3,000 staff in Israel and 7,000 globally.

This recruitment effort will increase the local headcount by over 15%.

To facilitate this, the company has introduced a referral program that rewards employees for successful candidate recommendations.

.source-ref{font-size:0.85em;color:#666;display:block;margin-top:1em;}a.ask-tia-citation-link:hover{color:#11628d !important;background:#e9f6f5 !important;border-color:#11628d !important;text-decoration:none !important;}@media only screen and (min-width:768px){a.ask-tia-citation-link{font-size:11px !important;}}

🔗 Source: Calcalist

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Check Point’s counter-trend expansion amid Israel’s tech exodus

Check Point’s aggressive hiring of 500 employees in Israel stands in stark contrast to broader industry trends, where the country experienced its first decline in tech employment in a decade.

Recent data shows that 8,300 tech employees, representing 2.1% of the workforce, left Israel between October 2023 and July 2024, largely due to ongoing conflict, high living costs, and concerns over education quality 1.

This exodus is further illustrated by the fact that Israeli tech companies now employ more workers abroad (440,000) than domestically (400,000), indicating a significant brain drain from the local ecosystem 2.

Check Point’s investment in a new Tel Aviv campus with 4,000 workstations (double its current headquarters capacity) represents a major vote of confidence in Israel’s tech future at a time when many competitors are reducing their local footprint.

The company’s expansion strategy, including its NIS 500 million real estate investment, signals a long-term commitment to Israel as its innovation center despite the challenging geopolitical environment.

2️⃣ Strategic talent acquisition amid cybersecurity skills shortage

Check Point’s “Bring a Friend” referral program, which rewards employees even for candidates who simply reach the interview stage, reflects the increasingly competitive landscape for cybersecurity talent.

The cybersecurity sector is experiencing an 8% increase in its skills gap, with two-thirds of organizations facing moderate to critical shortages of qualified personnel 3.

This talent scarcity is driving companies to adopt unconventional recruitment strategies, as traditional hiring approaches have proven insufficient to meet the growing demand for CISSP-certified experts and other specialized roles 4.

By aiming to increase its Israeli development workforce by 25%, Check Point is making an aggressive move to secure talent in a market where the competition for skilled professionals continues to intensify due to escalating cyber threats and regulatory pressures.

The expansion of Check Point’s recruitment department further highlights the strategic importance the company places on winning the talent acquisition race in cybersecurity.

3️⃣ AI capabilities becoming central to cybersecurity competitive advantage

Check Point’s establishment of a dedicated AI research center reflects the industry-wide recognition that artificial intelligence is transforming from a supplementary tool to a core competitive differentiator in cybersecurity.

The cybersecurity landscape is evolving beyond traditional signature-based detection toward AI-powered systems that can anticipate and respond to threats more effectively 5.

This shift is particularly urgent as cybercriminals increasingly weaponize AI for attacks, creating a technological arms race where companies must deploy advanced detection and response capabilities to stay ahead 5.

With 92% of companies planning to increase AI investments while only 1% consider their AI deployment mature, there is a significant first-mover advantage for organizations that can effectively integrate AI into their security infrastructure 6.

Check Point’s strategic partnership with Wiz demonstrates the company’s recognition that it cannot afford to miss another technological wave, especially in AI, which McKinsey estimates represents a $4.4 trillion opportunity across industries 6.

……