Years spent cultivating an ever-expanding client list left Secureworks with a problem it could not solve. This company was being groomed for an attractive sell - massive amounts of clients, a great reputation and lean numbers. However, the emperor wore no clothes.
Certain departments were criminally understaffed. New recruits were few and far between even though the client list and operation requirements kept growing. This was a two-fold problem. One was requirements for "unicorn"-esque candidates. Unrealistic experience or knowledge requirements combined with a painfully tedious day-to-day lead some departments to be revolving doors. Unfortunately, more people left than came in.
As the client list grew - the understaffed teams could not support the ever-increasing number of clients. It was only a matter of time until the reputation would fade. Some clients left, others, faced with no greater prospects begrudgingly stayed and sharpened their blades for battle. While yet more hopped aboard giddy on a deceitful cocktail of stale reviews and industry analyst hoopla.
Management could only sit and deny the above while everyone else set around on the bus as it rolled downhill with no breaks, only to wonder "when to get off?". Surely sooner is better than later.
