Why the agency(?) obsession with $industry experience?

[vwdan]

This isn't really a rant or anything, because I suppose I've benefited from this myself in its own ways. But, in the contract market especially, I see a lot of job adverts that want you to have experience in whatever field the job is for - banking, investment banking, insurance, oil and gas etc.

My question is - do you guys really think it matters? Maybe my particular field is unique, but I've worked in a lot of different industries and my implementations haven't really changed that much. The customer attitude changes a lot, but if anything, I've found Public Sector and Charities (Big charities that you'd have heard of, anyway) to be the most demanding clients.

I had to push hard to win my last large project because I'd had no experience in the industry and the PM was really concerned about the high pressure nature of the client - as it turns out, it's been one of my most enjoyable projects to date. There's pressure like every project, but I've not found it any worse than anywhere else - if anything, it's been great because everybody has their tulip together and I can get things done.

So, is my niche the odd one? Is it really important to find a programmer, for example, with experience in a particular industry sector?

[jmo21]

I think it can be.

Financials definitely.

Often industry experience is because there is such a cultural shift.

Working in the NHS versus an investment bank can be quite a culture shock.

But there is plenty 'in between' where it shouldn't matter at all.

And even then companies over egg industry experience when it really is no necessary, thinking they are somehow special.

[Zero Liability]

I would think because they assume it proves you can do the job and makes you an easier sell to the client, and there will be fewer culture shocks. Particularly since the client isn't looking for someone to shape and mould over the longer term, but at an individual fielded by your company providing them with services of a specific nature.

[SueEllen]

I would agree that the NHS is an outlier, but you are 100% right that there isn't much difference in terms of industry. I think it's been a case of too many applicants, so its just a first pass filter for a lot of agencies and clients. It increases the chance that someone in the organisation will know you. As the market tightens up over the next year this will be relaxed.

WSWS.

Also there are younger agents who don't understand what work you were doing, even if you explain it in terms a 14 year old understands, so they don't understand how the same skills are transferable to another industry.

[TykeMerc]

I would agree that the NHS is an outlier, but you are 100% right that there isn't much difference in terms of industry. I think it's been a case of too many applicants, so its just a first pass filter for a lot of agencies and clients. It increases the chance that someone in the organisation will know you. As the market tightens up over the next year this will be relaxed.

I agree, first or even last pass filter (subset line of business experience). In reality there's always a bit of acclimatisation at a new client and beyond specialist language and acronyms the "culture" is rarely that different.

[darmstadt]

I think this matters in what area you work in. I get asked it quite often and I have to explain that it doesn't matter for what I do as its the same in whichever field I work in. I would think that for financials, particularly banking then it can be quite important

[SimonMac]

The only industry that is "obsessed" is finance and I think this is one of the problems with the industry, deep rooted beliefs in tradition at the cost of progress

[cherhill]

It doesn't really matter for most jobs, I guess BA roles though it could be quite important. Although from my experience most BA's are pretty useless.

Banking seems to be the worse for it. I have worked in most sectors bar banking as never seem to get a look in.

Market forces is the biggest factor though. When there are a lot of applicants they will filter people out.

Don't think you can say it is the agents either, it will be the clients who produce the criteria they are looking for.

[Eirikur]

WSWS.

Also there are younger agents who don't understand what work you were doing, even if you explain it in terms a 14 year old understands, so they don't understand how the same skills are transferable to another industry.

WSES
They don't understand that, let's say, a VMware specialist needs the same skills to work in finance, in telecoms or in retail.
End clients do understand it, but the trick is to get past the ignorance of the pimp and in front of the end client

[MyUserName]

I got into banking as a permie with a company who did not require previous experience, just a good programmer. After a few years there I knew various things about finance.

I moved to contract in a different investment bank and got through the filters due to my experience. Once I was there the experience was not really relevant as I was just coding a 3 tier application with a large user base. I could have done it just as easily with no finance experience at all.

I moved to a new bank and the cycle repeated. Experience got me in and was then irrelevant, they didn't even ask anything about it at the interview.