Is industry experience really a deal breaker?

From my time spent in the recruiting field and as a job seeker, I often came across open positions that REQUIRED a certain number of years is a specific industry. For example a software sales position would require 5 years experience in a software sales role. This often left me scratching my head. I can understand there are certainly some jobs where this is very relevant (think Surgeons), but is industry related experience really a deal breaker? Yes, I see the logic here, someone from the industry might have a shorter learning curve, they might bring relevant best practices, and they will speak the lingo—but does that automatically make them a better candidate? This logic is especially concerning to me in the realm of business, sales and marketing.

Here are some reasons why someone without industry experience might actually be a better candidate. This list assumes the candidate is otherwise qualified, meaning they understand how to build a brand, write copy, make a sale, or manage a team (depending on the specific needs of the hiring company)

1. Varied experience brings varied ideas: Sure, it takes some time to learn an industry, but that guy from consumer goods, might just have some incredible cross over ideas for your non-profit.

2. Industry Recycling: This is when the same people jump from company to company inside a certain industry. This is especially prevalent inside smaller markets and smaller industries. Recycling can lead to burn-out, failure to innovate, and just plain poor hiring decisions. Loyalty becomes a serious issue as well.

3. Sometimes it’s time to get out: In my experience, a good portion of active and passive job seekers and not only looking for a new desk, they are looking for a new challenge—often that means a new industry, but they are stuck in a catch 22. People inside the industry can’t get out because they don’t have experience elsewhere, and people who want to get in can’t for the same reason. As a result, people often take jobs out of desperation or because they feel like they don’t have other options—not exactly an ideal situation for employee or employer.

4. They come from the competition: In many cases this can be good, but only if the competition is beating you and you need their ideas to succeed. If a company is seeking competitive parity with its competition, using their ideas is a good strategy, if the company wants competitive advantage it might want to look elsewhere.

We hear a lot of terms being thrown around with 2.0 tacked on the end, Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, Sales 2.0 etc. How about recruiting 2.0? I am not just talking about the tools companies use to recruit, I am talking about the way companies think about recruiting. Innovation towards greater efficiency and results should be a goal of every department—including HR/recruiting. Making a shift in thinking like this would be hard, it might be risky, and it would require change; but I am pretty sure I heard somewhere a time or two that great companies do that kind of thing.

Did I miss anything? I would love to hear your arguments for and against the industry experience requirement.

Candidate, Know Thyself.

There is all sorts of debate about how a job seeker can differentiate themselves during a job search. Candidates has access to plenty of tips and tricks related to tweaking a resume and/or a cover letter to catch a recruiter’s eye. Suggestions on how to successfully interview are also most certainly not in short supply. But if everyone knows how to write a great resume, or can have one written for them, how can a job seeker really stand out? And more importantly, how can they make their job search much more than just finding another job?

Consider this: the difference is not in the resume, the cover letter, or even in the interview. Recruiters will FEEL it in all of these things, but the actual differentiation comes long before the job search even begins. Enter the title of this post. A candidate who knows what they want out of life, and the role their job will play in this goal have a power that cannot be matched by a clever cover letter or immaculate resume. It is truly astounding how many job seekers don’t know why they want a certain job beyond the basic need for cash to survive. The LEAST a candidate could do is fake it. But that won’t work for very long either. Most recruiters can see right through that.

If a candidate cannot not convey a compelling reason for pursuing the industry or position they are applying for there is a slim chance of hire. OR, even more importantly, there is a slim chance of ever making this job more than just another job.

Without diving into the conversation of living life with a direction (that is a topic for another post), my advice to candidates is simple:
1. Find a direction.
--Seriously, just about any direction will do. If you aren’t sure, pick a direction
anyway. Wishy-washy candidates end up in entry level jobs and are passed up for promotions
on a regular basis.
2. Become passionate about your direction. (See 3 and 3a for some help on this)
3. Research, research, research.
--Find out what recruiters in your target industry/company etc are looking for.
Specifically. (Now comes the clever opening paragraph on your cover letter)
3a. Network.
--Don’t try to get a job from everyone you meet, use your network to learn even more about
your target industry/job/company(ies).
4. Be prepared to provide COMPELLING, honest reasons for why you have chosen your direction.
--“Because it seems fun” or “I am looking for a change” are not compelling reasons.
5. Don’t be afraid to dream, but be realistic.
--If you are making a career change, understand that it may take some time to reach your
end goal.
6. Believe in yourself.
--Sounds cheesy, but confidence combined with ambition and direction are a dangerous
combination. When I say dangerous, I mean in regards to the defenses of the sometimes
seemingly impenetrable forces of HR recruiters.

Bottom line: knowing who you are and where you want to go might very well get you there.