I have always been a fan of career diversity and encourage any of my network to go and explore new realms – new industries, new companies, new adventures. I also admire the organisations that make this happen be it through forward-thinking mobility programmes or those who look past relevant sector experience and hire based on culture-fit, competencies and values.

For some time, I have seen a cultural shift taking place in the finance space with more companies offering opportunities up to the professionals who are not their type on paper but no a different issue seems to be clouding the ERP space.

Organisations often approach me looking for Finance Transformation professionals to come in and implement a new programme and I present them with a list of exceptional professionals who have the background, skill-set, personality, culture and academia to make them a perfect fit but I regularly get met with the very specific need for exact programme experience.

If they are implementing SAP they are set on finding an individual who has exclusively worked with SAP or if it’s Oracle, the same rule applies.

Nine out of 10 organisations see this as a desirable skill-set in a prospective employee but finding these professionals is often, like pulling a needle out of a haystack. It’s niche, unnecessary and prolongs what could be a swift and prompt process and from my own market research with these very professionals in my network, it’s clear that the three products offer a transferable skill-set meaning an expert in one, is an expert in the other.

What I can’t understand, is that if the competencies exist, why are we being so particular on the relevant industry experience?

I’d like to hear from you. Do you think the three main programmes differ to a large extent or do you believe we should we be prioritising competencies over technical skill-set?