There are some core industries that primarily recruit software testers inside of industry. This is how they have always done it and to date it has given satisfactory results. Are times changing? Is satisfactory good enough anymore?
As technology evolves the industry sectors no longer require the same segregation that they used to. Behind the scenes the technology is becoming more aligned and the only real benefit now is the knowledge of the business processes. Most people would agree that a good software testing resource will quickly pick up a business process and industry jargon, just as a good resource will quickly be able to adapt to a new application. The key is getting the requirements right and then delivering on those requirements, on time and within budget.
A changing attitude towards software testers across industry
Key sectors to note include Finance, Banking and Insurance. We quite often get requests for resourcing only testers who have worked in this sector or on that tool. Whilst the principle is sound in theory, the reality when looked at without blinkers on can be a real risk to any organisation. Without looking outside of industry you are in danger of repeating what has gone before. There is a great deal of cross industry knowledge that can be shared and evolved taking the leap of faith and bringing in new blood. This is exactly what is beginning to happen.
Some of the early adopters aren't who you would expect. I recently became aware of a major international bank that is well into a project to revitalise itself with a whole testing team outside of their industry sector. They are breaking their ingrained cultures and starting afresh and as a result looking to save billions in the process. A bold move and one that makes sense. I expect many will follow suit.
A positive outcome for all in the testing profession.
What does this mean for organisations moving forward? For the recruiters out there it means many new opportunities to put great resources into new software testing roles. For our clients it means benefiting from experience gained in different sectors, using new technologies, evolving stagnant processes and generally in many areas revisiting old challenges with new eyes and stamina. It sounds like a winner to me.
