Stigma of public sector holds back top talent

I totally agree with Warren Broadbent (Letters, Personnel Today 10 April). Job applicants are totally ignored if long, valuable and directly relevant experience is obtained in a ‘different’ sector.

I have been a civil servant for 27 years and a learning and development professional for nine. No matter how often I apply for a private sector role, where my CV directly matches the job spec, I don’t even get through the initial sift. One hears all the time of, for example, the financial sector requiring someone with a financial background.

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Surely transferable skills are exactly that and a professional can tune in to any sector-specific requirements very quickly.

Caroline Clarke, Learning and development manager, DCMS