How to Answer 'Why This Industry?' (When Your Resume Says Otherwise)
The 3-Part Story Arc that proves you're not just a career tourist
Welcome to a new phase. In the last few posts, we built your tactical arsenal of frameworks: STAR, ACE, and AIR. You now have a tool for almost any type of question they can throw at you.
In this phase, we’re going to focus on specific topics, starting with the one every career changer dreads.
The Moment They Test Your Conviction
You’re in the middle of an interview. Things are going great. And then the recruiter or hiring manager leans forward and asks:
“Look, your background is impressive, but it’s all in finance and healthcare, all over the place. Why on earth do you want to work in the retail fashion industry now?”
This is the moment they’re testing your conviction.
Their biggest fear is that you’re just a tourist. That you’re just trying something new, and when it gets hard, you’ll leave.
Your job is to prove that your interest is genuine, deeply rooted, and that this move is the logical next step in your career.
A generic answer like, “It seems really interesting,” is a nail in the coffin.
The 3-Part Story Arc
We are going to craft a powerful, authentic story using a simple Three-Part Story Arc.
Part 1: The Origin Story (The “Spark”)
You have to start by showing where this interest began. This humanizes your answer and makes it feel real, not just a sudden whim.
It has to be authentic. It could be a long-held hobby, a specific experience that opened your eyes, or a gradual realization.
Part 2: The Journey of Discovery (The “Evidence”)
This is the most critical part. You cannot just say you’re passionate. You have to show them the work you’ve done.
This is where you prove you’re not a tourist.
What concrete actions have you taken to explore this industry? Have you been reading industry publications? Have you taken an online course? Have you conducted informational interviews? Do you have preliminary thoughts for this team and this company?
You need to provide the evidence.
Here’s a pro-level move: for the last 6 or so companies I was serious about, I brought a notebook to every single interview. In that notebook, I had pages dedicated to that company with my ideas, notes on their competitors, thoughts on where the industry was headed, and out-of-the-box strategies they could consider.
And I was proactive. Even if they didn’t ask me “Why do you want to work here?”, I made sure I did not end that call without opening my notebook and sharing my thoughts.
This proves you are prepared and genuinely thinking about their business.
Part 3: The Future Connection (The “Why Here, Why Now?”)
This is where you bring it all home. You have to connect your journey directly to the specific company and role.
Why is this company, in this industry, the perfect fit for you right now?
This shows your interest isn’t just a general passion. It’s a targeted, strategic career choice.
My Real-World Example
Let me give you my own real-world example of how I answered this when I was pivoting.
Question: “Why Retail/Fashion?”
(1. The Origin Story): “That’s a great question. Honestly, my interest in this industry isn’t new. It’s a fire that was lit years ago when I took the leap to leave my investment banking job, just a year before my wedding, to launch my own footwear brand. Even though the business didn’t ultimately scale, the experience of creating a tangible product with a story that people could connect with was the most fulfilling work I’d ever done, and that feeling never went away.”
(2. The Journey of Discovery): “Even while I was working in consulting and strategy, I stayed deeply connected to the industry. I’m an avid reader of Business of Fashion and WWD. I’ve taken online courses about the fundamentals of the fashion industry. And over the past year, I’ve spoken with people in various roles, from marketing to buying to strategy, at several retail companies to understand the core challenges in the space today.”
(3. The Future Connection): “What I realized is that the key strategic problems in retail today, understanding the modern customer, leveraging data, and building a powerful brand, are exactly the kind of challenges I love to solve. And knowing that the only constant is CHANGE is extremely fascinating. Now, I know you asked me why the industry, but I also want to tell you why this company. This company isn’t just a retailer. It’s a curator of luxury and experience. Your commitment to elevating that customer journey across both digital and physical stores is something I find incredibly compelling. The strategic initiatives you’re launching around omnichannel align perfectly with my recent work at a digital health startup, where I had to figure out how to sell a new product not just through our partnership with Walgreens, but also through smaller players and our own new app. So for me, this isn’t a random jump. It’s an intentional move to apply my core strategy skills to the industry I’m most passionate about.”
What That Answer Just Did
Let’s break down what that answer just did.
It’s a story that connects my past, my present actions, and my future ambition. It proves my commitment and passion. It shows that I did my research, and I just used LinkedIn and Google to do this!
And you should have noticed, although they asked “Why the industry?”, I was proactive in making sure I also answered “Why this company?” It flows better and shows I’m genuinely excited about this specific opportunity.
Your Task
Here’s your task for this post. Build your own “Why This Industry?” story using the Three-Part Arc.
First, find your authentic “Origin Story.”
Second, list 3 or 4 concrete bullet points for your “Journey of Discovery.” The real evidence.
And third, write a powerful “Future Connection” sentence that links your skills directly to a company you’re targeting.
This story will be the key that unlocks the door to your new industry.
In the next post, we’re going to tackle the other question that everyone dreads: why are you leaving your current role.
I’ll see you there.
Next up: Answering “Why are you leaving your current role?”
Here is the complete career playbook (all 26 posts with real-world interview, resume, and career examples) for anyone who is pivoting roles, industries, about to graduate, stuck in their current path, not sure what to do next, etc.
The Complete Interview Playbook for Career Changers: Every Strategy, Every Framework, All in One Place
If you’re reading this, you’re probably not the “perfect” candidate.