X-rated: Getting a tech job in the adult industry

Contacting recruitment agencies directly reveals that the majority haven't, or won't admit to, having ever had adult firms on their books. One of the few recruitment agents that actually admitted to working in this area wanted to remain anonymous and claimed to have only recruited for one particular adult company where a friend worked.

For obvious reasons the adult industry does not tend to use conventional job sites or recruitment agents. The main way people find work is through specialist Web sites such as Adultstaffing.com, at adult industry conventions, such as Internext and AVN's Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE), and by word of mouth.

"Adult Web site conventions are where most people would find jobs," says Web designer Alexander. "Internext is really huge and is attended by all types — from porn stars to technology geeks."

Adultstaffing.com advertises predominantly US-based jobs in all areas of the adult industry and has a section specifically targeted at technology jobs, including adverts for Web designers, programmers and webmasters.

Outside the US, it is less clear how adult entertainment companies find their staff. Private Media Group, an adult entertainment company based in Spain, advertises vacancies for technology staff locally, according to Robyn Harte-Bunting, senior executive at Private Media Group. "We put ads in local papers and use employment exchanges. Nothing out of the ordinary," he says.

But finding talented technology staff can be a problem in the adult industry, particularly as pay and benefits tend to be lower than in the rest of the technology industry, says Harte-Bunting. "We hire bog-standard, competent technicians — the top technicians go somewhere where they're better rewarded," he says. "I don't think there's much talent in the [adult] industry. If you're very good at technology, you go to work for a software company and get paid more."

3. What the adult industry wants from its techies
Adult companies don't generally look for technology staff with experience in the industry as basic technical skills are all that is needed, according to Harte-Bunting. But adult Web sites tend to prefer Web designers who have previously designed adult sites, according to Web designer Alexander. "The design and design content is very different to the corporate world. If you have any experience they really like that," he says.

The technology skills sought by adult Web sites are similar to those for other e-commerce sites, according to Adultstaffing.com. Technology job ads on this site commonly require skills such as HTML, Flash, Photoshop, scripting languages and database management.

Experience in search engine optimisation and interactive Web technologies, such as chat rooms, are also important skills as these are important to maintain competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded market, according to Alexander.

As for the softer skills, the ability to work fast and meet deadlines is essential. "There is more pressure in adult industry in terms of turn-around time," says Alexander.

Adultstaffing.com job ads also point out the need for technology workers to take their work seriously, by asking for individuals who are "serious" or a "non-partier".

Large adult sites tend to employ full-time programmers, system administrators and network analysts, although in smaller...

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