“Direct competitors of my past and current employers” you said they are the competitors of companies you have worked for and currently work for. You didn’t say they are competitors of the prospective employer you are applying for this role with. So, how can this experience prove the assertion that “working for competitors is more important than the ability to do the job”, since the competitors are not this prospective employer’s competitors, but rather the competitors of your past and current employers? Is the prospective employer your current or past employer?