Showcase Achievements That Validate Your Transferable Skills
I strongly advocate including an achievements section on your resume and perhaps using some bulleted achievements in your cover letter. This strategy might not work for all of my clients, but it does work for the vast majority of them. When you are looking to make a career change, use an achievements section to give weight to your transferable skills.
NOTE: Dont just list your achievements go ahead and draw the connection in the readers mind. Use a format like the following:
Business Development: Launched and grew an organic pastry business into a seven-figure operation by securing a presence with local and regional supermarkets and convenient stores. Traveled throughout the state to provide samples and expand/diversify product lines carried at more than 100 locations.
Fundraising / Event Management: Organized and executed multiple events aimed at increasing employee recognition and engagement. Also, headed Toys-for-Tots, American Cancer Society, and Food Drive fundraising and volunteer activity among a 225-member workforce.
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Tailor Your Resume To Reflect Your Career Change Goals
If this is your first time creating a career change cover letter, be sure to review your resume when youâre done so that everything is properly coordinated. You donât want any inconsistencies between those two important documents: your cover letter should only talk about experience also mentioned on your resume.
To keep your message clear, make any resume changes that are needed to keep it aligned with the message on your cover letter. Remember, itâs the little things that often make the difference between success or failure!
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Have A Career Change Cover Letter That Tells Your Story
The secret to making your Career Change cover letter remarkable is to share your excitement about the company, the field, and the position.
Its also a good idea to aim not to re-write your resume, but rather to build upon it and expand on your competencies.
Now, let’s look at some other things that will make recruiters remember you.
Highlight Your Superior Performance In Previous Positions
Other applicants may have the relevant experience, but if their experience is mediocre and cannot be backed up by strong references or tangible achievements, you may actually be a more desirable candidate for the job than they are.
In your letter, do your best to explain how you succeeded in previous roles, and connect that to a summary of how you would also add value in this new position.
Make sure your references will corroborate your statements.
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Career Change Cover Letterpersuasive Samples To Fill
Dreaming of a career change, but feel like a fish out of water? Check out this career change cover letter and finally make the move!
The dream?
Getting a job that makes you go from Thank God its Friday to Thank God its today.
Now this can be you.
Even if you feel like Michael Jordan on a soccer field, this guide will help you write a persuasive cover letter that will make all the old-timers fall way behind.
- A persuasive career change cover letter example that stands out.
- Expert tips on writing a career change cover letter that will get you that dream job.
- Fill-in-the-blank templates that you can use in your cover letter for career change.
Save hours of work and get a cover letter like this. Pick a template, fill it in. Quick and easy. Choose from
What users say about ResumeLab:
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: Wow! I love your cover letter.PatrickI love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!Dylan My previous cover letter was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!George
Looking for something else? Check these cover letter writing guides:
Youve got a great career change resume. Now its time to draft a persuasive cover letter. Heres an example of a cover letter thats well-written:
Emphasize Relevant School Experience
You can also use your resume education section to highlight transferable skills you picked up as a student.
If you completed relevant coursework that makes a strong case for you to get a job in your new industry, add it to your work experience section. Use bullet points to highlight skills you learned in class, like this:
You can also list a relevant class plus your GPA on your resume, or other school honors you received. These relevant details show employers youre more interested in their field than your work experience might first suggest.
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In this day and age, employers are looking for candidates who are more than just their resume. A resume can detail the ins and outs of responsibilities and job titles, but a cover letter is crucial to catching an employers eye. When returning to the workforce after an extended leave or pivoting in a new professional direction, detailing your experience in a well-written career change cover letter can greatly enhance your chances of securing a new job.
A career change cover letter can oftentimes be trickier to write than a typical cover letter. In a career change cover letter, youre presenting your case for any employment gaps, as well as explanation as to why youre headed in a new direction. It is an important opportunity to highlight the skills youve acquired and discuss past job transitions. Its also a chance to define why youre the right person for the role.
As with any cover letter, research both the company and the job itself, and address your career change cover letter accordingly.
Here are five more tips to customizing your career change cover letter, plus a template to get you started.
Highlight New Degrees And Certifications
Generally speaking, professional resume writers will list education and credentials at the bottom of the first or second-page of your resume, after the professional overview. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but that is true for most professionals with more than 10 years of work experience.
However, if your career change hinges on a new certification or degree that you have earned, you might want to find a way to call attention to it. You can include the initials after your name, highlight the degree/certificate in your achievements section, or move your education section to a more prominent position on your resume.
If you decide to move your education section to a higher position on your resume, you might want to consider breaking your professional experience into two separate sections. The first one would be related to experience that aligns with your new degree and career direction. The second one would be labeled something such as Other Relevant Experience. That section would be an abbreviated summary of your career experience not related to your new goals.
The reason you want to include older history that might not be related to your new career path is to establish that you are not a new graduate .
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Career Change Resume: Examples And How To Write
June 16, 2022 | By Ida Pettersson| Reviewed by Conrad Benz
When changing careers, you have to convince employers that youre the right person for the job while competing with experienced applicants. Our how-to-write guide and career change resume examples will help you put together a strong application and land a job in your target industry.
How To Write A Cover Letter For A New Career
Right after you have decided to pursue a change in your career, you could finally start drafting a cover letter. You may get ideas on how to write one from this pages cover letter samples. At some point, you must know how to write a good one.
Here are the basics of writing a cover letter for a shift in your career:
- Business Letter Format Your cover letter format will be read by professionals, therefore it is only fitting that you write a well-written cover letter. A proper and formal format gives an impact to the overall presentation of your letter, which is dependent on how neatly you outline every part of it.
- Content You must structure the content of your cover letter accordingly. Use formal language. Your intention to apply for a certain position must also be highlighted through your relevant skills and experiences despite a change of career.
If you find it time-consuming to format your own cover letter, your best option would be to download cover letter templates from our site. Our Free Cover Letter Templates available in this page are convenient and easy to customize.
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Tailor Your Letter For Each Role
You should tailor your resume for each role you apply to, and the same goes for your cover letter. Take time to research the company, find out about aspects of their work that interest you, and insert those details into your cover letter. You should also tailor your experience and skills, highlighting the most relevant skills and accomplishments for each job.
Career Change Cover Letters
Tips for Writing a Career Change Cover Letterby Kim Isaacs, Monster Resume Expert
Are you miserable in your job and dreaming about a career change? Were you downsized from your last position and wondering if a new direction is right for you? Whatever the reason you want to change careers, youre certainly not alone. Major career shifts have become common in todays job market.
As you go through the steps to ensure a smooth transition, including researching your new career goal, networking with people in the field and brushing up on related skills, you might get stuck when you start to write your cover letter. After all, how do you market yourself for a career field where you have limited or no experience?
Heres the good news: The cover letter is your friend. You can use this valuable tool to point out your relevant credentials, transferable skills and even passion for your new career choice. More than any other job seeker, you need a dynamic cover letter to prove how you would contribute to an employer. Follow these guidelines when creating your letter.
Its Not About You
Many career changers make the mistake of writing about how the employer can help them achieve their new career objectives. Employers may not care about what they can do for you, but they definitely want to know what you can do for them. Look at the difference between these two cover letter statements:
Tout Related Skills
Demonstrate Your Commitment
Show Your Passion
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Sample Career Change Cover Letter
Jessica Jobscan
Somewhere, WA
Dear Mr. Smith,
Im writing to express my interest in the HR Specialist role and provide context to my resume. It has occurred to me that working as a high school guidance counselor is a sure and accelerated education in Human Resources. I believe my experience can bring unique value to Smith Industrials HR team.
Ive spent the last eight years providing guidance to young people with social and emotional concerns, mediating relationships, and helping young adults plan their college careers. I think that the care I take with students and my interpersonal skills would be a great fit for Smith Industrials people-first philosophy.
This past year I researched, designed and led our schools anti bullying campaign which resulted in 300 percent fewer bullying complaints. I believe my ability to execute large scale projects like this could bring valuable insights to Smith Industrials company-wide initiatives.
Although Ive spent the majority of my career in the public school system, Im certain my skills, experience and achievements will translate to the private sector. Heres what caught my eye about your job posting and how I think my unique experience can benefit Smith Industrial.
Im excited about Smith Industrials growth and your innovative approach to people management. I hope my experience and unique skills lead to a face-to-face chat. You can reach me via email or phone at any time.
Best,
Jessica Jobscan
Focus On Including Transferable Skills
If you utilized any of the skills listed in the job posting in prior jobs, you can use those examples to prove your qualifications. If not, think about the transferable skills you do have that show how you can fulfill the duties of the role. Make it clear to the employer why those skills are relevant to the role, even if they are not the exact skills listed in the description. Some examples of skills that transfer to nearly any job include:
-
Organization
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How To Craft A Career Change Resume Objective
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
Related: Job Cast: Career Switching Advice to Break into a New Industry
A career change usually involves researching new career paths, assessing your transferable skills and finding opportunities that fit with your lifestyle. In this virtual workshop, Emilie Aries, Founder & CEO of Bossed Up, gives tips on making the switch.
When making a career transition, including a resume objective is essential. This brief statement proves to managers that while you may have limited experience, you possess relevant qualifications and skills to enable your success.
In this article, we provide tips and examples to help you write a resume objective when changing careers.
Related:How To Make a Career Change
Updating Your Resume For A Career Change
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
Related: How To Find Transferable Skills When Switching Careers
You may have more skills to bring to the table than you expect! Jenn explains how your soft or non-technical skills can apply to new jobs or careers.
At some point in your career, you may decide to pursue a different career path to better align with the interests and skills youve developed over time. A different field may offer better benefits as well, such as more opportunities for advancement or a better work-life balance. Once youve made this decision, youll likely need to update your resume to be a competitive candidate for jobs.
In this guide, well review how to update your resume for a career change when you have minimal experience in your new field. Here are six tips to revise your resume amidst a career transition.
Related: How To Make a Career Change
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Outline Your Performance In Previous Jobs
Your cover letter should highlight your successes from past positions. This could include hitting sales numbers, managing employees or completing a high-profile project. Even when you’re lacking specific, job-related experience, this demonstrates to the employer how you would add value to the company. Select one or two specific stories and relate your achievements to the position. Include numbers to measure your impact when possible.
Introduce Yourself And State The Position That Youre Applying For
Now, moving on to the meat.
Get them hooked like a starving fish on the line and start strong like its your first, last and only chance to turn your career around.
This means that you should make your intent known.
In your cover letter opening paragraph talk about who you are and which position you are interested in. Mention the exact position by name. This shows that you actually took the time to tailor your cover letter to a specific job posting.
Nobody wants to read a spammy cover letter that could have been sent out to any other employer. Prove them that you care.
The first paragraph can be similar to your resume summary. But dont just copy-paste it!
You can use this fill-in-the-blanks template:
Change of Career Cover Letter Sample: Introduction
Dear :
I am very excited to offer my skills and expertise for the open position at . As a professional with years of professional experience, highly skilled in Im sure I can help your team with the upcoming challenges.
It has to be transferable.
Being responsible for building batch applications in COBOL/JCL to process 2k+ of credit transactions for 15 international bank clients is a fantastic achievement, but it wont do you any good if youre planning to switch careers from software engineer to nurse.
Find a common denominator between the positions and target your resume and cover letter to the new opportunities.
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End With A Positive Statement
A generic ending to your cover letter is a missed opportunity. End your letter with a powerful and positive statement. Reiterate your enthusiasm for the role or project. Also, dont forget to thank the hiring manager or client for their time and attention.
Use the concluding paragraph to summarize your overall pitch to the client or employer. Remind them why you are the right person for the job. Dont be shy.
Instead of leaving it up to the client to invite you to an interview, consider taking the lead and suggesting it yourself.
Examples of a positive statement
Example 1
I am very interested in discussing your Virtual Assistant role in more detail. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss how my operations experience and qualifications can contribute to Tango Time. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Example 2
I believe I am a great fit for this role. I am confident that my marketing and lead gen expertise from previous roles will translate well to the UX developer role at your organization. I look forward to discussing my qualifications and suitability during an interview at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
