career change work experience resume

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How to Write a Career Change Resume [With Template]

Starting a career in a new field is exciting, but getting your foot in the door often presents a challenge. If you’re worried about your application being overshadowed by candidates with more experience than you, don’t underestimate the role that a well-written resume can play in the hiring process. Even if you don’t have the work experience an employer is looking for, your resume can effectively convey why you’d be a great fit for the job. 

According to iHire’s 2020 Talent Retention Report , 66% of survey respondents have recently considered changing careers. The report also found that not knowing how to write a career change resume was a commonly cited roadblock for would-be career switchers. 

In this guide, we explain what a career change resume is and how to write one. We’ve also included a free template, so you can get to work on crafting a resume for your dream role.

How to Write a Resume for a Career Change

In general, most best practices for writing a resume also apply to career change resumes. However, there are a few areas you’ll want to be sure to emphasize when writing a resume for a new career path. While a traditional resume focuses heavily on work experience, career change resumes focus more on transferable skills.

In terms of how your resume is structured, a combination resume format may be the way to go. This type of resume places an equal emphasis on both skills and experience. Instead of starting the resume with your work experience, combination resume templates typically begin with an objective and a summary of relevant skills. 

The steps listed below can help you adapt your existing resume into one that is tailored for career switching. 

1. Craft a resume objective  

A resume objective is a short summary of your professional experience, skills, accomplishments, and career goals. 

Resume objectives and summaries are often considered optional, especially if you are trying to save room on your resume, but this section is crucial for those looking to change careers. The hiring manager may not make an immediate connection between your experience and the role you’re applying for, so your resume objective is essential for helping convey why you’re interested in this industry. 

Your objective should be no longer than a couple sentences. If it takes up more than two or three lines on your resume, try to shorten it.

2. Include a skills summary 

If you’re in the midst of changing careers, you’ll want to feature your skills prominently on your resume. In fact, we recommend listing them above your work experience. 

In the skills summary section, list a few skills you want to highlight, and add bullet points underneath each skill that provide examples of when you’ve used this skill. 

Not sure what type of skills to include in this section? Scan the job description for the position you’re applying for and use some of the required skills as your starting point. Some soft skills—such as leadership skills —are applicable for almost any job. Including some of the same keywords as the job description can help ensure that your resume makes it past automatic review filters.

In some situations, you might also choose to make a separate section for “Technical Skills.” In this section, you can briefly list your proficiency with various industry tools or software. This can be a great way to capture additional keywords from the job description, without having to list full examples of when you’ve used each tool. 

3. Focus on the most relevant work experience 

For a career change resume, the work experience section is all about transferable skills. You don’t necessarily need to list all of the responsibilities you had at your old job. Instead, focus on the responsibilities that are the most relevant for the new position you’re applying for. For example, if you’re a customer service representative hoping to land a job in digital marketing, you may choose to narrow in on your ability to find creative solutions for your customers. 

Here are a few tips for describing your work experience:

• Connect your work experience back to the skills listed in your skills summary section
• Focus on achievements, providing numbers and data whenever possible
• Tailor your descriptions to each job you apply for, working in keywords from the job description

If you’re running out of space on your resume, keep in mind that you don’t need to list every job you’ve ever had. Stick to your most recent two or three jobs, and leave older, irrelevant jobs behind. 

Related: How to Successfully Navigate a Midlife Career Change and Avoid a Crisis

4. Highlight your education (including certificates) 

Whether or not your education is directly related to the job you’re applying for, it’s still important to include this section on your resume. If you have limited professional experience, you can bolster your resume with some descriptions of your academic achievements, such as your GPA or relevant coursework you’ve completed. 

For example, imagine you have an undergraduate degree in history and are applying for a role as a business analyst. If you took any courses in business or analytics during college, be sure to mention them. They might not have been a part of your degree, but they show that you’ve had an ongoing interest in understanding how businesses operate. 

If you’ve earned any certificates outside of a degree program, be sure to list these, too. Online programs and certificates offer a way to expand your knowledge in a specific subject area, without the time commitment of a full degree program. They can show employers that you are serious about your professional development and would like to gain more experience in a particular industry. 

Related: Top 10 Most In-Demand Online Courses from Wharton Online Right Now

5. Add in notable projects and accomplishments 

Dedicating a section of your resume to projects and accomplishments isn’t always necessary, but if you’re changing careers or do not have much work experience, this can be a valuable way to round out your resume. You can use this space to highlight any personal achievements that are not directly related to work or school—for example, personal projects, volunteer work, or involvement in industry-related clubs or organizations. 

If you choose to include a section for projects or accomplishments, make sure that everything you list ties back to a key skill or characteristic that is relevant for your desired career path.

Career Change Resume Example 

Now that we’ve covered some tips for creating a resume tailored to a career change, let’s explore an example. We crafted this resume for a customer service representative who is applying for a digital marketing specialist position. 

Name and Contact Information 

Abigail Jacobs 

Philadelphia, PA

267-555-0176 | [email protected]

linkedin.com/in/abigail-jacobs-example

Driven and hardworking professional with a proven track record of increasing customer satisfaction levels. Looking to leverage my problem-solving skills and build upon my 3+ years of customer service experience by transitioning into the digital marketing space.

Professional Skills 

Problem Solving

• Developed creative solutions for unsatisfied customers at Platinum Auto Insurance and Accelerate Call Center
• Lead brainstorming sessions with team members to improve customer satisfaction metrics

Communication 

• 3+ years of experience in customer services roles, frequently communicating with customers both on the phone and over email 
• Completed a B.A. in Communications and was an active member of the Public Speaking Club while in college 

Organization 

• Used Excel to organize and track customer service metrics, and compiled these metrics into weekly reports for management 

Technical Skills 

• Microsoft Word
• Google Suite 
• Google Analytics 
• Google Search Console 

Work Experience

Senior Customer Service Advisor

Platinum Auto Insurance | Sept 2019 – Present

• Resolved over 100 customer complaints per week, communicating with customers via phone and email 
• Tracked KPIs for each ticket and delivered weekly customer satisfaction reports for management, consistently exceeding target satisfaction ratings by 5-10%
• Collaborated with team members to identify creative solutions for customers

Customer Service Representative 

Accelerate Call Center | Jul 2018 – Sept 2019 

• Responded to 50+ calls per day, answering questions from customers and redirecting to other departments as needed 
• Demonstrated written communication skills by revamping customer service phone scripts, resulting in a 20% increase in customer satisfaction ratings 

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

University of Pennsylvania | Jun 2018

• Completed courses in advertising and social media

Digital Marketing Certificate 

Wharton Online | Mar 2022

• Completed a six-week program from The Wharton School
• Learned about topics such as marketing analytics, customer relationships, social media, and e-commerce marketing 

Personal Projects

Marketing Assistant for Public Speaking Club 

2017 – 2018

• As a member of the Public Speaking Club at University of Pennsylvania, assisted the club with creating a monthly newsletter
• Managed social media accounts for the club, consistently posting content and engaging with followers 

Marketing Consultant 

2020 – Present 

• Assisted a friend with the creation and management of photography business website
• Used Google Analytics and Google Search Console to measure the performance of website content 

Career Change Resume Template

We’ve adapted this example into three different template formats, with the hope that it can serve as a jumping off point for your own career change resume. Click on the links below to download the template:

• Microsoft Word .DOCX
• Google Docs (click on “File > Make a copy” to save to your own Google Docs folder)

Stand Out From the Crowd With Wharton Online

If you’re looking to switch careers in the near future, an online certificate program can help set you up for success. In addition to gaining valuable insights into a specific industry, you’ll be able to list your certificate on your resume and LinkedIn. This can give you a competitive edge during your job search. 

Wharton Online offers certificate programs in subjects such as leadership and management, asset and portfolio management, and digital marketing. All of our courses are conducted 100% online, giving you the flexibility to complete coursework on your own schedule. Explore our online programs today , or reach out to us with any questions. 

For more tips on how to navigate a career change, download our free guide, “ The Career-Switching Handbook for 30‑Somethings .”

Download our eBook: The Career-Switching Handbook for 30‑Somethings

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Career Change Resume: Examples and Tips from Experts

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

If you want to change careers, you’re going to need a great resume to show employers why they should take a chance on you.

You need to convince them that you’ll succeed in their role, even if you’ve done different work in the past.

And while you can do some of this convincing in the job interview, you aren’t going to get interviews if your resume or CV isn’t great , too, so it all starts here!

Don’t worry if this sounds intimidating – this article has everything you need to write an effective resume for career change…

I spoke to multiple professional resume writers, coaches, and other experts and put together this list of resume tips for career changers, as well as real-life examples of resumes that got interviews.

Here’s what you need to know…

Career Change Resume/CV Format

The best resume format for a career change is the chronological resume (also known as “reverse chronological resume”). With this format, your resume or CV lists your work experience in the order it happened, starting with your most recent or current position at the top.

This is what most hiring managers and recruiters are used to seeing and prefer to see, so it’s the best format to use when switching careers (or in any job search, for that matter).

So the first thing to do with your resume is to make sure you’re using this format. Put your most recent position at the top of your “Work Experience” section , and then go backward from there. You’ll see examples of this coming up – don’t worry.

The bottom line is: You aren’t going to hide something or “sneak” through the process by using a less-common (and more confusing) resume format like a functional resume.

This will just confuse and frustrate the hiring manager or recruiter .

So rather than trying to hide gaps in your experience, you should tailor your experience to be as relevant as possible for the job you’re applying to. That’s how to approach resume formatting as a career changer.

Career Change Resume Objective (And Why NOT To Include This)

You should not include a resume objective when changing careers (or on any resume, in fact). A resume objective is an outdated section that should be replaced with a resume summary section – a brief intro summarizing your experience, skills, accomplishments, and anything else you’d like to share.

Coming up next, we’ll look at examples of how to write this “summary” section as a career changer.

Writing Your Resume Summary for Career Change

Rather than a resume objective, you should include a brief Summary section to show employers what you’ve accomplished and how you can help them in their role.

I asked multiple experts for tips and examples of how to write a resume summary for a career change, so here are some tips from coaches, resume writers, and other experts.

Career Change Resume Example: Switching Careers from Business Development at a Skilled Nursing Facility to Medical Device Sales 

This section is contributed by: Virginia Franco – Executive Resume Writer at Virginia Franco Resumes

When writing a summary section for a career change, think about what you bring to the table that aligns with the role you seek, and what makes you less of a hiring risk for the hiring manager or interviewer.

In the example above, my client wanted to pivot from a business development role at a skilled nursing facility into medical device sales. In writing his summary, I:

• Chose a headline that contained some keywords related to the role he currently held AND the role he was targeting.
• Created a tagline that spoke to his success in Skilled Nursing using language that was industry-neutral.
• Identified a few differentiators that would make him appealing to a hiring manager and help outweigh the fact that he was new to the role and industry.

In this case, the fact that he:

• Knew lots of key players meant he could hit the ground running and build a sales funnel fast
• Was multilingual but raised in the U.S. meant he could interface well with many cultures – important in the area where he lived, and in working with surgeons that are often from other countries.
• Kept abreast of the industry and trends meant he was passionate about the industry and that he embraced continual learning.
• Established trust by working to overcome obstacles in a creative fashion meant that he was a problem solver – a trait that would make him attractive to a hiring manager.

In other words, I worked to make him seem like a candidate that was a risk worth taking!

Career Change Resume Example: Changing Careers from Medical Device Sales to Advertising & Technology

This section is contributed by: Austin Belcak – Founder at Cultivated Culture

When your changing careers, one of the biggest resume challenges is getting visibility on the transferable and relevant experience that you have.

Maybe you worked on a relevant project two jobs ago, maybe you took a course that’s buried in your education section, or maybe you’ve been working on a side hustle but are worried about leading with that vs. your current job.

Using resume objectives is a good way to combat this issue.

Resume objectives allow you to cherry-pick the most relevant work experience from your career, education, and side projects and feature it right at the top of your resume. This gives you the chance to lead with the most relevant transferable experience so you make sure it’s seen instead of getting lost in the mix.

This is the exact tactic I used when I was switching careers from medical device sales into advertising/tech.

My day job was in healthcare, it didn’t offer much in the way of traditional skills, but I had been spending nights and weekends learning digital marketing. I took courses, got certified, and even started doing a bit of freelancing. I wanted that to show at the top of my resume so I used an objective to highlight that ahead of my current role:

Tip: Target Everything for the Role You Want

This section is contributed by: Sarah Johnston – Former Recruiter, Executive Resume Writer, and Job Search Coach at BriefcaseCoach.com

When writing a resume for a career change, it’s important to target your resume for the role that you want. I recommend finding a few job descriptions that interest you and scanning for keywords and themes. Use the target job title or skill set in the header to frame the resume.

The Ladders did an eye tracking study that found that recruiters and hiring managers only spend 7.4 seconds scanning a resume before deciding to pass or read more. The heat map showed that better-performing resumes have keywords at the top to immediately draw the eye.

Attached is the top of a career changer sample resume. This hypothetical job seeker is wanting to transition from an account manager role to being an executive assistant . The resume plays up her transferable skills and includes a header that references the job that she wants.

As a former corporate recruiter, I am not a fan of functional resumes. Recruiters are taught to scan resumes chronologically. When you take the experience out of context or “order,” it often gives the recruiter the impression you are trying to hide or fudge experience.

Tip: Use Bullets to Stand Out

This section is contributed by: Madeline Mann – Human Resources Leader & Career Coach, Creator of Self Made Millennial

Consider writing your resume intro or summary in bullet format, as this makes it easier for people to quickly scan it.

The first couple of bullet points should emphasize the most important keywords from the job description.

Get creative with how you integrate these terms into your summary. For example, use phrases like “experience with” and “knowledge of” to indicate tasks that you have become familiar with inside or outside of your job.

Personal projects, volunteering, and education should all contribute to what you describe here. If the most prominent keywords in the job description are tasks and concepts that you are unfamiliar with, that is a sign that you need to build those skills on your own time. Here is a video on how to build these important skills without getting hired.

The next couple of bullet points should focus on the most relevant accomplishments to the role you are pursuing, which may not be from your most recent role.

This is where the magic of the summary section comes into play. Pull in early-career achievements, side projects, and unpaid work where you did tasks that are more closely aligned with your new career. For example, if you are a Psychology Lab Assistant, and you want to be a Building Manager, many of your lab tasks won’t translate.

But, five years ago you were the treasurer of your sorority (budgeting is a keyword), and you handled many contractors to ensure the house was renovated and maintained (knowledge of the trades is a keyword). While that experience may be buried due to it being 5 years ago and not a paid position, it can hop to the top of your career change resume as a highly relevant accomplishment in the summary.

The summary section is an opportunity for you to truly spell it out for the hiring manager where your transferable skills will be too well-matched to ignore!

Editor’s note: Bullets are also a great way to make your resume work history section stand out. This article explains how to do this with 22 resume bullet examples. 

Career Change Resume Work History Section: Samples and Tips

After a brief summary or intro paragraph, you’ll need a powerful employment history section to continue to impress the recruiter or hiring manager. Use the tips below to help you write yours.

Write Your Resume by Working Backward from the Job Description

This section is contributed by: Kyle Elliott – Career & Life Coach and Resume Writer at CaffeinatedKyle.com

The key to a successful career change resume is to work backward from the job posting. I encourage clients to literally pull language from the posting of the job they are targeting, then massage it until it truthfully reflects their experience. You really want to speak the language of the industry you are moving into.

In the example below, my client was targeting sales roles. However, she has several years of impressive experience from working in higher education that we wanted to include on her resume. So we repositioned her earlier experience as a “customer experience manager” role, pulling language directly from the job postings she was targeting.

Add Keywords to Get Past the ATS

This section is contributed by: Susan P. Joyce – Publisher of Job-Hunt.org

When your goal is a career change, be sure that your resume contains the relevant keywords for the career you want. Without these keywords, your resume will not be found in a recruiter’s search of the applications and resumes stored in the applicant tracking system (ATS).

Analyze the job description and pay attention to the job’s requirements as well as the nice-to-have skills. Make a list of the skills and other job requirements you meet. Those terms are typically the terms that will be used most often when the employer is searching for qualified job candidates.

If you have acquired skills or experience outside of work, don’t be afraid to include them, too. These include skills you have acquired while volunteering or participating in other non-work activities, especially if those skills are required for this job (and, thus, important keywords).

One of the best places to start including keywords on your career change resume is your “Skills” section.

The Skills section provides a quick way to show employers that you have the skills they’ve listed on their job description.

For example: Assume the job requires hard skills like QuickBooks or SQL, and you have experience with them or have certifications from training you have taken. Include the appropriate term in your Skills section, like “QuickBooks” or “QuickBooks Certified”.

Then, in the “Experience” section of your resume , include those skills in the descriptions of your past jobs (or volunteering) where you acquired and/or used those skills. This will show the employer when and where you demonstrated your skills, which they always want to see!

Repetition of keywords is usually a good thing when the repetition is natural, relevant, and appropriate. So, having these important terms in both the Skills and Experience sections of your resume will help your resume be found.

However, simply repeating keywords at the bottom of your resume is not smart or useful.

Career Change Resume Templates

You should now have a general idea of how to format and write your resume or CV for a career change.

If you need a great starting point and don’t want to create your resume from scratch (or if your existing resume is outdated and doesn’t look great) then this job search resources page has multiple free resume templates that are great for changing careers.

After clicking the link above, scroll down to the section titled: “ATS-Compliant Resume Templates.” All of the templates on that page are free to use and download.

Recap: How to Write a Resume for Career Change

If you’re planning on switching careers, you should write your resume to make your experience seem as relevant as possible for the job you want next.

Always think of the employer’s perspective when deciding what to put on your resume and what to leave off.

Write your career change CV or resume based on the employer’s job description and you’ll be much more likely to win the interview.

That’s how to get a new job in a new field. Employers want candidates who can step into a role, learn the position quickly, and succeed. They want low risk.  The more you can show similarities between what you’ve done and what the employer needs for this job, the better!

To summarize: Your CV or resume for a career change will be most successful if you start with the employer’s needs in mind, work backward, and think carefully about how to position your own experiences – both professional and personal – to make yourself seem capable of stepping into their job and being a success!

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

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10 best free resume builders, what to put on a resume: 9 things to include, sample list of accomplishments for resume (35+ examples), top 14 resume skills to add on your resume + examples, does a resume need an objective, resume summary with no experience: examples for students and fresh graduates, resume keywords: 80+ verbs and power words to use, previous work experience examples for a resume, 24 resume summary examples that get interviews.

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Find a Job You Really Want In

So you’ve decided to change jobs. After all, the average salary increase when making the switch is 14.8% (the wage growth while staying put is only 5.8%).

Of course, to land that high-paying new job, you’ll need a successful resume . This is especially true in a career change situation, where you’ll have to compete with more experienced applicants.

In many ways, your resume is like your first interview, as it will provide a crucial introduction and first impression to a hiring manager . Knowing that it’s easy to see why nailing it is your first and potentially last opportunity to outline what makes you an ideal candidate.

This article will discuss what makes a successful career change resume, as well as provide examples and other valuable tips.

Key Takeaways:

You’ll want to showcase your accomplishments, skills, and qualifications without sacrificing readability.

Sections that you should include are:

Prior work experience

Relevant skills and qualifications

Accomplishments

Hiring managers are looking for relevancy, positivity and readability when looking at career change resumes.

What to Include in a Career Change Resume

How to edit and update your old resume, what hiring managers are looking for on a career change resume, how to structure a career change resume, career change resume examples, additional career change resume tips.

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We know you know the rodeo, but it’s always good to get a refresher. Just in case you don’t have access to one of your old resumes, it’s good to know how to start from scratch.

First and foremost, never underestimate the power of a good resume summary . Regardless of how much experience you’ll have in your new field, a clever resume summary will still pull the hiring manager in. That way, you can avoid being added to the discard pile.

Here are some other crucial elements to include in your resume:

Contact information. What good in any job application if the employer doesn’t know how to reply to you? When writing your resume , always be sure to include your full legal name, email, phone number, and other relevant contact information at the top of the page . This will ensure that the employer has several methods of contacting you.

Accomplishments. Briefly mention what makes you the best candidate for the job. Employers love a simple outline of your accomplishments because it’s fast and easy to read.

Highest level of education. Often, one of your best ways of landing a job you don’t have experience for is through your education.

Regardless of whether you only graduated high school or have a Master’s Degree, you should include any relevant classes you’ve taken, your major, your GPA (if sufficient), and any other educational achievements you can think of.

Prior work experience. Whether or not your current career is relevant to the new one you’re after, be sure to include information about it. Briefly mention what you do and a few of your accomplishments (preferably in bullet notes). If you can make your experience and accomplishments relevant to the new career, even better.

Volunteer work and other activities. Similarly to work experience, it can be valuable to include any volunteer work you’ve done. For instance, if you’ve volunteered at an animal shelter, school, homeless shelter, or food bank, employers will be interested in your ability to serve your community.

Personal projects. If you’ve ever had your own small business or made something that’s relevant for the job you’re applying to, you can include that in your resume. For example, if you started up an Etsy shop last year and are starting to turn a profit, that experience will show your employers that you can be a creative, savvy business owner .

Relevant skills and qualifications. Overall, the more relevant skills and qualifications you can include in your resume, the better. From personality traits to languages and computer programs to medical certifications. Think of anything useful you can add.

Keywords. Hiring managers typically don’t have a lot of time to review your resume, so including keywords can be an easy way to catch their eye. When you read a job description , be sure to analyze the position requirements so you can use similar language in your resume.

For example, if there’s a position that requires you to have experience using Microsoft Word, you should mention that you have experience using Microsoft Word in your resume.

Now you might be thinking, “well, I already have a resume,” and while that is a good thing, you should still make some changes. After all, you may have a lot to update if you haven’t touched your old resume in a while. That’s why it’s important to review the entire document, even if you were satisfied with it in the past.

When it comes to revising your old resume, here are our top tips:

Specialize your intro. Changing careers means you might have to hone in on a different skill set. Do so effectively. It’s a good idea to alter your intro. For instance, if you’re moving to a career that requires more interpersonal skills , you can edit your intro to include a sentence about your ability to communicate.

Update job descriptions. If you have a new, impressive accomplishment to include, you should add it to your job description. This is also a good time to refresh the dates and times you have listed for your current job.

Add relevant skills. You might be surprised to learn that less can be more. If you find that you have a lot of skills listed that are completely irrelevant to your career change , you should update them. Only focus on the skills that will show promise to a potential employer.

Cut out unnecessary info. While you’re updating job descriptions, you should look over some of your older jobs and remove anything that seems outdated or irrelevant. That also goes for anything else on your resume.

Spelling and grammar. You’d be surprised what you can miss. Re-read your old resume and keep an eye out for spelling and grammar issues. Plus, if you feel like you can improve the wording of a sentence or two, go for it.

In general, being able to base the information in your resume around what a hiring manager wants to hear will bring you one step closer to landing the position. Just think of it as looking at things from their perspective.

One of the biggest frustrations when making a career change is beating out the competition that has years of experience in the field. To do so, you’ll need to know what the hiring manager is looking for.

With that in mind, here are some of the major things that will catch a hiring manager’s eye:

Readability. Hiring managers are busy people, and therefore, they don’t have endless time to review your resume. Typically, the average employer only spends less than ten seconds reviewing your resume, so making all of your key points easy to read can be a crucial part of making anything stick.

When in doubt, use keywords, stick to streamlined formatting and keep your word count low.

Positivity. While there are several personality traits employers look out for, positivity is one of the most important ones. Your ability to make light of any situation, stay motivated, and bring good vibes to the workplace cannot be understated.

Try to radiate positivity when you craft your sentences, so the employer will sense that you’d have that same energy in the workplace.

Leadership and Teamwork. While leadership and teamwork may seem like opposing forces, having both is a crucial part of any workplace. When possible, use examples to outline why you’re an effective leader and a thoughtful team player. Generally speaking, these two skills come down to confidence and adept communication.

Relevancy. If you’re applying to a new career, employers want to know why exactly you applied in the first place. Show why you’re interested in the position and include as many relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications as possible.

When you begin writing or updating your resume, you should try your best to perfect the formatting. As mentioned previously, be sure to list your contact information at the top of the page, and then a brief summary about yourself. The more you can specialize your intro for the career change, the better.

Divide in sections. As you may know, resumes are split up into sections to make them more digestible. Common sections include:

Experience Highlights

Certifications or Projects

While you can add more sections if you choose, you should be mindful of your resume’s length and readability.

Use Bullets. Another effective way to maintain flow is to organize the information in your sections as bullet notes, so any employer can simply take a glance and receive all the information they need. Any section written in sentences should be no more than a short paragraph.

If you’re looking over an old resume and you notice a lot of blocky paragraphs or long-winded descriptions, find ways to trim those sections down.

Use the right font. Remember that as a professional document, your resume should also pull from a group of acceptable font types, which are sized and spaced appropriately. If you don’t know or don’t remember, here is a list of ten potential fonts you can use:

Times New Roman

After you select a font, you should choose your font size based on the same logic as the font type. Therefore, select the smallest size that is still easily readable — typically between ten and 12. The font type you chose may alter the size slightly, but be sure to avoid oversizing your font, as your resume may appear unprofessional.

Keep it simple. Overall, pay attention to the simplicity of the style. If a font seems simple and easy to read, it is probably acceptable. Simple fonts are preferred in part because heavily stylized fonts might be difficult for someone to read, and ideally, the reader should be able to skim the most important information from your resume quickly and efficiently.

When in doubt, don’t go overboard. Keep everything simple, and to the point so you can retain the employer’s attention.

Put together, all of these tips culminate in creating easy-to-read, relevant, and effective resumes. Here are a few examples:

From In-Home Caregiver to Teacher resume.

Jane Hindsdale Portland, ME 04101 | Cell: (555) 555-5555 | [email protected] SUMMARY Experienced State Employee with nearly six years of In-Home Caretaking experience. HCC graduate with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Enthusiastic and hard worker with unparalleled devotion to assignments, tasks, and clients. Complimented by adept communication and patience gained from years of caretaking and customer service experience. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Has managed four different individuals with mental developmental disabilities while alone on shifts, keeping everyone on schedule and taking care of. Successfully de-escalated a situation where a client intended to harm himself through adept and careful communication skills. Decreased food costs by 25% using effective meal plans, grocery lists, and staff scheduling. Increased client’s abilities to complete tasks on time by 40% through communication and organization initiatives. SKILLS De-escalation Communication Babysitting Critical thinking Patience Caretaking Microsoft Word and Office Problem-Solving Customer Service Team Leadership Extremely organized Time management< Ability to Work Under Pressure WORK HISTORY Developmental Service Worker, 09/2015 to Current State of Maine (DDS Portland Service Group) — Portland, ME 04101 Responsible for managing four individuals with mental developmental disabilities. Provides individuals with engaging educational activities and community integration services. Organizes and conducts effective group activities that keep everyone engaged. Maintains the community living space through cleaning, organizing, and performing other related tasks. De-escalates arguments and other potentially harmful situations through adept communication. Babysitter, 09/2017 to Current Care.com — Portland, ME 04101 Has successfully cared for over 50 different children between the ages of three to 12. Has aided in homeschooling lessons to help children and parents achieve their goals. Organizes activities to keep children entertained and engaged. Compiles daily reports for parents to review and for effective communication purposes. Waitress , 03/2014 to 12/2015 Smokey’s Pub N’ Grill — Portland, ME 04101 Provided professional and positive customer service at registers and on the sales floor. Mediated interpersonal difficulties between store managers and customers. Checked and counted inventory. EDUCATION Bachelor of Education: Early Childhood, Graduated University of Maine – Portland, ME 04101 Final Project: Served as a TA in a kindergarten class for three months. Successfully created presentations and worked as a team with the teacher to conduct group activities. Wrote a thesis about attention and childhood development, with an emphasis on how to keep children with disabilities engaged. High School Diploma: General Studies Portland High School – Portland, ME 04101 Distinctions Passed EAS test MAP Certified CPR Certified ME State Driver’s License American Red Cross Babysitting Certification

From Graphic Designer to Web Designer.

James Parker Pittsfield, MA 01201 | Cell: (555) 555-5555 | [email protected] SUMMARY Creative and results-driven Graphic Designer looking to bring those skills to the web. Exceptionally strong work ethic outlined by a 98% customer service and satisfaction record. Adaptable worker with the ability to function well independently and effectively coordinate within a team of other professionals. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Has successfully used Canva, Photoshop, and Flash to complete over 150 projects for clients. Earned a 98% customer satisfaction record from over 100 different clients. Has designed graphics and formatting for 37 different websites. SKILLS HTML JavaScript Microsoft Word and Office Digital Design Logo Design Project Management PowerPoint Adobe Creative Suite Advertising Communication 2D/3D Modeling SEO Optimization WORK HISTORY Graphic Designer , 05/2018 to 06/2021 Marston Media — Boston, MA 02101 Worked with over 70 clients to create thoughtful, customized, and optimized designs. Finalized over 100 different client projects with a 99% customer satisfaction rate. Designed over 280 images including, logos, web advertisements, banners, and more. Freelance Graphic Designer, 02/2016 to 04/2018 CanvasWeb — Amherst, MA 01122 Created over 100 images to pair with online articles and blog posts. Designed digital displays and media used in online advertising, which increased business revenue by over 15% for five different businesses. Customer Service Representative , 08/2013 to 04/2016 TradeCo. — Pittsfield, MA 01201 Reduced customer churn by 7% by developing an improved digital customer follow-up system. Tracked customer feedback trends and used the information to determine the cause of various issues. Surpassed team goals by over 15% through achieving a 99% average customer satisfaction rate. Communicated effectively with customers and co-workers alike on a daily basis. EDUCATION Bachelor of Fine Arts: Graphic Design, Graduated University of Massachusetts – Amherst, MA 01122 High School Diploma: General Studies Amherst High School – Amherst, MA 01122 Distinctions Fluent in Spanish Adobe Certified Expert MA State Driver’s License

Now that you know how to write an effective career change resume, here are some additional tips to keep in mind when you draft your first copy:

Keep it short and to the point. Hiring managers have lives too, so it’s important that you limit the length of your resume and only include the most important information. Ideally, your resume should only be around a page long. Doing this will help maximize readability and retain the potential employer’s interest.

Thoroughly proofread. It’s critical that the spelling and grammar of your resume are on point. Given that, you should spend a considerable amount of time proofreading, so you have a better chance of catching these errors.

Avoid first-person pronouns. First-person pronouns have a way of killing professionalism . In general, avoiding them will improve the quality of your resume. For example, instead of saying, “I increased sales by 22%”, simply write: “Increased sales by 22%”.

Professionally label the .pdf File. If you’re sending your resume to a potential employer via email, it’s important that you label the document appropriately. One of the best ways you can label your resume is by titling the document with your first and last name, followed by the word “resume.”

Quantify when possible. The more specific you can make your achievements on your resume, the better. Instead of writing that you “have a lot of experience,” it’s better to say that you “have five years of experience.” Accurate numbers, dates, and percentages will improve the quality of your resume.

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Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.

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How to Write a Career Change Resume With Examples

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What are some important elements of a career change resume?

How to write a career change resume, career change resume example.

There are many reasons why you might decide to change careers.  A career change resume allows you to show transferable skills that are relevant to your new industry when you may not have relevant experience yet. Use these tips and examples as a guide when writing your own career change resume.

When changing careers, it’s important to show employers you have the skills needed for the new industry. Your work history will likely be less important than listing the skills you have with specific examples. You want to explain your transferable skills to the hiring manager and explain how qualifications from your past career are relevant to the new industry. 

You can follow these steps to write a career change resume:

1. First, identify transferable skills

Take time to get to know the industry you are moving into. Read industry news and job descriptions to get an idea of skills employers are looking for. Review your current resume and the skills you’ve gained and used during your career. See if there are any skills that you can transfer to your desired field. Many soft skills, like communication and organization, are skills that transfer well.  

Remember that non-professional experience can also be included in your career change resume. Volunteer work and sometimes even hobbies, such as writing blogs or playing a sport, can show specific knowledge and skills. 

2. Second, update your resume objective

Building from the resume objective that appears on the top of your current resume, highlight the type of job you’re looking for. Make sure you explain that you’re seeking a career change in your objective so hiring managers understand immediately. 

Your objective should provide hiring managers with details on how your former career has provided you with the necessary skills for the new industry and the position you’re applying for. If you have any goals you want to achieve in your new career, add those as well. These goals can show the hiring manager why you want to work for them.

3. Third, identify the resume format that works best for you

There are several kinds of resume formats available for you to choose from. A reverse-chronological resume format lists your most recent work experience to your oldest. A functional resume format places more focus on skills instead of where you’ve worked in the past. A combination resume includes components from both the reverse chronological and functional formats. 

For career change resumes, functional and combination templates usually work best as they focus more on what you can do instead of past jobs, which may not be as relevant in a new industry.

4. Next, add a skills section

When hiring managers look through your resume, they most likely will not see familiar responsibilities or job titles from their industry. This makes highlighting your skills important. By adding a skills section to your resume, you can include soft and hard skills relevant to the position you’re applying for. To make this section easier to read, you can separate your hard skills and soft skills so employers can scan them quickly.

5. Then, leave out unnecessary information

Your resume doesn’t need to list every position you’ve ever held, programs used and tasks completed. Your work experience may not transfer to a different industry, so you may be able to exclude a lot of it. In your work history section, include your most recent experience followed by any other jobs that may have similar duties to the position you’re applying for.

Try to include the skills used in your job duties so employers can read specific examples. For example, if you want to highlight your customer service skills, a job description bullet item could be: ‘Assisted over 30 customers per day by making purchasing suggestions and troubleshooting issues.’

6. Finally, use simple, clear language

Explain achievements, job-related tasks, programs and job titles in language that is clear to anyone reading your resume. Try to translate responsibilities and skills into the language used by industry insiders in the field you are moving into. Simple language can also make your resume easier to read quickly, which can help busy employers. 

Writing a career change resume can be challenging. 

Here is an example of a career change resume you can use to get started:

Lee Chang 540 Jeffery Blvd. Chicago, IL 12345 555-555-5555 [email protected]

Engaging and charismatic marketing professional seeking a career change to be an Adjunct Professor of Marketing. Superb presentation talents and communication skills underscored by 15 years of experience in strategic management, financial management, operations management, marketing strategy, market data analysis and technology sales team training. 

• Successfully directed global marketing operations for a new technology business, increasing international sales growth by 87% within 18 months of being hired
• Led an international technology company into untapped western Europe and China markets

SALES TRAINING: 

• Created effective online training modules that were implemented by all company sales offices
• Trained more than 125 Sales Managers in technology sales strategies across Western Europe, Canada and the U.S.

PRESENTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS: 

• Interpersonal strengths and communication skills that motivate success through one-on-one advertising, discussions and multimedia presentations
• Contributor to trade publications such as Global Marketing News and Tech Marketing Today

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCIES: 

• Adobe Marketing Cloud
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Microsoft Dynamics 
• Google Analytics

Work History

Global Marketing Manager, Franklin Technologies, Chicago, IL, 2012 – Present

Market Research Analyst, Integrative Software Corporation, Milwaukee, WI, 2007 – 2012

Sales Manager, Global IT Communications, St. Paul, MN, 2004 – 2007

Master of Business Administration; 3.8 GPA University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Bachelor of Business Administration; 3.9 GPA St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• Make the Perfect Resume For a...

Make the Perfect Resume For a Career Change

10 min read · Updated on May 09, 2023

Before you start pursuing a career change, make sure that your resume is ready to play its part

According to various studies, the average American holds many different jobs throughout their career. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that Americans born between 1957 and 1964 held an average of more than 12 jobs during their working years. Gone are the days when people worked for the same employer for their entire career! As a result, you should expect that you'll need to make at least one career change between now and your eventual retirement.

In this post, we'll look at some of the steps you should take before making a career change and examine the important role that your resume can play in helping you to successfully make that switch. We'll also provide some tips that you can use to create the perfect resume to convince prospective employers to meet with you and consider you for their open positions.

Are you ready for a career change?

There are many reasons why people choose to change careers. For example, you might find yourself in a job that doesn't really fit your career goals. Or maybe your workplace has become toxic over time, and you just need to find a new and more positive environment. Whatever your reasons, only you will know when you're ready to move on to that next stage in your career. Making the decision to switch careers is only the first step, though. You also need to figure out what type of career change you need.

1.      Do some serious self-reflection

Before you make any serious change, do some serious self-reflection and assess your goals and aspirations. What type of work best fits your skill set and aligns with how you see yourself as an employee? How much money do you need to meet your needs and feel some sense of satisfaction? What type of work environment do you prefer? Check out our great post on career assessments to learn more:  Can a Career Assessment Help You Figure out Your Future?

2.      Make sure you've researched your options

You also need to do your homework to ensure that you're picking the right career path before you make that change. Get online and start researching everything you can find about your desired job and the industry. Read industry articles, news reports, and other information to ensure that you're up to speed on advancements in the sector. You should also consider talking to others in the industry, especially those who are already doing the type of work you want to pursue.

As you consider these things, think about some of the best jobs for a career change.  Lifetime earning potential may be key considerations if you're thinking about a career change at 30 or 40 years old. If you're considering a  career change at 50 , you might want to look at some of the fastest-growing careers that might offer quicker advancement. Older workers will also want to consider how  ageism might impact their job search so that they can counter it before it occurs.

3.      Determine whether you have the experience and skills you need

Take a hard and honest look at your own skills and experience. Do you have the transferrable skills needed to perform the job you want? Do you have at least some relevant experience that can convey your qualifications to a potential employer? Are there  skills that you need to acquire before you'll feel confident pursuing a new job?

4.      Create a plan

Don't make any concrete career chance decisions until you have a plan in place to help you to reach your goal. Make sure that this plan is a step-by-step roadmap that sets specific micro and macro goals to help you move toward your career objective. Be sure to include time estimates and metrics that you can use to measure your progress and hold yourself accountable.

Why you need to update your resume

When you are finally ready to begin that career change, the next step is to make sure that you have a compelling resume that reflects your qualifications and skills. Don't make the same mistake that so many job seekers make and think that you can simply continue to use your existing resume. 

That could be disastrous to your prospects, since that old resume won't be tailored to fit your new career goal. It likely won't focus on the transferrable skills you need to perform a different type of job, and probably includes experience and other information that has no direct relevance to your desired position.

With that in mind, we've compiled some simple tips that you can use to update your resume and ensure that it's suitable for use in your career change and job search.

Tips to help you to create the perfect career change resume

Before we get started, it's vital to understand that a career change resume is going to look a little different than your typical resume. As a result, the process that you use to craft that resume is going to be a little different too. That's why we've compiled some tips that you can use to create a compelling narrative that can increase your chances of using your resume to secure an interview. As you might expect, a good career change resume needs to demonstrate that you're qualified for the position, even though your experience may not be directly relevant to that job.

Use a hybrid resume format

There are three main resume formats that you can choose for any resume: the chronological format that highlights your work experience, starting from the most recent job, the functional resume that focuses on your skills and achievements (often a necessary choice for candidates who have no work experience), and the hybrid format which combines both options. When you're switching careers and relying on transferrable skills and achievements, that hybrid option is often the best choice.

By using the hybrid format for your resume, you can focus the hiring manager's attention on your qualifications at the beginning of the resume. That way, the reader can quickly see all your relevant attributes, including transferrable abilities that match the position's needs. 

Create a compelling resume summary

The old objective statement has gone out of fashion - and for good reason. Candidates who stated their objectives were usually focused on their own needs rather than those of the company. The more fashionable resume summary statement reads like a sales elevator pitch. It is a brief, two or three sentence summary that highlights your background, experience, notable skills, and major achievements. It's a great way to quickly showcase the value that you offer as a potential hire.

Your summary may include reference to the fact that you're seeking a career change. Follow that by highlighting relevant experience that speaks directly to the qualifications needed for the position you're seeking. Then, include mention of the key transferable skills you bring to the table, as well as an attention-grabbing achievement that shows your value. The following template shows an example of how this can be done:

Former [Previous or current job title] seeking a [job title you are seeking] position. Proven track record of success, using [list most relevant transferable skills] abilities to provide consistent value for employers. Recently [cite major recent achievement, using action verbs and measurable value provided to company or customers].

Focus on transferable skills

If you're not sure what transferable skills you might have, take the time to research those needed for the position you want. Since most transferable skills tend to be soft skills, chances are that you possess at least some skills the company will want to see. By placing your transferable skills right below your summary, you can draw the reader's attention to your suitability before they ever get to your work experience.

Wherever possible, you should make sure that you include skills listed in the job description. When you have them, be sure to use the posting's keywords in your resume too. That will help to ensure that the  applicant tracking system recognizes your skills. Be sure to include relevant hard skills, as well as any that you're in the process of developing. For instance, if you're taking classes to learn project management analytics, include mention of your studies.

To identify your transferable skills, think about all of the soft skills that you possess that could benefit you in a new career. Abilities like communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and effective customer service are needed in almost every profession. By examining the job description, you should be able to get a good idea about which of your soft skills can provide value to a specific job role and employer.

Tailor your work experience

When you're trying to switch careers, it's likely that your current resume's work experience section won't be tailored to showcase your qualifications for the new job. That shouldn't be a problem, though, if you know how to revise that section to ensure that it focuses on your key transferable skills. To do this the right way, you simply modify your bullet points to ensure that you highlight those skills. For example, if you want to convey your communication and problem-solving skills, you might include something like this:

• Led successful search for new invoicing solution, facilitating communication between multiple departments to implement processes that reduced labor involvement by 35%, resulting in an average 2-day reduction in invoice turnaround times
• Implemented new outreach and donor management systems to address 20% decline in donor support, reversing the decline and increasing donor contributions by 31% in the first quarter

No matter what each previous job entailed, make sure that you focus your bullet points on relevant skills you'll need to land your desired job. Even more importantly, make sure that you include those measurable results that will enable the hiring manager to see just how valuable you might be if they hire you for their team.

Highlight any relevant education

Since you may not have the work experience a hiring manager might be looking for, you'll need to bolster your transferable skill list by also including relevant coursework, training, or certifications. If you lack any relevant education and feel as though your resume could benefit from those qualifications, you might want to consider getting some online training or a new certification.

Don't forget to include related projects

One other way that you can highlight relevant experience is to include any  projects that demonstrate the skills you need for the job. For example, if you were involved in the development of your employer's customer service app, listing that achievement could be a great way to showcase some of your more relevant teamwork, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.

Include a career change cover letter

Don't forget to create a tailored career change cover letter that explains your transition. Of course, you should create a cover letter for every resume you submit, but it could be especially important when you're trying to switch careers. Use that cover letter to focus on your best qualifications and try to convey how your skills and experience have prepared you for your new career.

Like most people, you will probably switch jobs and career directions several times over the course of your life – and each time, you'll need to ensure that you have the right resume to successfully make that career change. By focusing on your transferable skills and knowing how to highlight the right kind of experience, you can increase your chances of landing the interview and job offers you need.

Get your  free resume review today to ensure that your resume presents the compelling narrative you need for a successful career change!

Recommended reading:

How to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume (with Examples)

How to Write a Targeted Resume That Lands You an Interview

How to Write a Resume Outline that Can Simplify the Resume Creation Process

Related Articles:

TopResume on SkimmThis: New Year, New Resume

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

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Ultimate guide to creating a resumé for a career change.

Key Takeaways

We'll walk you through each step, from identifying your transferable skills to highlighting them on your resume. So whether you're just starting out or have some experience, this guide has something for everyone ready to write their career change resume!

How a Career Change Resume Is Different

Switching careers is scary. And making career changes requires a different type of resume to showcase your skills and experience.

First off, realize that even though you might not have the experience you want, you do have skills necessary to change careers. You just need to find out what they are and highlight them in the best resume format for career changers – the combination format functional resume.

When changing careers, highlight your transferable skills with a functional resume format to deemphasize work experience and show off your skills!

Transferable skills are those you acquired in other fields but can apply to your new field. These may include leadership skills, communication skills, problem-solving, or even technical knowledge. 

By focusing on these skills, instead of job experience in your resume, you can show employers that you're the right fit for your new career.

And the good news is that skills may be slowly replacing degrees. According to LinkedIn CEO, Ryan Roslansky, "The future belongs to the skilled. Skills, particularly tech skills are more in demand than ever." (1)

A functional combination resume is the best way to highlight your skills to hiring managers, allowing you to show off both your qualifications and experience while also emphasizing your skills.

Customize your resume based on the job you're applying for and get results! Check out this example resume created from a resume template on Canva !

Resume for Career Change: Combination Resume Format

Stand-out resumes these days are not your old black and white top to bottom lists of education and experience. Selecting a career change resume format that highlights your best features helps your resume leap off the page. (more on design format later ;)

And since you're a career changer, you will likely want to highlight your highly transferable skills or certifications above your job experience.

One way you'll do that is by creating a career change resume objective and summary of qualifications!

Your name will obviously go at the top. But after that, you’ll need 5 basic areas on your resume. 

1. Contact Information

• Relevant Career Network sites
• Title (job title you want)

2. Career Objective and Summary (MOST IMPORTANT)

3. Education and Certificates with Bullet Points

4. Highlight Transferable Skills with Bullet Points (IMPORTANT)

5. Relevant Work Experience

We will go through each section with examples of how to create your resume and change careers with style! We'll also include what NOT to do!

But first, let's start at the beginning -- doing your homework.

Research First (for a Knockout Resume!!)

First, read everything about the career you want.

For example, suppose you manage the IT help desk teams for a local university but want to change fields by going into project management for a software creation company. In that case, you'll need to research your new field to understand your relevant skills.

Check Out the Duties and Skills of Your Desired Position

First, find the career change resume skills that project managers need. According to Indeed , some of the skills required as a project manager include:

• Adaptability: Juggling many tasks while assisting others when needed.
• Budgeting: Efficiently spending budget to maximize benefits
• Decision-making: Assessing relevant information for informed decisions
• Industry knowledge: Understanding team needs to make informed decisions
• Leadership: Motivating staff members and providing meaningful instruction
• Problem-solving: Identifying problems and solutions
• Risk assessment: Estimating potential project risks, costs, and probabilities
• Time management: efficiently keep the project on schedule (2)

Consider which duties you can perform well and which skills allow you to do so. Make a note of the skills that would make you a perfect candidate for the job!

However, if you feel concerned that you need more skills to land the job, you might try earning a certificate or certification online with Unmudl .

For an IT project management position, you might try one of these courses:

• Mastering Project Management with PMP Prep
• IT Professional Series
• Fast Track to Information Technology

Check out Job Description Examples

Starting a job search is exciting but simultaneously terrifying! You may look at job duties in job ads and see descriptions that include skills you don't have. What if you're really out of your depth here?

The fact is that people change careers all the time without all of the skills listed in the job search ads.

In fact, "if you've found a job that you want to apply for but don't meet all of the requirements, it's often still worth applying. Even without every qualification, it's possible to receive an interview and a job offer. The key is to shift your pitch toward your strengths in order to focus on the knowledge and experience you do have." (3)

And now is an excellent time to apply! In fact, 66% of companies will train and hire candidates who may be lacking in skills but have potential! (4)

So don't let job descriptions scare you, take a leap of faith and start looking at the job titles you would like to have by YOUR name!

Do some job searches and read about all the skills they require for the position. Read about these positions on sites such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Indeed. And then read through articles about what it takes to find success in your new chosen profession.

Interested in a career change? Check out the full guide on how to change careers successfully .

Hone in On the Position You Want

Find a position with the exact title for which you have transferable skills OR recently received certification.

You might type "software project management positions new mexico" into the search box and see what comes up. Read the exact list of skills required for the position.

For example, let's say the ad is for an "IT Project Manager" and asks for these abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge or experience as an IT project manager
• Analyze high-risk initiatives
• Effectively facilitate meetings and present solutions using strong organizational skills
• Understand project management methodology
• Demonstrated analytical and creative problem-solving skills
• Experience leading and managing project teams with accountability
• Balance multiple priorities simultaneously while adapting to needs
• Experience as a software developer
• 5+ years in business administration

Now that you have the information you need, you can effectively create a resume that will land the job of your dreams!

However, if you need more skills, prove your readiness and prepare for your career change with these hot courses of study from Unmudl :

• Certified Ethical Hacker-Mentor Led
• Mechatronics for Equipment Maintenance - Level II
• Fast Track to Plumbing
• EC Council-Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Now you can start the writing part of your resume for a career change!

SECTION 1: "Contact Information and Title"

Write your first draft resume in a doc format first. (You can choose design elements later on.)

First, decide on your new job title and include this under your name. This helps future employers see you as the owner of this title. Start claiming who you want to be by declaring it first thing!

Next, include your contact information, including email, phone number, city and state, and any relevant social media links, such as a namesake website highlighting your best career features or a LinkedIn profile.

Add a link to another professional site if it uniquely highlights your best work. Sites such as Behance or Vimeo could work well for a graphic designer or digital video production job resume. For an IT or software engineering position, you might include a link to your Github, etc.

However, only include sites where you've carefully edited your profile to suit your new job description and bring out the relevant skills for your new path.

SECTION 2: Resume "Objective & Skills Summary"

Your resume objective and summary is crucial to show the hiring manager why you're applying for the job, and how your skills make you the best candidate.

Pro Tip: Write the rest of your resume, and then return to this section for the best results.

Don't write your objective or summary before writing the rest of your resume. You don't know what you want to write yet and won't know until you create the rest of your resume. You need to know what factors prove you're the best candidate before you can prove it to someone else!

Your resume summary is of utmost importance. If you don't catch the hiring manager or recruiter's attention in the first 6-7 seconds with your resume summary you're out of luck!

Did you know? You can use AI tools to help you build your résumé .

Highlight Your Transferable Skills

Let employers know that you have the transferable skills to excel in your new field by using exact phrases from the job description you want. By doing this, you will not only move through the hiring manager's computer keyword checks but also outshine your competition, whether they have experience or not!

Once you've identified your transferable skills, it's time to show them off on your resume! Here are some tips on how to do just that:

• Focus on the key skills that enable you to mitigate gaps in experience.
• Use strong action verbs (managed, developed, created, led) to make your skills stand out.
• Be specific, Include details on the outcomes of relevant projects or tasks you've completed.
• Quantify your accomplishments when possible, with numbers or percentages.
• Show what you've achieved in the past

By including your transferable skills in the skills summary section of your resume and focusing on results, employers will quickly recognize that you're the perfect candidate for their position.

Your summary of qualifications should bring to life the rest of your resume! This section is your shot to show employers how you can benefit their company with your skills, experience, and accomplishments.

Be sure to include specific examples of how your skills apply to your new field. Mention some of the company's exact needs by name to show that you've done your research and are passionate about the job.

With a well-written resume summary, employers will know that you're capable and prepared for this career change. Next thing you know, you'll be sitting in that interview chair, sharing why you're THE candidate for the position!

If you're unsure you possess the skills you need, take a course or read more about changing career fields at Unmudl .

SECTION 3: "Skills List"

At this point in your career change resume, you can list the transferable skills relevant to the job you're applying for in bullet form.

• Soft skills are interpersonal skills such as communication, problem-solving, and collaboration.
• Hard skills include technical knowledge or abilities related to a specific field.

Think about how to highlight your soft and hard skills in a career-changer resume by considering the job description again.

Find your skills that are in the description for the job ad.

For example, as an IT manager who recently took courses in project management, you might write your skills out this way as a brainstorming exercise.

Transferable Soft Skills

• Strong organizational
• Analytical and critical thinking
• Creative problem solving
• Time Management
• Administration and Management
• Presentation of innovative solutions
• Adaptability to new situations and tasks

Transferable Hard Skills

• Advanced Project Management Concepts
• Map vital control processes within a project ecosystem
• Analyze data to identify trends or resolve operational problems
• Find technical or legal issues immediately in a text
• Write a solid project brief for a team to follow
• Verify budget and expenses while catching errors
• Slack, Asana, Basecamp, Clickup
• Project launch and delivery
• Reviews, reporting, and evaluations

Next, you'll make a pared-down bullet point list of your best specific skills to add to your resume.

Include what you're good at that the employer needs. Show that you have the necessary skills for the job, despite lacking experience in the field.

[photo of someone managing]

SECTION 4: "Educational Experience"

After you've included your qualifications and skills section summary, you can add more detail by including relevant educational experience.

It's crucial not to include experience unrelated to your skills and abilities for this specific role.

For example, if you have taken a study on the basics of project management, add: “Project Management Basics Course: Completed a course on advanced principles of project management.”

Be sure to include any relevant certifications in your education section. And when listing education, include information about courses, certifications, degrees, and academic achievements.

By including relevant education, you show employers that you have the background, skills, and knowledge necessary to excel in your new career field!

For example, let's say you have a degree in communications and worked in customer service for 8 years. However, you want to go into IT as a help desk employee, and you know computers.

Relevant coursework may be your best bet to show your skill set. You could try one of these on-demand and online courses from Unmudl :

• Google IT Certification - System Test
• Google IT Certification

SECTION 5: "Relevant Work Experience"

Carve a path to success by including relevant work experience related to the position you're applying for. When adding work experience to a career changer resume, include any jobs from your past with duties or transferable skills related to the new job.

Recruiters look at what you’ve done in the past and how you can use those experiences going forward. So writing a resume or cover letter and doing an interview are all about picking and choosing what parts of yourself to share.

Include Other Work Related to Your New Field

And if you have focused on personal projects to show your new passion for a field, don't be afraid to add them to your career change resume.

For example, if you're applying for a marketing job and you've created your own successful blog website, you might add that you've already been working in this new industry for 5 years in your spare time! You might quote your google analytics statistics to let others know how well you've done in this field so far.

You can write a career change resume in no time when you understand who you are and where you want to go!

Who Are You?

You've been many different versions of yourself over the years. Your job when writing a resume is to describe the version of yourself that excels at the position you want!

According to the Harvard Business Review , it makes sense to "pursue a diverse portfolio of options rather than just sticking single-mindedly to one. Even in happier times, career change is never a perfectly linear process. It’s a necessarily messy journey of exploration — and to do it right, you have to experiment with, test, and learn about a range of possible selves."

So as you consider the different sides of who you are as a person, consider which aspects of your past are worth mentioning. Think about who you've been and who you want to become.

How did your past experiences shape you into who you are right now?

List Your Past Jobs and Career Experiences

Consider the jobs you've had that required the needed transferable skills for your career change resume.

List those transferable skills from your previous roles and include any duties or projects that relate directly to a new career.

For example, if your previous role included managing teams, developing processes, or problem-solving, then list these tasks under the job.

Hone Your List

Next, consider how to hone your list and make it work on your resume.

For example, let's say you're currently an independent hairstylist. However, you want to do sales for a company that makes business-to-business sales to salons.

You notice that a particular job ad asks for objective examples of your sales skills. So, under your previous job you might mention a few of your relevant sales skills, such as:

• Customer service, Interpersonal skills and empathy
• In-depth knowledge of the hairstyling field and products
• Experience upselling inventory to clients
• Wide range of contacts and networking experience
• Marketing experience making your own website, building an email database, and creating fliers and a short blog
• Your YouTube channel, where you have a following of 100,000 learning about hair care products

Whatever you've been doing at past jobs, take advantage of your experiences and find the selling points for your new industry.

Even unrelated jobs can grow your universal skills! Include the positions with the technical skills and professional experience you need to succeed going forward!

And don't forget you can get certified or learn online to show your passion and knowledge in a new field!

Try one of our Unmudl network courses to develop your sales potential!

• Salesforce Administrator Career Certificate
• Improve Your Sales, Presentations and Branding

Career Change Resume Examples

Job seekers can stand out in their field by catering to design trends.

For example, as a job seeker applying for sales might want a trendy resume to catch the eye of recruiters and show off style. But applying to become a business administrative assistant, you might select a classy and timeless resume format.

Check out these resume templates on Canva to get an idea of how yours could look!

What NOT To Do When Creating a Career Change Resume

Compare the career change resume example from the beginning of this blog to the one below. It's like night and day!

If you were a recruiter or hiring manager, who would you want to interview?

Problem 1- Vague Career Objective and Summary

Let's look at what NOT to do.

First, this resume has a vague resume summary, “Seeking an entry-level position in the tech project management field to use my skills and experience gained through managing IT customer service teams."

This statement contains no clear specific examples of their skills and experience! How can a recruiter see if this candidate can be an asset to the company?

The skills summary must be eye-catching, or the resume will end up in the trash on sight!

Problem 2- No Focus on Transferable Skills

The second problem is that this resume does not focus on transferable skills. It simply lists one outdated position with no explanation about the duties or accomplishments on the job. 

It also combines all of the job skills into one poorly thought out bulleted list that is longer than it should be. Also, the skills in the list are less than descriptive.

Problem 3- Poor Design

Finally, this resume is poorly designed with indents that don't make sense and strange colors. It lacks design elements that make it eye-catching, unique, and memorable.

Resumes don't have to be dull! Consider adding some bold text, icons, or other design features to make your document stand out from the crowd.

However, ensure the design is lined up well, takes notice of margins, and uses on-trend color.

Problem 4- Educational Certifications

Certifications mean quite a bit in a technical field like IT project management. And yet, this resume hides the very certifications it should proudly put front and center.

Remember that previous jobs and education don't have to be from a traditional route!

In fact, many large corporations announced during The Great Recession that they would eliminate degree requirements in much of their hiring. (5) This means you can find a job with certificates, certifications, or boot camps more often post 2009!

Here are a few of the many courses offered by our Unmudl network that can help you transition into a different career path.

• EC Council-Hacking Forensics Investigator
• EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (ECIH)
• EC Council-Cert Chief Information Security Officer

Snag Your Dream Job

Changing careers can be intimidating, but with the right strategy, you can create an effective resume that will help you stand out from other applicants.

Remember to include certifications, transferable skills, and relevant skills, and design a unique document that grabs attention and tells your story. And don't forget to add your career change cover letter !

Creating a resume for a career change doesn't need to be intimidating or overwhelming. Just follow the steps above, and you'll get there!

And if you need help learning the skills you need as a career changer, look no further than Unmudl's network of community colleges and businesses ready to hire!

Check out these hot career changers courses!

• Deep Dive Fullstack
• Deep Dive Java + Android
• Oracle SQL + PL/SQL + Python Developer
• Fast Track to (EMT) Emergency Medical Technician
• Trial Advocacy
• Introduction to Autonomous Vehicles

Unmudl Can Help

Find the classes you need to learn the skills that employers look for. Take courses for continuing education credits (CEUs) toward a professional license or certification. Or attend a BootCamp course of study! These courses can help you level up in your current career or take you directly into a new one. 

At Unmudl, we connect learners, educators, and employers for a Skills to Jobs™ experience! Our network can help you go from learner to lucrative career in a matter of weeks with business and community college partnership courses such as:

• Become a Robotics Maintenance Tech II in 10 weeks. Start between $46,000-$56,000 + solid benefits at Amazon. Guaranteed interview upon successful completion. Qualify for reimbursement too!
• Earn a Class A Commercial Driver's License : Take this accelerated CDL training and earn your license in as little as 4 weeks!
• 12 week ‘Deep Dive Java + Android’ boot camp: you’ll learn the fundamentals of software engineering utilizing Java---the world’s most popular programming language. Average annual starting salary near $50,000.

Find courses that employers have hired from to see where you could go after upskilling your resume!

With flexible schedules, online on-demand courses , reimbursement for Skills to Jobs™ courses, low priced options , WIOA tuition assistance , and military tuition assistance, our Unmudl network has something for everyone!

When you finish learning, interview with our network of employers who are ready to hire. It's that simple.

Frequently Asked Questions

Contributor(s).

Lori is the head of Unmudl’s Career Change Team and Director of Customer Success. She has over 20 years of experience helping individuals identify their strengths and passions to make a meaningful career change.

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How to Change Careers | Full Guide & Tips for 2024

So, you’re thinking of making a career change.

It sounds exciting. There are career opportunities on the horizon, and you can’t wait to try something new.

But you also feel a little intimidated. 

Chances are, you aren’t exactly sure how to make that career change happen.

If you’re planning on switching to a completely different field, for example, you may be at a loss about where to start.

But here’s the good news…

Whether you’re a software developer who wants to switch to graphic design, a cashier who dreams of landing a job in marketing, or someone without a clear idea of the new career path you want to take, we’ve got your back.

In this article, we’re going to cover everything you need to know to make a successful career change, including:

• When Is a Career Change a Good Idea

11 Steps to a Successful Career Change

• Career Change Resources

Let’s jump right in.

What Is a Career Change?

Career change involves leaving your current job or industry to pursue a completely different role or professional path.

A career change is different from simply switching jobs. Unlike job hopping, you’re likely to need new skills, qualifications, or experiences to make a successful career change.

For example, a business analyst might want to become a primary school teacher , which is completely different from what they’ve been doing until now.

Changing careers might require going back to school, taking up internships, or starting at a lower level in your new field to gain the necessary expertise. The goal is to move into a role that better fits your interests, values, and long-term professional aspirations.

When Is a Career Change a Good Idea?

Changing careers can be a big step in your professional journey. In turn, you might not be sure if it’s the right thing for you.

But if your current path isn’t matching up with your goals and passions, a career change could be the solution you need.

Here are 12 situations when you should consider making a career change:

• Your current job is a source of stress and anxiety and affects your self-esteem.
• You regularly experience burnout in the workplace .
• You need more flexibility than your current career path allows for.
• You want more opportunities for career advancement.
• You're looking for a higher salary than what your current industry offers.
• You want to work for a specific person or organization.
• You want the opportunity to travel more as part of your job, such as on business trips.
• You’d prefer a job with a shorter commute or the opportunity for remote work altogether.
• You want to pursue a passion that your current role or industry is keeping you from.
• You feel undervalued and want to be appreciated for your work.
• You want more job satisfaction than what your current industry is giving you.
• You’re looking for a better work-life balance .
• You frequently fantasize about leaving your job.

In other words, if you’re unhappy with your career, it’s time for a career change.

Without further ado, here are the steps that will help you make a successful career change: 

#1. Take Time to Reflect

Before you jump ahead and start your next job hunt, take the time to think about your current work situation.

It’s just as important to know why you want a new career as it is to envision what your dream job looks like.

Reflect on your job satisfaction and try to figure out what it is you really want. 

To get started, here are some questions you should ask yourself:

• How satisfied am I with my job?
• What exactly don’t I like about my job?
• What do I like about my job?
• Why did I choose this job in the first place?
• How has my attitude towards this job changed over time?
• What keeps me in this job?

These questions can help you figure out what direction your career change should take.

On top of that, they can also help you identify the exact problem area of your current job or field, whether it’s the job itself, the workload, your coworkers, the company culture, or something else entirely.

For example, if you’re unhappy with your customer service representative job because it’s too socially draining, you should look for a field that’s not customer-facing, such as software development or content writing .

On the other hand, if you hate your job but have a great boss and coworkers, you might want to explore career change opportunities within your company. Different departments might be expanding, and you could move into a junior marketing role with relative ease.

#2. Assess Your Skills and Knowledge

It’s time to give yourself a long, hard look.

Planning a career change means you have to know what your actual skills and abilities are. So, take a close look at what you're good at.

This isn't just about the hard skills you've picked up over the years, like SEO optimization or software debugging. Consider your soft skills , such as communication and problem-solving. Reflect on the experiences you’ve had, both in and outside of work and identify your strengths.

Next, think about how your skills and knowledge can transfer to a new field. Some might be directly applicable across different industries, like conflict resolution and management know-how, while others may need a bit of tweaking to fit into a new role.

Any volunteering, internship, or other relevant experience you may already have can also tip the scales in your favor. From there, see which careers you could easily leverage your transferable skills , experience, and passion for.

#3. Consider Different Industries

Now, it’s time to brainstorm potential career paths .

You can make a career change within the same industry or switch to a completely different field.

Typically, a career change within the same industry is easier. You’re more likely to have industry know-how and experience that can give you a head start.

However, it’s essential to explore different industries that might align with your interests and strengths. Diverse sectors all offer unique opportunities, work cultures, and challenges that might match what you’re looking for.

Start by researching industries that catch your attention or where you feel your skills could make a significant impact. Whether it's tech, healthcare, education, or the arts, each field has its specifics.

Make sure you understand the demands and trends of these industries by researching the job market. Look into what the most and least in-demand jobs are and what the stability, growth patterns, and emerging roles look like in these sectors.

For example, if you’re looking to move to a career as a floral designer, you may want to consider different options, since florists’ employment rate is expected to decline by 20% between 2020 and 2030 .

#4. Research Job Prospects

Once you’ve narrowed down the industry you’d like to work in, it’s time to see what the jobs available there look like.

Hop onto different job boards and company websites to see what positions are available. Pay close attention to the requirements listed for different roles. This includes years of experience, specific skills, and educational qualifications.

Looking at job requirements helps you see what employers want and how you fit into the picture. Analyzing job descriptions also helps identify any gaps in your current skill set or education that might be an obstacle in the way of your career change.

Research the most in-demand skills for the positions that interest you and write down any skills that apply to you. The insight you gain here can also show you what to work on next, like getting additional training, certifications , or experience in a specific area.

For example, if you want to be a children’s book illustrator , you might have to master Photoshop before you can apply for the job you were eyeing.

The job market is dynamic and changes all the time, and even what companies in the same industry are looking for can vary with every passing year. Make sure you stay updated on the trends in your chosen industry, so you’ll be more ready to step into a new role that matches your career goals .

#5. Try Out Your Potential Career

You can research a career through and through, but nothing will give you a better idea of a particular career than first-hand experience.

So, once you identify the positions that interest you, it’s time to try out the potential career paths before you.

This will help you determine whether a particular job is the right choice for you before you commit to a career change.

Here are some ways you can test-drive a new career:

• Job shadowing. Job shadowing is observing people who work in your desired field. All you need to do is set up several job shadows to compare different career paths and/or companies. This allows you to gain a better understanding of the daily tasks, workload, responsibilities, and other job-related elements. The easiest way to arrange job shadowing is to discuss your career change aspirations with a supervisor and ask them to observe someone from your company or another department working. 
• Volunteering. Apart from allowing you to test an intended career, volunteering also helps you develop field-related skills. Unlike job shadowing, you can list your volunteer experience on your resume, and it’s more likely to help you land the job down the road.
• Internships. With 70% of companies extending full-time job offers to interns , landing an internship can help you make a seamless career change. Even if you don’t stay with the same company, the industry experience could be invaluable for your career ahead.
• Part-time job. Depending on the field, you could also apply for a part-time job before making a full-blown career change. For example, you can start tutoring on weekends before deciding if you want to be a full-time teacher.

#6. Make an Action Plan

Career changes are complicated, and if you want to move forward with yours, you need a solid plan.

Just break down your career change into manageable steps that are easy to keep track of.

Start by setting clear, achievable goals. These could be things like learning new skills, meeting professionals in your desired field, or creating a resume tailored to the job.

Identify what specific actions you need to take. For example, if you need to learn new software, look into online courses or workshops.

Set a realistic deadline for each goal so you stay on track.

Be sure to keep a checklist or a spreadsheet to monitor your progress. The Novoresume Job Tracker is a great tool you can use to save time and create an outline for your career change!

Keep in mind that your action plan should always be adjusted based on what you learn throughout your career change.

A well-written action plan is meant to help you not lose sight of your goal and remind you to celebrate the small victories along the way as you track your progress.

#7. Develop New Skills

You might notice a gap between your current skill set and what’s required for your new career.

In this step, it’s time to gain the skills and training you’ll need to move forward.

Taking the time to learn instead of jumping head-first into a new job makes you a more attractive candidate, and it can even boost your confidence as you enter a new field.

Look into specific skills you might need to improve or learn from scratch, such as time management or specific computer skills .

Depending on how big your career change is, you might have to pursue a formal education to succeed. For example, if you’re a food and beverage manager but want to pursue your dream of running a gallery, you’ll probably need a degree in History of Art.

There are plenty of resources available at little to no cost, so enhancing your skill set shouldn’t be too difficult.

Here are a few ways you can try to develop new skills for your career change:

• Online courses
• Formal education
• Vocational training
• Mentorships
• Internships
• Volunteering
• Freelancing
• Part-time work

#8. Change Your Personal Brand

Your personal brand is how you present yourself professionally online and offline, showcasing your skills, experience, and what makes you unique.

You want to align yourself with your targeted new industry or role, not with the career you’re leaving behind.

Start by updating your LinkedIn profile , your CV , and any other professional platforms or social media to highlight your relevant skills and experiences that fit your new career goals.

Your personal brand narrative should tie your past experiences to your future aspirations and show potential employers your value and commitment to this new career.

Changing your personal brand isn't just about what you've done; it's about where you're headed and how your unique blend of skills can contribute to your new field.

Your personal brand shines through best in a cover letter during your job application. Learn how to write a cover letter here.

#9. Expand Your Network

The relationships you build can open doors to hidden opportunities, so networking is a vital part of a career change.

But you shouldn’t rely solely on people that you already know. Instead, expand your professional network to include as many people from your desired field as you can.

Reach out to people in the industry. This could be through social media platforms like LinkedIn or by attending industry conferences, seminars, webinars, or networking events .

Networking is a two-way street, so when you connect with new people, focus on building genuine relationships that can benefit you both. Don’t immediately go looking for job opportunities through them.

Share your career aspirations, and ask for advice or insights into the industry. Professionals in your targeted industry can give you valuable input, such as what to expect and how to position yourself as a valuable candidate during your job hunt.

As your network grows, so do your chances of finding a mentor, learning about job openings, and collecting endorsements that can push your career in the new direction you’re aiming for.

#10. Prepare a Career Change Resume

One of the final and most important steps in making a successful career change is writing a powerful resume .

Here’s an example of an effective career change resume:

If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry!

Here are the five most important tips that will help you create your own job-winning resume:

• Choose the right resume format. Instead of the popular reverse-chronological format, you want to choose the combination resume format. It highlights both your skills and work experience, so it’s the best option for a career change resume.
• Write a resume summary or objective. Always add a short paragraph at the top of your resume to catch the hiring manager’s attention. Both the resume summary and resume objective are meant to show how your skills and experience apply to the position. As a general rule, choose a resume summary if you work in a related field, and opt for a resume objective if you’re changing industries.
• Include a skills summary section. Instead of focusing on your work experience , show off your relevant skills by adding a skills summary section to your career change resume. This way, instead of focusing on unrelated work experience, you’re highlighting what you do have.
• Highlight transferable skills and achievements. Find out what your previous positions have in common with the position you’re applying for. For example, if you’re an electrical engineer who’s applying for a web developer position, you may want to highlight your problem-solving skills and list any related impressive achievements in your work experience section.
• Attach a career change cover letter. To land the job, you want to write a convincing cover letter to back up your career change resume . Use your cover letter to explain what drives you to make a career change and how your skills and experience are relevant to the position.

#11. Stay Motivated

Making a career change can take a lot of time and effort. Naturally, you might lose some of your enthusiasm and motivation along the way.

After all, if you’re just starting in a new field, you might find it difficult to compete with other candidates. For example, it may take you longer to land a job if you’re competing against seasoned professionals when you’re just starting .

It’s also very likely that, initially, you’ll be earning less than you did in your previous position.

So, here are a few tips to help keep you motivated:

• Set realistic expectations. To avoid disappointment and demotivation, it’s important to set realistic expectations and reassess your priorities. For example, if you’re offered a lower salary than you expected, you may want to prioritize work-life balance, self-improvement, or job satisfaction for the time being.
• Keep track of your progress. If your career change is taking longer than you’d like, remember to track your progress and celebrate your career change milestones, no matter how small they may seem. They can include things like finishing your cover letter or completing an online course.
• Surround yourself with a supportive network. Friends, family, and mentors can all be invaluable during a career change. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and can encourage you whenever you're faced with a challenge or setback.
• Stay positive and flexible. Be ready to adapt as you learn and grow. It's also helpful to seek out motivational content, whether that's books, podcasts, or articles related to your new field. Keep yourself inspired and informed so you don’t lose sight of your goal.
• Recognize that setbacks are part of the process. Treat any obstacles along your way as opportunities to learn and refine your strategy .

Career Change Statistics

If you’re thinking of making a career change, looking at the statistics can be incredibly helpful.

These numbers reveal trends, success rates, and challenges faced by employees amid a career change and can offer you a clearer view of the job market.

Let’s look at the top five career change statistics :

• 22% of workers over the age of 50 don’t believe they have the experience and skills required to work in a different field. (Source: NowTeach)
• A combination of mid-career stagnation and financial stability leads most people to make a major career change at the average age of 39 years old. (Source: CNBC)
• Nearly 6 out of 10 (59%) middle-income American workers consider changing their careers, and 44% already have a specific plan to make the change. (Source: Fast Company)
• Over 20% of people preparing for a career change plan to open a personal business. (Source: CNBC)
• 76% of workers want to have the opportunity to work remotely and have a flexible schedule. (Source: CNBC)

4 Career Change Resources

To make your career change as smooth as possible, take advantage of our career change resources:

• How to Write a Resignation Letter [5+ Templates] . Before you make a career change, you first need to quit your current job. This comprehensive guide will teach you exactly how to write a resignation letter the right way.
• How To Find A Job In 2024 - 5 Easy Ways . Struggling to get hired? This useful guide includes 5 strategies for landing your dream job.
• How to Write an Internship Resume [w/ Examples] . Looking to land an internship to try out a different job? Use our internship resume guide to secure an internship.
• The Ultimate Guide to Job Hunt - Land Your Next Job in 2024 . From identifying your career goals to acing the interview, this guide covers each step of the job-hunting process to help you land the job.

FAQ on How to Change Careers

Are you still wondering something about career changes? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions here:

#1. Am I Too Old to Switch Careers?

No, you're not too old to switch careers.

Age can bring a wealth of experience, perspective, and skills that are valuable in many fields . Changing careers might seem daunting, but plenty of people have successfully navigated a career change later in life and found renewed purpose and job satisfaction.

A successful career change is all about leveraging your life experiences, continuous learning, and adapting to new opportunities. Employers value diverse experiences, and your unique background can set you apart.

Just focus on what you can bring to a new role and remain open to gaining new skills. Your age can be an asset in the journey to a fulfilling new career.

#2. Should I Include a Cover Letter When Changing Careers?

Yes, you should always include a cover letter when changing careers.

A cover letter offers you a chance to explain your career change, highlight your transferable skills, and demonstrate your passion for the new field. Use it to tell a compelling story about why you're making the change and how your previous experiences have prepared you for this new role.

A well-crafted cover letter can make a real difference, especially when your resume might not directly reflect the typical background employers expect for the position. It's your opportunity to make a strong case for why you're a great fit, despite coming from a different industry.

#3. How Do I Discover a New Career?

Discovering a new career starts with self-reflection.

Assess your interests, core values, and skills to understand what motivates you.

What are the most important things you want out of your career? You might want to contribute to a cause you’re passionate about. Alternatively, maybe you’re aiming for a comfortable salary and a flexible schedule that lets you pursue your hobbies.

Once you figure out what your non-negotiable requirements are, it’s time to explore industries and roles that align with your needs.

We recommend starting with online research and then networking with people in the field you’re considering. They’ll be able to give you insight into the industry and help you set realistic expectations for your career change.

#4. What Is The Easiest Career Change?

If you’re in a rush, the easiest career change usually involves moving to a field where your skills overlap and there’s high demand.

For 2024, tech-related roles like cybersecurity analyst, data analyst , and software engineer are all popular. Any analytical or problem-solving skills could help you here.

Other sought-after careers are digital marketing and project management , which have a focus on organizational and communication skills.

If you’re ready to commit, healthcare positions, such as nurse practitioners and mental health professionals, are also in high demand but they require specialized training that goes beyond strong interpersonal skills .

Key Takeaways

By now, you know all there is to make a successful career change, including the tell-tale signs you need one and the steps you should follow to start a different career.

But before you start working on your career change action plan, here are some of the key points from our article:

• There are a lot of good reasons out there for wanting a career change, so don’t be intimidated if you think following a passion or wanting more flexibility aren’t good enough reasons to make a change.
• Think about whether a career change is right for you, or if you’re better off sticking to the same industry but trying a different role.
• Reflecting on your current job situation can give you a hint as to which direction your career change should take.
• To help you make a successful career change, create an action plan that allows you to track your progress.
• Consider taking advantage of an internship or volunteering opportunity to try out a new career before fully committing to a career change.
• Prepare a flawless career change resume to help with your upcoming job hunt. Try our free resume builder and a matching cover letter template to create a seamless application.

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How to Address a Resume Gap When Switching Careers

• Rebecca Knight

The do’s and don’ts of navigating a career transition that’s taking longer than you hoped.

The prospect of a new career can hold a sense of excitement. But what should you do if your job search has become a disheartening slog and the gap on your resume just seems to be growing wider by the day? What can you do to protect your mental health and rekindle your optimism for the future? In this article, the author offers practical advice  to help you navigate your career switch when you’re worried about a widening gap on your resume. 

You likely felt a surge of excitement when you made the decision to switch careers . But what should you do if your job hunt starts to become a tedious and disheartening slog — and the  gap on your resume is growing wider by the day? How can you address your extended absence from the workforce without making excuses? And how can you stay motivated and resolved in the face of setbacks?

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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Impact Your Career: Resume Workshop for Aspiring Change Makers

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Join us Thursday April 11th, from 7-8pm EST as City Teaching Alliance presents “Impact Your Career: Resume Workshop for Aspiring Change Makers” This interactive workshop is designed to empower aspiring and current change makers with the skills to craft impactful resumes tailored to roles driving positive change. Gain insights and practical tips on highlighting relevant experiences and communicating passion for social impact careers.

Don’t miss this opportunity to network, learn, and take the next step towards making a difference. Join us and let’s empower change together! Can’t make it live? Register for a recording!

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How To Follow Up On Your Resume

You sent out the resume. You think you're a perfect fit. And yet no one calls. Sound familiar?

In fact, the majority of candidates today do not receive a response on a submitted resume. So, the big question is, “When is it appropriate to follow up with an employer on my submission and how do I do it?"

There is no answer that will fit every scenario, but there are some good rules you should follow when following up on your resume submission.

1. Use The 1-2 Week Rule

Hiring managers and recruiters are busy and they can't acknowledge every resume and cover letter , even if they wanted to, because there's just so much that they need to process.

It's best to follow up one to two weeks after you have submitted your resume. That is generally the amount of time most employers take to review all applicants and contact candidates of interest for an interview.

2. Follow Up In The Morning

This may not always be universal, but in many cases, if you make contact during the early morning you'll have a better chance of reaching someone before they are bogged down with other tasks to do for the day.

Also, never follow up on a Monday. It's common for people to have a case of the " Monday Blues ," which could make them more likely to ignore your email or say "no" to an interview more quickly.

So, you should absolutely follow up on your resume in the morning—just not on a Monday morning.

3. Be Proactive And Polite 

Whether you're reaching out to the hiring manager by email or LinkedIn connection , it's important to be professional and not overzealous. Keep the message simple:

"Hi, XYZ. W e haven't met, but I applied for the XYZ position and I just wanted to be proactive and see if there's anything that I could do to further my candidacy or check on the status of my application. Thank you for your time."

This simple note at least gets you on the hiring manager's radar.

It could be that they've been meaning to get back to you and this note will get them to respond. It's also possible that they looked past your application and your note got them to take a second look. Either way, it's worthwhile to always follow up.

Follow these tips the next time you want to follow up on a resume submission. Following up the right way can get you the interview you deserve.

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Spring Cleaning: 4 Ways To Fix Your Job Search

Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.

In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.

For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.

Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach

Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:

• How did I learn about this job?
• How did I apply for the job?
• Did I earn an interview?
• What was the ultimate result?

A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:

Negative Trends

You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.

The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations , and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.

One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.

The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.

This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.

Positive Trends

You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.

The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview . This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.

The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback , and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.

Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.

The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.

Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention

Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.

Let's start with resumes!

Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers . It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.

The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.

Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.

While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.

As for writing a good cover letter , the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter . When you write a disruptive cover letter , you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.

If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.

Build Your Personal Brand

Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand .

Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"

Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.

By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.

You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.

Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search

Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.

There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:

• Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
• Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
• Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle , even better!

Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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