Changing careers can be incredibly exciting, but it is also a bit daunting. After all, you typically have to convince a hiring manager to take a bit of a chance on you, mainly because you don’t have experience in their industry or that specific type of role.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make it happen. As long as you update your resume appropriately, you can showcase why you are an excellent fit for the job, even if you gained your experience elsewhere.
If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are some tips that can help you update your resume for a career change.
Identify Your Transferable Skills
Even if you have your sights set on a new industry or field, you have skills that could help you excel in your new niche. In nearly all cases, the soft skills you have honed during your career are universally valuable. Being a strong communicator, effective collaborator, or empowering leader, for example, will be appreciated in practically any role you could potentially land. Similarly, attention to detail, organization, critical thinking and problem-solving are also widely needed.
Plus, at least some of your technical skills may be able to serve you well. Many productivity software applications are used in a range of industries, making those capabilities highly transferable.
Spend some time reflecting on your capabilities. Then, identify the skills that you can put to work in your target position. This will help you determine what you should highlight on your resume to make yourself a standout candidate even if you aren’t the most conventional fit.
Be Achievement-Oriented
When you fill in the work history section of your resume, don’t showcase your skills by simply listing them or outlining your past responsibilities. Instead, be achievement-oriented.
Using accomplishments to highlight what you bring to the table is a much more engaging approach. It shows the hiring manager what you’re capable of, giving them insights into your ability to thrive. Plus, it offers them more context, increasing the odds that they won’t just learn about your skills but be impressed by what you’ve done in the past.
Remove Extraneous Detail
When your goal is to change careers, there’s a good chance that at least some of what is on the current version of your resume is extraneous. While the points may have been valuable while you were in that field, they won’t be as meaningful if you’re aiming at another niche.
Review your resume with a critical eye. Consider whether every detail provides the hiring manager you want to impress with value. If it doesn’t give them insights into how you could excel in the role they are trying to fill, it may be wise to cut it.
Ideally, your resume needs to target the job you’re trying to land. Any information that doesn’t do that needs to go. That way, your resume can be concise and compelling.
If you’re looking for more information that can help you pull off a career change, the staff at The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
