The very first step when deciding to change the job is to create a new resume. Even though you don’t know the exact position you would like to have, start with writing down your skills, education, and work experience. Once you define the exact field of a new specialty, you structure the resume according to the requirements for the particular job. If you have lots of experience, the experts recommend using chronological resume templates so that it will be easier for a recruiter to check the most relevant and recent job positions.
Before writing a resume, it will be useful to find out what HR managers, recruiters, and employers first all look for in a candidate’s resume. According to the Orange County Resume Survey, 45% of recruiters pay attention to previous work experience while 35% of them are interested in qualifications and skills. Only 16% percent focus on the achievements, advantages, and projects.
If you have already chosen a specialty that meets your wishes and capabilities and are in a hurry to start looking for a promising job, don’t rush. After all, the career change still needs to be described in the resume. Let’s find out how to manage it successfully.
Table of Contents
Education
A career change is almost always impossible without studying. Therefore, if you do not have diplomas, certificates of successful completion of courses, etc., you need to do this before starting looking for a new job. In addition to acquiring new skills, attend specialized conferences and keep abreast of news in the chosen field. It will also be useful to get to know people who have been working in the field for a long time, and who may share the corresponding experience with you. It is better not to put an education section at the beginning of the resume, because a diploma that does not fit the position can prompt the recruiter to close your file without ever knowing that you have the necessary skills for the job.
Desired Position
When changing professions, it is naive to think that you will get the same position as at your previous place of work. Most likely, you will again have to go all the way from the bottom to the desired heights. So aim for a position that doesn’t require a lot of experience. Don’t worry, each company provides the employees with the opportunity to climb the career ladder. You may also need to lower your salary expectations. There are different websites to analyze what salary is offered in a new field for you and which one to specify for you.
Soft Skills
If you are a beginner but have great achievements in your previous work, then emphasize your successes instead of talking about your previous job. It is especially significant because your experience in solving specific problems will be useful in a new field. Write what tasks you faced in past jobs, what decisions you made to fulfill them, and the results you and the company got thanks to this.
The same applies to the skills required for a new career. Write your skills on a separate sheet and think about which of them are key for the new position. It will be a huge plus if the key skills from the past and desired work overlap. For example, if you worked as a public relations officer, but decided to switch to the organization of holidays, the organizational skills and communication skills will come in handy.
Specific Target
It’s not necessary to fully indicate the reason why you are changing your specialty in the resume. However, so that the recruiter does not have unnecessary questions and wants to invite you to an interview despite the lack of experience, you need to tell about your motivation. Add the Resume Objective section and give a brief background on yourself and explain why you are a good fit for the position. Of course, it is worth remembering that you won’t avoid the question of the reasons for such drastic changes. So you can start preparing an answer in advance. And remember that an employee who changes the field of activity because of a conflict with colleagues or management or simply wants to work where they pay more does not inspire confidence in anyone.
The End of the Line
If you decide to change your career, you need to think carefully about how to correctly write it in the resume. For instance, if you have no corresponding experience, then take courses or training to earn new skills. Add a separate section where you’ll briefly write your target. However, in no case should you say that you are changing your career because of an unsatisfactory salary or a conflict at work. In most cases, it is difficult to find a candidate that fully meets the job requirements. Therefore, do not be afraid to knock on closed doors, make useful acquaintances, and boldly realize the dream of a successful career in a new field.
