Say “Hello” to a brand-new job in the new year: Read our tried and true career change resume tips

Do you feel like trying out your luck in a whole new industry in 2024? Then, you should get ready for a major career transition. Whether you want to get out of your current industry into a new one, or are considering retiring from the military and taking up a civilian job, one thing is common: writing a career-change resume.

A career change resume is a bit different from a regular resume because most of the time, the job seeker does not have any related skills or work experience for their target job title. In such cases, the resume should be written cleverly to highlight transferable skills of the candidate. Here are some excellent tips for writing a career change resume:

Do a bit of research

Before beginning to write your new resume, familiarize yourself with the industrial standards and job-related keywords. You can do this by going through a few job descriptions posted online for the same job title in your target industry. To identify the resume standards of the industry, use sample resumes from the internet. These will show you the common patterns of resume writing within the industry.

Tailor your resume

Ensure that your new career change resume is tailored to the job description, as much as possible. You may not be able to fill the work experience section with relevant jobs. However, you can describe your past jobs on your resume in a way that they relate to the role of the new job.

Highlight transferable skills

Transferable skills are important for a career change resume. Refer to the job description and identify the kind of skills required for the job. Then, emphasize these skills on your resume. Use the transferable skills you have acquired through your career to impress potential employers.

Mention volunteer work

If you are transitioning into a new industry, it is likely that you don’t have any paid work experience relevant to it. However, you can still highlight work experience using any volunteer experiences you have had. Simply list your volunteer work as another job in your career history or create a dedicated volunteer work section for your resume.

Highlight your education

Have you got educational qualifications that are relevant to the new job you are applying to? Then, create a dedicated education section to display your educational qualifications. If the major of your degree is not directly related to the role, highlight any minors or coursework that are relevant.

Choose a suitable design

Resume standards and norms differ according to the industry. The minimalist, straightforward resume design of the healthcare industry may not compel a hiring manager from the creative industry where unique, modern resume designs are the norm. Choose a modern and clean resume design that is relevant to the new industry.

Use your side gigs

Have you done a few personal projects or side gigs related to the new industry? You can use them to add work experience to your resume. Freelance work, side hustles, part-time jobs, and temp jobs are all important when you are writing a career change resume.

Create a professional summary

Get rid of your old resume summary in favor of a new one, tailored to the new target job title. Your new resume summary should mention job-related keywords and a few achievements from your career that are relevant to the new role. Be sure to mention a few transferable skills as well, when writing your resume summary.

Get feedback

Once you are done writing your resume, ask a friend or a colleague to read it and share their perspective with you. Another pair of eyes can easily pick out any mistakes you have made with your resume.

Get a resume review

Want to know what hiring managers will think of your resume? Visit www.resumemansion.com and get a free resume review. Our expert writers can help you create an even stronger resume to win your dream job.