Creating a compelling, attention-grabbing resume is hard enough when you’re a seasoned professional in your field. But it becomes exponentially harder when you’re a career changer. Maybe you have a lot of passion for a new professional path, but little to no experience with it. How do you create a resume that speaks to your abilities in this specific field when you’ve yet to prove them? Here are four strategies to help you out.
[See: Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.]
Highlight transferable skills. Just because you lack experience in your new chosen field doesn’t mean you lack experience in general. In fact, you probably have a lot of the skills required already, even if they’re packaged a little differently.
We call these “transferable skills” — a term that refers to the skills you’ve obtained and used in your existing experience and which you would also be able to leverage in your new career. Essentially, you can transfer them from one arena to the other. These are the things your resume needs to highlight.
Of course, your resume should still be accomplishment-focused as well. So first, make a list of your transferable skills and the accomplishments that best demonstrate your successful use of them in the past. Then, look for logical groupings that apply to your new chosen field, such as management, technology, customer service or sales, for example. These groupings will help you organize your career-changer resume, using the format described in the next tip.
Use a functional format. When aiming for a career change, it’s time to reconsider the chronological resume. This traditional format uses the vast majority of space to outline employment history starting with the most recent at the top. Of course, if your experience isn’t an ideal match for the role, this format won’t do you any favors.
A functional resume is a less common format that’s often recommended for career changers. It allows you to put your transferable skills front and center and leaves the employment history for the end. This format can be tricky; it relies on using intelligent groupings of skills that really apply to the role and highlighting strong accomplishments in each area.
Functional resumes are often a telltale sign for recruiters and hiring managers that you’re a career changer, so it has to be done well in order to keep them reading. A little time spent searching for “functional resume samples” online will provide you with ample inspiration and direction.
[See: 10 Items to Banish From Your Resume.]
Discuss your career change in the cover letter. There’s no hiding who you are. As a career changer, you want to put your best foot forward, but you can’t pretend to be someone you aren’t. To anyone reading your resume, it will be clear that you’re making a shift in your professional journey — and that’s okay! In fact, in some fields, it may even be seen as beneficial.
However, it’s useful to acknowledge exactly what you’re doing and why. The best place to do this is in the cover letter, not the resume.
Your resume should prove that you have a combination of other experience that is a close equivalent to the minimum qualifications for the job, even if it’s not a direct match. Your cover letter should help fill in the gaps and connect the dots. It’s your opportunity to tell the story in greater detail and explain exactly how your past accomplishments will help support your success in this new career. Use the cover letter to sell your passion and clarify your reasons for making the switch.
Bring related education and volunteer work to the top. As an aspiring career changer, you may have already obtained some education in your new chosen field. Or perhaps you’ve volunteered in some way to determine whether or not this change is really a fit. These things help demonstrate your commitment to the new path and show that you’ve already invested in learning on your own.
Traditionally, education and volunteer work are hidden at the bottom of a resume. Consider bringing them to the top to help grab attention — but only if they are directly related to the new career path.
[See: 10 Job Resolutions to Revitalize Your Career in 2016.]
Changing careers is a difficult task, but not impossible. Your resume is a helpful tool, though relationships are also essential. Having people in your network who are willing and able to refer you or recommend you will dramatically increase your opportunities. Remember that these people may already know you in a certain professional capacity. Help them understand the change you want to make and what you have to offer in this new field by sharing your resume and cover letter. Have a conversation, ask for help and explain your goals in changing careers.
More from U.S. News
7 Common — and Costly — Cover Letter Mistakes
4 Resume Tips for Career Changers originally appeared on usnews.com
