Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

(Photo : Markus Winkler on Unsplash)

Changing a career path is something we all run into at a certain point in life. And when you are looking to enter an entirely new field of work, you should not rely on your old resume. Because arguments and words that provided you with your previous job may not work in this new scenario. That is why looking for tips for writing a career change resume was a good decision. Let us take a look at how to tailor this document to new demands.

Choose the right format

There are several different types of resumes that may or may not suit the job you are applying to:

  • A chronological resume lists your job experiences in reverse chronological order. If your new career is similar to a previous job path, this resume format might be for you.

  • A functional resume may be more appropriate for people who completely change their careers. Because it emphasizes the skills and work experiences relevant to your new job.

  • A combination resume features both approaches in one paper. You write your skills and experience in the first section and list your working history below it.

Connect your old responsibilities with new demands

No matter what you did before, you probably have at least some experience that would apply to the new work. It may be computer knowledge, driving experience, accounting, and other hard skills that are difficult to acquire. But you should not expect the managers to conclude the relevance of your job experiences on their own. Spell out the connections between what you did in your previous job and your new responsibilities. Because any job makes us more competent in general.

Do not use professional jargon

Sometimes we might be tempted to use a word or two that belongs to a certain field of work. But you need to avoid this because it complicates the job of understanding your resume. The manager who will be reading it may be confused and skip the resume entirely. That is why you should strive to spell every term in a clear language that could be comprehended by anyone.

Specify your soft skills

No matter which resumes format you have chosen, you should emphasize your general skills arsenal. And among that, you should specify your soft skills in particular. Because this type of skills is useful for any environment. And your manager would want to see how well you can perform them.

Do not forget to show which job experience taught you what. For example, if you have years of working in a school, you may show how it taught you time management and conflict resolution skills. 

Seek professional writers

Hiring resume writing services for career change is the best way to ensure that your resume will clearly convey your professionalism to the reader. Services like Careebooster know how to make your resume appealing and eye-catching. These people focus on writing the best performing resumes for years, so you may trust them.

Being a professional is not enough when a manager with a short attention span looks at your resume for a few seconds. Resume writers know how to put your experience in a way for it to be seen and considered.

List your non-job experiences

Your volunteer activities, your hobbies, things you did for your friends, or your kidsʼ school may also be a valuable source of a convincing job experience. Volunteering may have taught you how to do networking, and the job you seek could value this skill. In addition to that, some hobbies that you do online may have gives you experience with certain software that could also come in handy in your new job. And of course, raising funds for a renewable energy movement gave you the invaluable skill of fundraising. That is why you should not avoid mentioning your experiences unrelated to actual work.

Avoid redundant information

But on the other hand, you do not want to clutter your resume with things unimportant to the new job. Professional resume writing services usually fashion your document to the demands of the job you are seeking. And it is not a bad idea to skip some unrelated episodes of your career history. If you think that a certain job in the past has no connection to your new work tasks at all, consider dropping it entirely.

Bottom line

A career change may be as problematic as climate change. But you can make the resume part of this process much easier by following these 7 pieces of advice. First, choose the right resume format. And then, be creative in bridging your old experiences with a new career. Avoid sounding over-professional though because some recruiters may think that you will despise simple job responsibilities. To achieve the best balance in your paper consider hiring a resume writer who will carefully reflect your professionalism on paper.