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When changing careers, your resume should change with you

Posted on 07. Aug, 2005 posted by Bill in Employment News

When changing careers, your resume should change with you

Let related skills take the place of needed experience
With no experience to back up your training, your first job search is usually the most difficult.For those who are changing careers after years in another industry, it’s a case of deja vu. Once again, you are trying to convince a manager to take a chance on you, despite having a limited background.

While many job seekers use the same basic format for each application package they send, using the same style resume and cover letter to apply for every opening appears just as it is: generic.
The same is true for career changers, experts say, who should play up relevant skills and training that will overshadow their lack of a history in that career.

“The first interview or the first position after changing is so hard to get because most employers are looking for someone that has had that experience already,” said Donna Oatis, owner of The Office, 301 S. Adams St. “So (career changers) have got to sell themselves either by qualifications or skills they’ve learned.

“The resume of a career changer should highlight specialized training, including grades or grade-point averages if they help make your case, Oatis said. She also suggested adding a section at the bottom of a resume that lists qualifications pertaining to your new career, such as analytical skills or typing speed.

“Do something to show that you are very good in a particular area even though you don’t have the actual office experience,” she said. “If their skill level is high, they can promote those skills to try and get in the door.

“A tip sheet from Monster.com gives two potential resume formats for career changers.The first a chronological resume headed by a summary of your qualifications. Bullet points under work history should emphasize skills or accomplishments related to your new intended career.The other format the Web site suggests is a function-based resume, highlighting skills and experience under categories related to ability, such as customer service or technology skills. The work history should still be included, the site says, but as a list with basic company information, job title and dates at the end of the resume.For career changers, a resume goes hand in hand with a cover letter, Oatis said. If your new career is in an office environment, it’s a chance to show hiring managers your communication skills. She said it’s also a place to give prospective employers compelling reasons why you want to enter a new industry.

“The cover letter can tell an employer more than the resume,” she said. “In a cover letter, you can give additional information and the way you word it lends a lot of credibility as to whether you get the interview.”

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Tags: Employment News