6 Career Change Resume Examples Tips for 2024
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How to update your resume when changing careers
Changing careers can be daunting, but writing a resume can significantly ease your transition and help you make a strong impression in a new industry. When you’re pivoting into a different field, the most effective step you can take is to update your resume format to what’s known as a combination format resume.
Why choose a combination resume format?
Out of the three recruiter-approved resume formats, the combination format is ideal for career changers because it allows you to emphasize your most relevant skills upfront. This approach highlights your applicable abilities and demonstrates how your previous experiences align with your new career path. It merges the best elements of a functional resume, which focuses on skills and qualifications, with the traditional chronological resume, which details your work history.
Career change resume example
Check out this career change resume example following the combination format to identify its key sections and how it prioritizes each piece of information. You can also find similar resumes tailored to your desired role in our resume examples library.
Over 60% of career changers had a significant increase in their salary earnings in 2022. The first step to changing careers and growing your wages is updating that old resume you’ve used for the past few years.
If you need a personalized resume that aligns perfectly with your career goals, consider using our Resume Builder or professionally designed resume templates. These tools will help you produce a tailored resume that fits your desired role in seconds.
However, if you want to try building your own career change resume and find career change resume examples for various jobs, continue reading our step-by-step guide to writing an effective career change resume.
Write a career change resume profile
When transitioning between careers, the resume profile (also known as a resume summary or objective statement) is crucial. It sets the tone for your resume and is often the first section hiring managers read.
The purpose of this profile is twofold: to clearly communicate your desire for a career change and share your qualifications and motivations. This is your chance to make a compelling case for why your unique background and skills make you an excellent fit for a new industry.
A strong resume profile for a career changer needs to:
- Grab the reader’s attention by demonstrating your enthusiasm for the new field
- Align your past achievements with future goals
- Show a clear link between your previous experiences and your desired role
- Tailored to highlight the most relevant skills and experiences for the new role
- Establish a narrative that you are prepared and motivated to excel in this new path
Career change resume summary example
“Dynamic marketing professional transitioning to content development, bringing five years of experience creating compelling digital campaigns. Proven track record in storytelling and strategic content creation, with a passion for elevating brand narratives. Eager to apply digital marketing expertise to drive engagement and growth in the publishing sector.”
This summary highlights transferable skills and experience while expressing a clear goal for the career transition.
Career change resume objective example
“Enthusiastic and driven professional seeking to transition from career in financial analysis to cybersecurity. Equipped with extensive experience in data protection and regulatory compliance, eager to apply analytical skills and attention to detail to role focused on improving cybersecurity measures. Motivated by the challenge of staying ahead in a dynamic technological landscape.”
This objective demonstrates a clear career transition, states the candidate’s current skills, shows how they can benefit the target industry, and shares a strong personal motivation for the change.
Show off your best in a summary of qualifications
When crafting a resume for a career change, incorporating a “Summary of Qualifications” can significantly enhance your chances of capturing the attention of hiring managers.
A summary of qualifications is a brief section at the top of your resume that lists your key achievements, skills and experience relevant to the job you’re applying for. It serves as a highlight reel that can quickly demonstrate your suitability for the new career field, showcasing the most compelling reasons why you should be considered for the position.
Summary of qualifications example
Summary of Qualifications
- Managed a team of 10 in a fast-paced retail environment, driving a 20% increase in overall customer satisfaction.
- Oversaw a portfolio of projects valued at over $500,000, consistently delivering on time and under budget.
- Proficient in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; developed multiple high-traffic websites for eCommerce brands.
This section helps bridge the gap between your past and your new career, making it clear to employers how your background is relevant and potentially advantageous in a new context. It’s about aligning your past strengths with the future needs of your desired role, ensuring that hiring managers understand your unique value proposition right from the start.
Mention your most job-relevant skills
While your summary of qualifications provides a compelling overview of your top skills and achievements, adding a dedicated skills section is crucial to show all your capabilities.
This section not only helps you showcase the breadth of your skill set but also aids you in the keyword optimization your resume needs to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS), commonly used to screen resumes.
Focus on including hard and soft skills pertinent to the new job. Hard skills relate to specific technical knowledge and abilities, while soft skills are interpersonal skills like communication and teamwork, which are just as critical for success in any role.
Example:
Skills
- Project management
- Digital marketing
- Negotiation skills
- Presentation skills
- Client relationship management
- Creative problem solving
- Proficiency in MS Office Suite
- Adept at Salesforce
- Technical writing skills
Spotlight transferable skills in your work experience
When changing careers, your work experience remains crucial to your resume, even if your previous jobs seem unrelated to your new path. This section provides an opportunity to showcase how your past roles have equipped you with valuable transferable skills, like leadership, communication skills, problem-solving and project management.
Transferable skills are relevant abilities and competencies across various jobs and industries. When detailing your previous job roles, focus on the responsibilities and achievements that best demonstrate your transferable skills.
Use action verbs to describe your duties and accomplishments, and quantify your successes with data and statistics where possible. Quantifying achievements adds credibility to your resume and helps hiring managers envision how you can contribute in a new role.
Career change work experience example
Customer Service Manager, ABC Electronics
June 2015 – August 2020
- Managed team of 15 customer service representatives, fostering collaborative environment that improved team satisfaction scores by 30%.
- Implemented new ticketing system that reduced average customer resolution times by 25%.
- Developed and conducted monthly training sessions that enhanced team’s communication skills, significantly improving clarity and efficiency in customer interactions.
- Led cross-department project to redesign the customer service interface, enhancing user experience and increasing customer satisfaction ratings by 40%.
This example clearly illustrates how skills from a seemingly unrelated field (customer service) can be highly relevant to many other areas, such as IT, sales, or operations management. By aligning your past experience with the needs of your new industry, you make a compelling case for your candidacy.
Elaborate on your education section
When crafting a resume for a career change, the education section can help bridge gaps between your previous career and the one you aspire to enter, particularly when it highlights relevant education and certifications.
Prominently display these qualifications if your educational background includes certifications or specialized training relevant to your new career. If your degree isn’t directly related to the job you’re pursuing, it’s still important to include it.
A college degree fulfills a basic requirement for many professional roles and demonstrates key qualities such as discipline, motivation, and the ability to commit to and complete long-term goals.
Example:
Education
The University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA
Master of Business Administration
- Focused on Strategic Management and Innovation.
- Capstone Project: Developed a comprehensive business plan for a startup, focusing on sustainable business practices.
The University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA
Bachelor of Science: Business Administration
- Graduated magna cum laude
- Coursework included extensive research and writing-intensive projects, developing strong analytical and communication skills.
Career change resume examples
These career-change resume examples demonstrate how different candidates showcase their transferable skills and qualifications to land a role in a brand-new industry. Use these career change resume examples as inspiration when building yours in our Resume Builder.
Teacher
Why this resume works:
- Showcases a social worker’s transferable skills (interpersonal skills, communication and crisis management skills) that are relevant to a teaching role.
- Focuses the summary of qualifications on relevant experience in educational settings like schools and after-school community centers.
- Mentions certifications in child psychology and special education that boost their academic preparation.
Software engineer
Why this resume works:
- Emphasizes experiences that showcase key transferable skills like strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities and precision.
- Mentions a background in accounting while emphasizing additional education in software engineering like coding bootcamps and relevant online courses.
- Includes relevant technical skills acquired through self-study, coursework or experience, such as proficiency in programming languages (Python, Java) and tools (Git, Jenkins).
Web Developer
Why this resume works:
- Highlights the UX designer’s skills in user interface design, prototyping and user testing, which are highly relevant to web development.
- Details specific projects where the candidate used front-end development technologies such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript, which are foundational to web development.
- Provides metrics and outcomes of the candidate’s UX and development projects, such as increased user engagement or improved website load times, reinforcing their web development knowledge.
Certified Nursing Assistant
Why this resume works:
- Highlights the medical receptionist’s relevant skills such as patient communication, understanding of medical terminology and proficiency in handling medical records and scheduling systems.
- Features the candidate’s completed Certified Nursing Assistant program, including hands-on clinical practice.
- Lists CPR and First Aid certifications are often required for CNAs.
Social media manager
Why this resume works:
- This copywriter’s resume features transferable skills that are crucial for social media management, i.e., content creation, strong writing and editing abilities, and audience engagement.
- The summary of qualifications emphasizes experiences directly related to social media, such as content strategy, managing brand campaigns and overseeing digital content across various platforms (e.g., blogs, social media, newsletters).
- Prominently features additional training and skills like Google Analytics Certification and Hootsuite Social Media Certification.
Ace your job search with these career-change tips
Changing careers is an exciting step toward fulfilling your professional goals, but it can also be daunting without the right strategies. Here are some essential tips to help you navigate your career transition smoothly and effectively:
- 1Network in your desired industry: Attend industry-related events and join professional associations to meet experts and gather insights that can aid your career transition.
- 2 Use LinkedIn to search for opportunities: Update your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new career direction, and actively engage with industry groups and job postings to increase your visibility and work opportunities.
- 3 Volunteer or intern in roles related to your new career: Gain practical experience and demonstrate your commitment by volunteering or interning in your new field, which can also help you build valuable professional connections.
- 4 Update your resume for each job application: Tailor it to highlight relevant skills and experiences, ensuring it resonates with the specific demands of the position.
- 5 Write a cover letter to explain your career change: Use a cover letter to narrate your career change journey, explaining why you’re shifting fields and how your past experiences provide unique value to potential employers. Try our Cover Letter Builder to generate a personalized letter in minutes!
FAQ
What is a career change resume?
A career change resume is specifically designed to highlight your transferable skills and experiences relevant to a new industry or role, emphasizing how your previous job history prepares you for a new career path.
How do I highlight transferable skills on a career change resume?
Focus on skills applicable across various fields, such as leadership, communication and problem-solving. Use a combination resume format to lead with these skills, supported by concrete examples of how you applied these skills in past roles.
Can I use the same resume for different career changes?
It’s best to tailor your resume for each job application. Customize your resume to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to each new career field, ensuring your achievements and qualifications align with the job description.
How long should my career change resume be?
A career change resume should ideally be one page long but can extend to two pages if necessary to adequately include relevant experiences and skills.
Should I include my entire work history on a career change resume?
No, focus only on the work history demonstrating skills and experiences relevant to the new career. Including detailed descriptions of relevant positions is more effective than listing all past jobs.
What are some common mistakes to avoid in a career change resume?
Common mistakes include overloading the resume with irrelevant experiences, using a generic resume for multiple job applications and failing to clearly articulate the connection between past experiences and the new career.
How do I handle gaps in employment on a career change resume?
Address employment gaps directly in your resume or cover letter. Explain how the time was spent productively to improve skills, undergo training, or handle personal matters, which can demonstrate growth and resilience.
Is it necessary to get professional help with my career change resume?
While not always necessary, professional help can be beneficial, especially if you struggle to effectively translate your skills and experiences into a new industry context. Resume experts can provide valuable insights and guidance.
Where can I find more examples of career change resumes?
Look for career resources online, such as LinkedIn or career-specific blogs like LiveCareer’s resources hub! Professional resume-writing services and career coaches provide examples and templates suitable for various industries. If you already have a resume, you can run it through our ATS checker to ensure it’s primed for any applicant tracking system.
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