When writing a career change resume, it is smart to highlight the skills you already have that will transfer well into your new field. For that reason, you should prepare to give your old resume an overhaul. These steps will help inspire you.
Leave the chronological resume behind. A chronological resume is a good fit for some jobs, but not so much for career changers. Career changers must put their skills and any experience related to the new career first, so a functional resume that emphasizes skills is your best bet.
Spend extra time on the objective. An objective is short and sweet, around 15 words. As a career changer, you must say how your skills will fit in the new field. One objective might be "To apply my 10 years of wedding catering experience to a position in corporate event planning." A caterer has clearly been in the trenches when it comes to event planning, and 10 years of experience in that field will be attractive to a company that needs someone who can handle large and sometimes chaotic events. By writing a clear objective statement, you have saved a potential employer time by bringing that information to the top.
Start with the most important skill for the job. Since you are not bound by chronological restrictions, you can shape the narrative of your resume to fit the job. While resume writing, consider the skills that an employer in your new field might want, and list them. An employer who specializes in corporate event planning might want someone who can handle events involving at least 200 participants. The wedding caterer from the sample objective may list "Ability to organize and prioritize" as a top skill and then list events that involved preparing food for and serving large groups.
Speak the right language for the job. Every industry has its own jargon. If you have spent some time moonlighting or volunteering in a new career field, then use their terms. But be careful: Make sure you understand the term, or you will be dismissed as an amateur.
Don't forget your regular work history and education. A functional resume needs to include that information as well, but you will provide only the basics at the bottom of the resume.
 | Before you make that career change, you need to take a hard look at your current job and your hopes for the future. A misguided career change can deplete your bank account, strain your relationships and lead to more unhappiness. |
 | Adult & continuing education can transform your career, whether you are looking to make a change or take a refresher course. Just taking one class can make you more competitive within your chosen field. |
 | Continuing education should be your first stop if you are considering a career change. Not only will continuing education help you gain knowledge about a new field, but you can also see if this direction is worth pursuing. |
A career change can be liberating. However, it can also be expensive once you factor in a potentially lower income and the cost of going back to school. Yet not all career changes have to involve classes. |
Check out our career change guide to learn if a career change is right for you. |
