One of the most daunting times in your career is when you’re looking to change profession. Added to this stress is the fact you’ll now have to rewrite your CV to focus on your chosen career. To help make this easier, we’ve come up with some useful tips to write your new career change CV.

Before deciding to change careers, why not test the water to see if you’ll actually enjoy the type of work you’re going to be involved with. You can do this by participating in voluntary employment in your spare time. There is an added benefit to this in that you’ll also be gaining “hands-on” industry experience whilst also being handed the opportunity to network with professionals in your chosen field.

Because you’re changing career, it’s more than likely you have no direct experience of the job you’re applying for. Therefore, you should ask yourself if a functional CV would be a good idea. This will allow you to format your CV in a way that places emphasis on your skills, rather than listing your experience chronologically.

Before writing your CV, research your preferred industry to ascertain what prospective employers will be looking for. This could include qualifications, training and software knowledge. Write down a list of ‘CV keywords‘ to use throughout your CV to help attract the reader’s attention.

To help recruiters understand your value, you will need to rewrite sections of your CV where you’ve used jargon and keywords related to your current role. Try and replace these areas with points that highlight your transferable skills.

Frequently asked questions:

Do I need to state why I want to change career in my CV?

No - this is best left to the interview where you’ll be able to provide in-depth reasoning.

I have enjoyed 10 years experience in my current career - won’t this help me in the future?

When looking for a career change, you’ll want your CV to focus on the future, not in the past. Therefore, less emphasis will be placed on any previous achievements (unless they relate in some way to the job you’re applying for!)

Is there anything else I can do to facilitate my career change?

Networking is an ideal way to “get your name out there”. Keep a look out for any upcoming industry events that you can attend. You could also take your CV along and ask industry experts if they can provide any input.

I have no industry experience whatsoever, is there any point in me trying to change career?

Yes!! As long as your CV showcases your abilities, relevant to the job you’re applying for, your lack of experience shouldn’t matter.

Should I write a covering letter to use with my career change CV?

Yes. We advise sending letters with all CVs - regardless of what it’s being used for! When using a letter for a career change application, rather than using the letter to promote your experience, use it to promote your knowledge of the company / industry and your interest in that area, together with any relevant skills and qualifications.

Can I expect a better salary by changing careers?

As a general rule, no. Often you’ll be looking at having to spend money on additional training / new qualifications. Also, because you’re starting in a completely new field, you’ll probably go in at a lower level than you’ve been used to - this allows you to gain experience.

How can I find out about the industry I am interested in?

Firstly, the internet is a great first stop. Search around for forums where you can chat with people in the field you’re looking at. Also, you should contact a couple of companies, and ask if there is someone who can talk to you to discuss what you can expect, the qualifications they require and transferable skills they would need.

My family have all left home and I am looking for a career change. However, I have been an Operations Manager in London for 12 years and am now looking for a part time job in a local company.

This will be a completely different issue as there is every chance you’ll be classed as overqualified. More advice on dealing with coming across as overqualified in a CV.

Read more about our professional career change CV service!