Can My Resume Help Me Switch Careers?

The thought of staying in the same career for some people is more than they can bear. While they may have followed the track they started in college, they find now that they career path they choose simply isn't for them. This is not an uncommon occurrence; however, it is a rare for people to actually make the switch to a new career because they're afraid they won't be able to successfully.

What they don't know is that it is very possible to make a successful switch into a new career. Much of how successful the switch will be, however, lies with the resume. Many people seek certified resume assistance to create the resume they need to make the switch. But if you're not able to seek help, there are things you can do to your own resume to make it the career switcher you want.

Write As If You Know the New Industry

If you are switching careers and doing so by entering a new  industry, you want to draw as little attention to the fact that you have little professional experience in the industry as possible. This will require research on your part; you will need to immerse yourself in the new industry so that you know certain keywords to apply to your resume.

For instance, suppose that you want to switch from human resources to marketing. You have a degree in communications but somehow landed a human resource job and progressed from there. Now that you're interested in going back to your first love, it's good to highlight what occurred in your career that you can apply to the new career. If while in human resources, you were able to attend trade shows, add this and the experience you gained since they are a big deal in marketing.

Consider a Functional Resume

The functional resume allows you to divert attention away from job titles and place more focus on your skills and accomplishments. In other words, you would categorize the parts of your background that help you best qualify for the job, adding title and job description information under those sections. By writing this type of resume, you don't allow the prospective employer to focus on what you bring to the table, rather than the fact that your last job title doesn't match the one you're applying for.

Don't Forget the Basics

Working hard to make sure that your resume appropriately reflects a career shift means nothing if the basics of your resume are not covered. The basics include making sure there are no typos, grammar or spelling errors. In addition, you want to make sure to include enough white space that the resume doesn't look too cluttered.

If you really want to switch careers, you can get it done. It's just a matter of writing the proper resume and being persistent.