A career change CV is a specific type of resume that highlights your skills and experience that are most relevant to the new job you’re pursuing. While you don’t need to completely overhaul your entire CV when changing careers, it’s important to focus on the elements that will make you the strongest candidate for the new role.
When done correctly, a career change CV can be a powerful tool that will help you land the job you want. And by keeping your CV up-to-date, you’ll ensure that it always accurately reflects your qualifications for the jobs you’re interested in. Here are the ten top tips for writing a career change CV:
- Be clear about your goals
When changing careers, it’s important to be clear about your goals. What are you hoping to achieve by making the switch? This will help you choose the right elements of your experience to highlight in your CV.
For example, if you’re looking for a position that emphasizes team leadership, you’ll want to focus on your past experience working in teams and heading up projects. On the other hand, if you’re hoping to move into a more creative field, you may want to focus on examples of when you’ve developed new and innovative solutions.
- Research the new industry and role
Before you start writing your CV, it’s crucial that you do your research. What is the new industry you’re hoping to move into like? What are the key skills and experiences that are most valued in this sector?
If you’re not sure where to start, look at job postings for similar roles in the industry you’re targeting. This will give you a good idea of the skills and experience employers are looking for.
You may also want to enlist the services of career change CV writing services with experience helping people transition into new fields. A good career change CV writing service will have a deep understanding of the industry you’re targeting and can help you craft a CV tailored to the specific role you’re interested in.
- Highlight your transferable skills
When changing careers, one of your biggest assets is your ability to transfer your skills to a new industry or role. So, when writing your CV, be sure to highlight the skills that are most relevant to the new job you’re pursuing.
For example, if you’re looking to move into a role that requires excellent communication skills, highlight examples of times when you’ve successfully communicated with others, whether it’s in a meeting setting or through written communications.
- Use keywords from the job posting
When writing your CV, be sure to include keywords from the job posting. This will help ensure that employer search engines pick up your CV and that you’re considered for the role you’re interested in.
For example, if the job posting includes keywords such as “project management” or “customer service,” be sure to include these same terms in your CV.
- Tailor your CV to each employer
Tailoring your CV to each employer means customizing the content of the CV to match the specific job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a job that emphasizes teamwork, be sure to highlight examples of times when you’ve successfully worked in a team setting. On the other hand, if you’re applying for a job that requires excellent written communication skills, be sure to include examples of times when you’ve successfully communicated through writing.
- Use action verbs
You do not want your CV to read like a list of boring tasks. So, when describing your previous experience, be sure to use action verbs.
This will make your CV more engaging to read and help you stand out from the competition. Some examples of action verbs you can use include “developed,” “created,” “managed,” “led,” and “supervised.”
- Focus on results
When describing your previous experience, it’s important to focus on the results you achieved. This will help employers understand the impact you had in your previous role and see the value you can bring to their organization.
For example, rather than simply stating that you “managed a team of ten people,” you might instead say that you “managed a team of ten people who achieved a 20% increase in sales.”
- Use numbers and data
When possible, use numbers and data to support the claims you’re making in your CV. This will help employers see the value you can bring to their organization and make your CV more persuasive.
- Keep it simple
When writing your CV, it’s important to keep your language simple and free of jargon. This will ensure that your CV is easy to read and understand.
- Proofread your CV
Before you submit your CV, be sure to proofread it carefully. This will help ensure that there are no errors in your CV and that it makes a good impression on potential employers.
In Closing
Writing the perfect career change CV isn’t one of the easiest tasks, but by following these tips, you can be sure that your CV will stand out from the competition and help you land the job you’re after. Don’t rush your CV – take your time to craft a well-written, persuasive document that will help you get the job you want. Good luck!