People change careers for various reasons. Sometimes it's a desire for a larger income or a change of location. At other times the career change is necessary due to the loss of a job and the lack of employment opportunities in a particular field. When applying for a new career, a new resume is a must. Not only are previous resumes dated, they're not geared to highlight the new career objective.
Don't Use Functional Format
Different resume formats highlight different aspects of a potential employee. For someone who is changing careers, a functional resume might not be the best choice. The functional resume can be a red flag for human resource personnel because the format can be used to hide irrelevant experience.
Use Hybrid Format
A hybrid format that uses elements of the functional resume format can help highlight the skills needed in the new career. A functional resume has employee work history organized into sections that list skills or accomplishments. This format allows the job seeker to list skills and talents that a new employer will find attractive. Combine this aspect of the functional resume by putting acquired skills in chronological order, thereby combining chronological and functional resume elements.
Learn New Career Lingo
People often have different commonly used words in each industry. For example, engineers would tend to use mathematical terms more often than social workers. Read about the new career to learn the language used in it. Talking to people who already work in the new field also can help with learning the language. Knowing the lingo will help ensure the resume isn't awkwardly worded.
List Transferable Skills
Some skills might have been learned and developed in an old career. These skills might not directly apply to the new career, but some skills are transferable across a broad section of career fields. For example, computer skills are commonly used in many professions. These skills can be listed in the Profile section of the resume along with other skills.
Reword Objective
The resume's objective should be changed to reflect the desire to work in a new career. It's not necessary to list the reason for the change in the career objective, although the potential employee should be ready to answer the question if asked during an interview. For example, under the "Objective" header, use words like "Position in design where previously acquired administrative skills add value."
Review Resume
Once the resume has been updated to reflect the desire to work in a new career, it should be checked for spelling and grammar errors. A friend or family member can provide a fresh set of eyes, which can often catch errors that someone who's been working on the resume for days will miss. After the resume has been reviewed, periodically re-read the resume to keep a high confidence level that the resume is error-free.
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