Are you feeling stuck? Do you know in your heart there is something better and more fulfilling for you in the job market? Tailoring your resume for a career transition is the first step to making yourself more marketable.
Many professional roles require the use of transferable skills. The abilities you have honed in one job can be useful in other positions, even if you are trying to pull off a dramatic transition into another field.
For example, a teacher builds many skills in the educational world. Relationship building, conflict management, team collaboration, and behavior management are a few examples. Many of the same skills apply to jobs in sales leadership, customer service or business administration. These are the skill sets to include and highlight on your resume.
Tell Your Story
When hiring managers read your resume, they want to feel your enthusiasm for their job opportunity. They also want things presented in a simple manner. If you’re looking to transition out of your field, make it known in the opening paragraph of your resume – the summary section. Make it apparent that you are serious about shaking up your career.
Include a line that reads something like: “Seeking to leverage transferable teaching and relationship building into a secure sales role in a dynamic corporate environment.” The hiring manager will know right away that you are serious about transitioning into a new industry and depending on the experience required for the role, you could be a prime candidate.
The Right Keywords
Many companies use applicant tracking systems to filter through the initial round of incoming applications. This helps create a strong “keeper” pile for hiring managers. To make sure your resume makes it through these systems, it’s important to use the right keywords.
You should always include a section in your resume that functions as an “Areas of Expertise” or “Key Proficiencies.” This is where you can load up your resume with 10 to 15 targeted keywords that help your resume perform better in applicant tracking systems.
Don’t forget about your professional experience. It’s important to hit on some of these keywords when detailing your career background. This is critical because you want your experience section to back up your claims of expertise.
