Changing Careers:
A Guide to Revamping Your Resume

The Wall Street Journal recently reported findings from a national survey that found that less than 30 percent of working Americans say they're completely satisfied in their current jobs—and most of those people admitted that they would change jobs tomorrow if given the chance. Do you fall into that group of dissatisfied workers, merely going through the motions everyday? Have you decided that it’s time to change careers? If so, you’re going to want to update your resume so that it works for you. Chances are, your resume reflects what you do NOW. You want your resume to reflect what you want to do in the future. Confused? Here is a little resume help to assist you in making the leap!

Work with What You Already Have
It is extremely important that you refresh your resume to reflect your new interests, while bragging on the skills you already have. If you’re changing careers, it’s time to ditch the college resume and create a professional resume that highlights your skills and experience instead of focusing on your education and college activities. For those already using a professional resume, it’s important to highlight skills that would be beneficial in any position. First, you need to think about the skills you have acquired that will be beneficial to a new employer, no matter the field. For example, being an effective communicator is a skill that transcends any job description. Also, if you have experience managing a team of people, you’re automatically an appealing job candidate. Make sure that in your resume, you play up your cross- functional skills. Even though you might not have experience in your new field of choice, you have life experience – something that is vitally important to employers!

Re- Work Your Summary
The summary in your resume can be compared to the back cover of a book. It has to say a lot in a small amount of space in order to get someone to buy it. If you’re changing careers, you’ll need to craft your summary to highlight your skills for the job you want—not the job you have! For example, if you’re switching to sales from accounting, talk about the experience you do have in sales…or skills that you have that would be beneficial as a salesperson! Technically, you might not have been in sales, but your last job probably has sales aspects to it. Play those aspects up! If you’re not quite sure how to articulate how your skills will benefit the company, solicit the help of a resume writing company. Resume writing services are a great resource. They’ll talk through your skill set and craft your resume so that you are a shoo-in to make the switch. While resume writing might seem tough to you, there are several companies that make resume writing a breeze for you!

Adapt
Chances are, if you’re changing careers, you’ll be applying for a plethora of different types of jobs, maybe even in different fields. This being the case, you’re going to want to adapt your resume to fit each position for which you’re applying. If you’re applying for a sales position, a finance position and a client service position, tailor each resume to prove that you have the skills that are right for each job. A great way to get started on the tailoring process is to use words and phrases from the job ad. If the ad calls for a computer literate self-starter with three to five years of experience, phrase you resume so that it shows you like to take initiative, you’re a whiz in various computer programs and you have four years of experience. There are certain buzzwords that employers are looking for, so use the job ad as a guide! If you’re applying for an executive level position, make sure you have an executive resume. High-level positions require more in-depth resumes than just the average professional resume. If you’re not sure which kind of resume you need, don’t hesitate to contact a resume writing service to help explain to you the advantages and disadvantages to the different types of resumes. Another thing to consider is if you need to switch from a technical resume to a professional resume or vice versa. If you are moving into a highly technical field, you need a technical resume that will highlight your sophisticated technical skills. If you’re moving out of a highly technical field, consider switching to a professional resume. The important thing is to hit your target employer with the information that is most important in order for him to decide that you are the perfect person for the job.

Be Functional
Most resume writing is done in reverse chronological order – with your most recent experience first and your prior experience after that. While this practice is widely accepted, there are other formats you can use for your resume. For example, why not use a functional resume? A functional resume is set up in terms of skills. Your resume would have sections that focused on specific skills, such as sales, finance, administration, management. These resumes are particularly effective if you have experience in your new career path, but it was several years ago. Functional resumes draw attention to your accomplishments and skills rather than focusing on dates. If you’re a bit confused on how a functional resume works and need more information, you can look for resume services that can help you decide if a functional resume is right for you.

Changing careers can be tough, but it’s a challenge that millions of Americans face every year. Focusing on creating an appropriate and targeted resume will give you a major advantage when you’re making the switch.