Career Change Resume Writing

Is A career Change Resume In Your Future?

Why has career change resume writing become an essential skill for job seekers? The answer is that the unique characteristics of the "New Economy" have instilled the highest levels of uncertainty into the process of planning and pursuing an occupational career than at any time since the Great Depression. A corollary of this fact is that the possibility of having to change careers, perhaps more than once, is an integral part of this new paradigm.

What Is Career Change Resume Writing?

A Career Change Resume is one that will be prepared and submitted in pursuit of a job or position in a discipline or industry different from one that you have previous experience and/or education in.

Why Must A Career Change Resume Be Different?

In this instance, you are seeking to change careers and will have to compete against applicants who already possess experience, a track-record and accomplishments in this area. In addition, you must assume that the hiring manager posting this position ranks relevant previous experience high on his or her decision tree. Your career change resume must address this concern.

How Feasible Is Successfully Changing Careers?

Employers usually do not want a long learning curve for a new hire. Your resume and subsequent interviewing sessions have to demonstrate your proven ability to quickly learn the essential aspects of your new discipline, thus positioning you to apply your unique personal skills to getting things done! Stated another way, you must be able to instill the belief that you will have a near immediate impact in your new position.

The truth is that almost any reasonably intelligent prospect can learn the new business; the new industry; field, etc. This is simply a process of time and exposure. What you bring to the party are your documented skills that are transferable and can be applied in this prospective job to make this company successful! Changing careers is possible and happens on a consistent basis. High energy individuals from a different field with a proven record of accomplishments will frequently get into the interviewing process and win the job over others with tenure in the field. Effective career change resume writing helps to get them in the door. Your validated past successes increase in value if future career changes become necessary for you. Career change becomes easier once you establish a successful track record of moving between industries and performing at a high level.

It will also help your cause if you can sell yourself to one or more recruiters who work in your targeted field on your ability to successfully transcend disciplines. A recruiter's belief in you is a powerful testimony because many of them would not want to take the risk of recommending someone without previous experience. An effectively written career change resume will support the recommendation.

Preparation For Eventual Career Changes

If, at the beginning of your employment career, you had the foresight to anticipate the future possibility of having to change careers, one of the smartest actions you can take is to seek diversity of experience within your present company. Initiate actions such as volunteering within your company for projects involving cross-discipline participation. Further, watch for opportunities to make intra-company transfers and learn multiple positions in multiple areas. Considering that most organizations are operating with leaner staffing these days, it should be relatively easy to acquire cross disciplinary experience. A diverse knowledge portfolio combined with a record of accomplishments in each area makes you an "in-demand" candidate.