Embarking on a new career journey can be daunting, but with the right tools, the path can be much smoother.
If you’re after a fresh start and need to spruce up your application, our Career Change resume writing guide is just the ticket.
Have a squiz at our Career Change resume example below and let’s get cracking on landing you that dream job!
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Career Change Resume Example
This Career Change resume example acts as a great guideline for structuring your own.
Its professional format and clear presentation make it an ideal example for creating a smooth reading experience for recruiters.
Next, we’ll break down the steps to develop your own interview-winning Career Change resume.
Tips for a career change resume
- Focus your resume content around your new chosen career and not your current/old one
- Add any new courses or qualifications you’ve taken to the top of your resume to ensure they get noticed (especially in the summary and core skills section)
- Write a summary that combines the value of your newly learnt skills, and the existing skills you have from previous work
- Cut down on detail from your old less-relevant roles to avoid cluttering the resume with irrelevant info
- If you’ve recently taken a course for your new profession or done some volunteer work, add it to the top of your work experience section to make it stand out
- When writing about your old jobs, draw out plenty of transferable skills that will be relevant to your new chosen field
Career Change resume structure & format
Resume structure
Structuring your resume correctly is key to making a strong impression on recruiters.
Your resume should consist of the following sections:
- Contact details: Your personal contact information.
- Resume summary: An engaging summary highlighting your suitability for jobs in your chosen new career.
- Core skills: Specific skills pertinent to your field in a bullet-point format.
- Work experience: Recent and relevant job positions in reverse chronological order.
- Education: Detailed educational background applicable to your field.
- Additional info: Optional but useful details like languages or relevant hobbies.
How to format your Career Change resume
To make a strong impression, your resume format must be both professionally stylish and easy for recruiters to read quickly.
Here are our vital formatting tips to make your resume both appealing and reader-friendly.
- Resume length: Keep your resume concise, aiming for 1 to 2 pages. With recruiters swamped by resumes daily, keeping it brief can help you stand out.
- Font & colour scheme: Opt for a straightforward font that’s easy on the eyes, avoiding fancy ones that could be hard to read. Stick to a black-text-on-white background, but don’t hesitate to add a touch of colour to make your resume pop.
- Page layout: Split your page into distinct sections using bold headings or borders, making it easy for readers to locate the information they need at a glance.
- Break text up: Break up text with concise bullet points and brief paragraphs, ensuring busy recruiters can easily absorb the info.
- Photos: Photos aren’t necessary in Australia, but if you want, you can include a small headshot at the top.
Quick tip: Achieving a professional look for your resume can be difficult and time-consuming. If you want to create an attractive resume quickly, try our Resume Builder and use one of our eye-catching professional resume templates.
Contact Details
Ensuring that employers can identify and reach you is crucial, so while the contact details section might seem straightforward, it’s vital to perfect it.
Ensure you include these four key details prominently at the top of your resume, without taking up too much space:
- Your name and professional title: Such as IT Project Manager or Healthcare Assistant, tailored to reflect the positions you are applying for.
- Email address: Choose a professional email (e.g. hayley.j.benson@gmail.com) over one that may appear unprofessional or outdated, like crazy-hay-21@gmail.com.
- Phone number: List your mobile number to ensure you are easily contactable. Always triple-check for accuracy.
- Location: Mention the general region where you’re seeking employment, for example, Sydney, Melbourne.
Additionally, you may add these details if relevant:
- Webpage links: Link to a professional online profile such as LinkedIn or a personal portfolio, ensuring all content is professional and up-to-date.
- Photograph: Although not commonly required, a professional photograph may be beneficial if you’re in a creative industry. If included, it should be modest in size and professionally presented.
Avoid including personal information such as your date of birth, full address, or gender. These details do not assist in the hiring process and take up valuable space on your resume.
Career Change Resume Summary
Your resume summary is a short introductory paragraph at the top of the page, designed to give recruiters a high-level overview of your suitability.
If you want to hook recruiters attention and encourage them to read more of your resume, do the following:
- Keep it short: Keep your resume summary succinct with 3 to 5 sentences. This allows hiring managers to grasp your key points rapidly, reserving more in-depth information for the work experience section.
- Tailor to target jobs: To stand out, align your summary closely with the skills and keywords found in your target job adverts, increasing the likelihood that recruiters will recognise your fit for the role.
- Avoid using cliches: Resist the temptation to describe yourself as a “self-starter” or a “results-driven professional” – these clichés offer little insight into your actual capabilities.
Career Change resume summary example
What to include in your Career Change resume summary
- Summary of your experience: Provide a summary of your work history, including the types of roles you’ve held, the companies you’ve worked for, and the extent of your experience.
- Relevant skills: Demonstrate your suitability for positions in your chosen new career by emphasising your most relevant skills for the role.
- Qualifications: Remember to mention any qualifications applicable to jobs in your chosen new career, showcasing your suitability for the role.
- Benefits of hiring you: Highlight the benefits you can bring to the employer, whether it’s in terms of cost reduction, efficiency improvements, or revenue generation for the company.
Quick tip: Choose from hundreds of pre-written summaries across all industries, and add one to your resume with one-click in our Resume Builder. All written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset and style.
Core skills section
Highlight your suitability for roles in your chosen new career by including a core skills section in your resume.
Present a list of your essential skills in bullet-point format, each capped at four words, ensuring they are immediately noticeable to hiring managers.
Skills for your Career Change resume
Project Management – Overseeing projects from conception to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and to the specified quality standards.
Financial Acumen – Managing financial records, interpreting financial data, and providing advice on financial matters to support business decision-making.
Technical Writing – Producing clear and concise technical documentation, such as user manuals, reports, and specifications, for a variety of audiences.
Programming Proficiency – Writing and debugging code in various programming languages to develop software applications or improve existing ones.
Graphic Design – Creating visually appealing graphics and layouts for print and digital media using design software like Adobe Creative Suite.
Networking Expertise – Installing, configuring, and maintaining network systems and technology infrastructure to ensure reliable data communication.
Foreign Language Proficiency – Communicating effectively in a foreign language to engage with global clients or stakeholders and expand market reach.
Sales Techniques – Applying advanced selling techniques and strategies to generate leads, close deals, and exceed sales targets.
Legal Compliance – Understanding and applying relevant legal regulations and standards within a specific industry to ensure compliance and mitigate risks.
Machine Operation – Operating complex machinery or equipment with precision and safety, often requiring specialised training or certification.
Quick tip: Our Resume Builder contains thousands of in-demand skills for every profession that can be added to your resume in seconds – saving you time and greatly improving your chances of landing job interviews and getting hired.
Work experience section
The work experience part of your resume allows you to display what you can bring to a potential employer.
Usually you would list your previous roles in reverse chronological order, giving particular attention to the past 3-5 years – but as a career changer, you need to be creative and add things that are most relevant to your new field – such as courses you have attended or volunteer work in your new sector.
Structuring your jobs
To ensure that recruiters can understand what you’ve done within each of your jobs, structure them the following way.
Outline
Start with a 1 to 2 line outline of the job, including what the employer does, where you sit within the organisation, and the overall goal of the job.
Key responsibilities
Outline your primary duties in 5-8 bullet points, focusing on essential skills, tools, and expertise.
Ensure each point is succinct, indicating your interactions within the company and your contributions to its success.
Key achievements
Lastly, prove impact by highlight 1-3 key achievements that you made within the role.
Struggling to think of an achievement? If it had a positive impact on your company, it counts.
For example, you might have increased company profits, improved processes, or helped a customer to achieve their goals.
Add numbers to quantify your achievements if you can.
Example job for Career Change resume
Outline
Enrolled in a 6-month intensive coding bootcamp on a part time basis to acquire practical skills in software development. Gained a comprehensive understanding of software architecture, web development, and database management.
Key Responsibilities
- Mastered full-stack development technologies, including React.js and Node.js, through intensive hands-on coding exercises and projects
- Acquired proficiency in database management using SQL and MongoDB, implementing effective data storage and retrieval solutions
- Collaborated with peers on group projects, applying agile methodologies to manage tasks and deadlines effectively
- Developed responsive and dynamic web applications using HTML, CSS, and React.js, focusing on creating seamless user experiences
Quick tip: Create impressive job descriptions easily in our Resume Builder by adding pre-written job phrases for every industry and career stage.
Education section
Include your education near the bottom of your resume.
List your academic qualifications in bullet points, focusing on those most applicable to positions in your chosen new career.
If you possess considerable experience, you can keep this brief, however if you have less experience you should provide detailed insights into how your education has prepared you for the position.
This section can include:
- University degrees
- Industry specific qualifications for jobs in your chosen new career
- Vocational education and training (VET) diplomas
- Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE)
Additional information (optional)
At the end of your resume, you can consider incorporating a section for additional information.
This part is suitable for hobbies, interests, awards, publications, or technical skills that could enhance your appeal to employers.
When adding content here, ensure it is either directly relevant to your profession or exceptionally impressive.
Avoid listing everyday activities like watching television or casual socialising, as they are unlikely to influence hiring decisions.
Crafting an effective Career Change resume can be challenging, but adhering to these guidelines should enable you to develop a resume that attracts recruiter attention and secures numerous interview opportunities.
Always double-check your resume for errors and customise it for each job application to demonstrate your suitability.
Good luck with your job search!