What do you do if your professional summary doesn't reflect your career change?

1 Tailor Summary

To pivot your professional summary towards your new career, start by identifying the core skills and attributes required in your target industry. Highlight transferable skills that are relevant to both your past roles and future ambitions. For example, leadership, project management, and communication skills are valuable in many fields. Use action-oriented language to make your summary dynamic and engaging. Remember, your goal is to paint a picture of a candidate who is not only capable but also enthusiastic about the new opportunities ahead.

2 Highlight Skills

Emphasizing the right skills in your resume can bridge the gap between your past experience and your new career goals. Focus on the skills that are transferable and most relevant to the new industry. For instance, if you're moving from sales to marketing, showcase your ability to understand customer needs, create persuasive messages, and analyze market trends. It's also helpful to include any new certifications or training you've undertaken that are pertinent to your new field, as this demonstrates commitment and initiative.

3 Rebrand Experience

Your past work experience may not directly align with your new career path, but it's all about how you frame it. Rebrand your previous roles by focusing on the aspects that are relevant to your new industry. For example, if you're transitioning from a teaching career to corporate training, emphasize your skill in curriculum development and educational delivery rather than classroom management. Use your experience section to tell a story of a professional evolution, showing how each role contributed to the skills and knowledge you'll bring to your new career.

4 Add Projects

If your regular work experience doesn't fully align with your new career direction, consider adding a section for relevant projects or volunteer work. This can include anything from freelance gigs to community service that allowed you to develop skills pertinent to your new field. Describing these projects showcases your proactive efforts to gain relevant experience and can be just as compelling as traditional employment history. It's an opportunity to demonstrate that you have practical experience, even if it's not from a conventional job role.

5 Use Keywords

Incorporating industry-specific keywords into your resume is essential, especially when changing careers. Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes before they ever reach a human eye. To get past these systems, scan job postings in your new field for common terms and phrases, and weave these into your resume. This not only helps with ATS but also shows that you're familiar with the language and priorities of the industry you're entering.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?