When you're considering a career change, it means you need the courage to compete with more experienced and formidable candidates. If you don't have anything particularly outstanding, you must find ways to create a distinctive impression on your CV that will grab the recruiter's attention. What criteria make a great CV and increase the chances of success for a newcomer to the profession?

Having clear career goals in a new field.

If you want to change career fields, the first thing you need to do is identify your goals for the current job. Then, review your strengths, listing which skills can contribute to strengthening and developing your expertise in the field you're applying for. From there, include these strengths in your CV and highlight them. This way of writing a CV will help you score points with recruiters .

Focus on issues related to the new job.

The most important principle is never to use the same old CV for a new job. Unnecessary elements in your old CV will make you seem like an outsider. Therefore, your task is to showcase skills or certifications that can be beneficial to this job. If you want to switch from one field to a completely different one, try talking to people who are already working in that field. Once you understand the background of the profession, you can then leverage your strengths to fit the position they are looking for.

"Advertising" oneself by selling "something that the opposite sex doesn't have."

Don't list generic skills that every industry requires on your CV. Don't include information you only know a little about. Don't cram in too much information just to appear relevant to the industry. If you have nothing to offer, try focusing on selling your most unique qualities that other candidates might not have.

Present your work experience in a way that matches the employer's requirements.

You need to rewrite your work experience (which may not be directly related to the field) using terminology specific to the new field. Each field has its own abbreviations or terminology. Your job is to find ways to adapt your experience and achievements to your advantage in your new career.

Briefly describe your professional background.

Instead of listing a long list of your past work experience, dedicate space on your CV to outlining your career aspirations or showcasing your skills. If your professional background is irrelevant or has little impact on the current position, try to omit it or keep it as brief as possible. Don't lose the recruiter's interest. They will give up, or even not bother reading the important content, if they are led on by a lengthy and unhelpful list of experiences.

Quantify specific contributions and achievements.

Don't forget to include numbers and verifiable data whenever possible, such as when describing the scale of the events you organized, the KPIs you achieved, or the number of employees you managed, to demonstrate your value or influence to the employer.

Mention extracurricular activities related to company culture.

Remember that many employers don't want the best, they just want the most suitable candidate. Therefore, research the new company's culture and environment. Then, list additional skills, extracurricular activities, and work ethic in your CV so that your values ​​align with the company's vision. Employers will be more impressed when reading a CV that, while not extensive in experience, shares the values ​​they are looking to convey.

 

The above is a guide on how to write a CV for candidates who are planning a career change. Don't hesitate or be afraid of being rejected at the very first stage just because you lack  experience ; try to skillfully leverage all your strengths to convince the recruiter from the very beginning.

 

Source: HR Insider