objective on resume for career change

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11 Career Change Resume Examples [& Templates]

Marketing Manager

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

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Like this template? Customize this resume and make it your own with the help of our Al-powered suggestions, accent colors, and modern fonts.

• Career Change Resumes
• Changing Careers To Resumes
• Changing Careers From Resumes
• Career Change Resumes for Teachers

Noah breathed a sigh of relief as he found a few accounting job descriptions that intrigued him. After spending years in various financial roles and racking up some impressive creds as a financial analyst, he felt confident in this career switch. But was he as prepared to  make a resume as he was for his career change?

Noah’s confidence went up when he found our library of career change resume examples and time-tested hints. Plus, he knew he’d be able to expand upon his career objective and add even more value by making a cover letter ! The notes he took while preparing his application materials even helped him navigate a victorious interview.

Whether you’re looking to change careers in accounting, teaching, or any other profession, check out our handy resources to build your own success story like Noah did!

Career Change Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• A summary merges your background with the opportunities you’re seeking. In other words, a summary demonstrates how your experience has prepared you for your new field. However, you should only use a summary if you’ve had  at least 10 years of experience.
• Choosing a  professional resume template  and  resume format  can help make your resume look professional and cohesive without much effort.

Multiple Career Resume

• The keywords you include will help tie your expertise together and prove that you have the right abilities for the job. 
• Start by listing hard skills (aka technical, learned skills) listed in the job description. If you don’t have a lot, then simply use soft skills like “analytical” and collaboration.”
• Whatever jobs you’ve held, find a common thread between them and the new job, then sew that thread into every job experience. It’ll be a subtle but powerful tool to increase credibility despite multiple career changes. 

Career Change To Accounting Resume

• If you’re applying to be an accountant but it wasn’t your most recent role, be sure to add a certifications section highlighting that you are a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Career Change To Administrative Assistant Resume

• Enhance your career change to administrative assistant resume with a short summary that shows recruiters where to draw parallels between your past experience and target title.

Marketing Manager Career Change Resume

• There are numbers everywhere; look for percentages relating to your skills, like how you boosted efficiency or increased sales from last quarter. The sky’s the limit!
• If you can’t find (or don’t have access to) percentages, then use plain numbers relating to how many team members you worked with, how many clients you took on, or how many referrals you gained.
• Things like only using active verbs and avoiding personal pronouns might seem minor, but they make reading your resume easier, which is huge for recruiters and hiring managers.
• And speaking of details, always  double-check your resume  for proper grammar, punctuation, and overall flow.

RN Career Change Resume

• An objective is only two to three sentences, so make sure each word packs a verbal punch by showing off your years of experience, skills, and desire for the role you’re seeking.
• For example, mentioning your adherence to HIPPA guidelines can demonstrate to hiring managers that you will stick to the rules. On the flip side, explaining how you used active listening to assist patients will show your compassion and customer service skills.

Journalist Career Change Resume

• Start by keeping your resume to a single page. Otherwise, you’ll overwhelm hiring managers (who will likely toss your resume into the recycling).
• It’s best to use reverse-chronological formatting on your resume to keep your most relevant job history at the top. While other formats are necessarily wrong, they aren’t standard, and they’re harder for hiring managers (and the ATS) to read.
• In your contact header, include your email address (make sure it’s a professional email), your phone number, and your location. 
• Consider adding a hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile if you have a LinkedIn account.

Mechanical Engineer Career Change Resume

• Consider asking a friend, relative, or even a career advisor from your alma mater to scan your resume for errors and discrepancies.
• Nothing tells a recruiter you’re not the right person for the job like saying you’re great at “time management.” 
• Put color in your section headers (or company titles) and your contact header. This will add visual interest without being overwhelming.
• If you’re applying to work at a conservative financial firm, you may want to stick to traditional colors rather than pastel pink or lavender.

Teacher Career Change Resume

• Look for ways to connect your previous duties to the responsibilities listed in the job description.
• Many skills  indirectly  transfer from one job to another. Consider your collaboration skills: your ability to work well with fellow teachers will help you work on team projects at your next job.
• Of course, if you have any skills, projects, or experience in your new field, include them, and explain how you’ve mastered them in your career change cover letter .
• Using a  resume template  is invaluable here, as you can easily scooch sections to the side, adjust your margins, and fix your font type to give you some extra wiggle room.

Teacher to Project Manager Resume

• The work experience bullet points to occupy the largest share of your CV—no more than four bullets for each role. As for your contact info, education, skills, hobbies, and certifications, a side column will do the trick. The cherry on top is restricting the entire resume to one page.

Teacher to Human Resources Resume

• But more importantly, mention the relevant transferable skills you bring to this entry-level role, a requirement Elijah executes well in his teacher to human resources resume. Better yet, let your bullet points show how you used these proficiencies in previous teaching roles.

Related resume guides

• Engineering

How To Write a Resume Objective For a Career Change: Your Ultimate Guide

Home » Resume Help » How To Write a Resume Objective For a Career Change: Your Ultimate Guide

In the quest for a career change, your resume is your primary ticket to landing that interview and ultimately, the job. However, among the many elements that comprise a robust resume, the career objective statement plays a significant role, especially when you’re embarking on a new career path.

Master the art of writing a resume objective for a career change with our detailed guide, which includes essential components, step-by-step crafting process, pitfalls to avoid, and illustrative examples.

Understanding the Concept of a Resume Objective

The significance of a career-change resume objective, clear intent and direction, transferable skills, relevant achievements, identification of transferable skills, thorough research of the target job, crafting the resume objective, review and refinement, resume objective examples for career changers, common mistakes to avoid, key takeaways, final thoughts, frequently asked questions.

Often positioned at the top of the resume, right after your personal details, the resume objective is your first chance to leave an impression on the hiring manager. This is your platform to introduce yourself, articulate your professional goals, and indicate what you bring to the table in terms of skills and qualifications. Essentially, it’s your elevator pitch – a succinct and compelling overview of who you are as a professional.

While resume objectives are optional, they are particularly crucial for career changers. They provide an opportunity to explain your career pivot and connect your past experiences with the job you’re seeking.

The dynamics of hiring are fundamentally different when it comes to career changers. Unlike candidates who are advancing along the same career path, career changers carry a unique blend of experiences from diverse fields. Hence, their resumes need to highlight their transferable skills and demonstrate how these skills can be beneficial in the new job role.

A well-crafted resume objective can help achieve this. It allows you to direct the hiring manager’s attention to your relevant skills, despite not having direct experience in the new field. You get to articulate how your past roles have equipped you with the capabilities to excel in the new job. Essentially, your resume objective is your tool to bridge the gap between your past and future careers.

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Essential Components of a Career-Change Resume Objective

A strong career-change resume objective is often the product of careful thought and planning. While the content is specific to each individual, a few common elements form the backbone of an effective resume objective:

Avoid ambiguity at all costs. Clearly state the job title, industry, or specific role you’re seeking. By doing so, you not only demonstrate your awareness of the new field but also show that you’re serious about the career change.

As a career changer, your strongest asset is your transferable skills. These are skills that you’ve acquired through your past roles and can be applied across various industries or job functions. They could range from hard skills like project management and data analysis to soft skills like leadership, communication, and problem-solving.

If you can back your claims with quantifiable achievements, it lends credibility to your resume objective. It shows that you’re not only capable of doing what you say but you have a proven track record of success.

Components of a Successful Resume Objective for a Career Change

Crafting a career-change resume objective isn’t an overnight task. It requires introspection, research, and a good understanding of your new career field. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you write an effective resume objective:

The first step is to identify the skills you possess that are relevant to the new job. Reflect on your past roles, the tasks you’ve handled, and the projects you’ve been part of. This will help you recognize the skills that are applicable to your new career path.

The next step is to understand the job requirements of the new field. Study job descriptions, industry trends, and talk to professionals already in the field. This will give you an idea of the specific skills and qualifications employers are looking for.

Once you have a list of your transferable skills and a good understanding of the job requirements, you can start writing your resume objective. Connect your career aspirations, skills, and qualifications to show how you’re a suitable candidate for the job.

Your first draft might not be perfect, and that’s okay. Take time to review your resume objective. Check for clarity, grammatical errors, and relevance. Seek feedback from mentors, professionals in the field, or career counselors. Revise and refine until your objective is concise, clear, and compelling.

To help you visualize, here are the examples of resume objectives for career changers:

“Award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry, seeking to leverage my storytelling skills, knack for research, and a strong network of industry contacts in a Public Relations role.”

“Experienced project manager looking to transition to the field of Human Resources. Offers proven skills in people management, team leadership, and performance optimization.”

“Enthusiastic elementary school teacher with a decade of experience in curriculum development, looking to transition into instructional design. Armed with a Master’s degree in Education and a passion for technology integration in classrooms, aiming to create engaging e-learning materials.”

“Accomplished sales manager with a proven track record in developing new territories and boosting revenue, seeking a transition into real estate. Bring deep customer relationship skills and an extensive network of potential investors.”

“Successful event coordinator with over 5 years of experience in managing large-scale corporate events, aiming to leverage my organizational and planning skills in a project management role. Certified in Agile project management with a strong emphasis on team coordination and client satisfaction.”

“Highly driven financial analyst with excellent statistical modeling skills, looking to apply my quantitative and analytical abilities in a data science role. Certified in Python and R, with a strong understanding of machine learning algorithms.”

“Detail-oriented administrative assistant with exceptional multitasking and organizational abilities, seeking to leverage these skills in a Human Resources role. Equipped with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and experience in conflict resolution and employee management.”

“Certified public accountant with a strong understanding of financial laws and compliance, looking to transition into a role in corporate law. Currently pursuing a part-time law degree, with a focus on commercial and corporate law.”

“Software developer with experience in coding, testing, and debugging, seeking a career change to technical writing. Known for my strong attention to detail and ability to translate complex concepts into understandable terms. Experienced in writing technical documentation and guides.”

“Experienced marketing manager with a knack for branding and digital campaigns, looking to transition into a career in UX/UI Design. Completed a bootcamp in UX/UI Design, with hands-on experience in user research, prototyping, and usability testing.”

“Energetic retail store manager with a decade of experience in inventory management and customer service, seeking to pivot into supply chain management. Armed with strong vendor management skills and a deep understanding of logistics and warehousing.”

“Creative content writer with an extensive portfolio in SEO-friendly articles and blogs, looking to switch careers to Public Relations. Holds a deep understanding of media strategy, crisis management, and have strong relationships with a broad network of media contacts.”

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There are a few common mistakes you should avoid when writing your career-change resume objective:

• Avoid Being Vague : Employers don’t have the time to guess what you’re seeking. Be specific about the role you’re targeting.
• Don’t Ignore Transferable Skills : Your transferable skills are your selling points. Make sure you highlight them.
• Avoid Generic Objectives : Each job application is unique, and so should be your resume objective. Tailor your objective to match the specific job you’re applying for.

Here are the key takeaways from our detailed guide on “How To Write a Resume Objective For a Career Change”:

• Resume objectives can play a crucial role during career transitions, as they allow you to connect your past experiences with your future career goals.
• Clear intent and direction are crucial components of a resume objective. Be specific about the role you’re targeting to show your seriousness about the career change.
• Transferable skills are your greatest assets when changing careers. Identify and highlight skills that can be applied across different industries or job functions.
• Backing your claims with quantifiable achievements adds credibility to your resume objective.
• Drafting an effective resume objective involves identifying your transferable skills, thoroughly researching your target job, and crafting and refining your objective accordingly.
• Tailoring your resume objective to each unique job application is important to show relevance and understanding of the specific role.
• Avoiding common pitfalls such as vagueness, ignoring transferable skills, and generic objectives can help in making your resume objective more effective.
• Crafting compelling and relevant resume objectives can be a strategic move in making a successful career transition.

Switching careers is a significant decision that requires strategic planning and execution. Your resume, particularly your career objective, plays an integral role in facilitating this transition. It enables you to showcase your potential, market your transferable skills, and express your enthusiasm for the new career path. With the comprehensive guidance provided above, you’re now equipped to write a compelling resume objective that paves the way for a successful career change.

The purpose of a career-change resume objective is to clearly convey your career goals, skills, and qualifications relevant to the new job you’re seeking. It’s an opportunity to explain your career transition and demonstrate how your past experiences make you an ideal fit for the new role.

A resume objective should include a clear statement of your career goal, a summary of your relevant transferable skills, and if possible, quantifiable achievements that support your skills.

You can identify your transferable skills by reflecting on your past roles and responsibilities. Consider the skills you’ve acquired and used across different tasks and how they can be applied to the new job.

To tailor your resume objective, study the job description of each role you’re applying for. Identify the specific skills and qualifications the employer seeks and incorporate them into your resume objective.

In a career change, a resume objective plays a significant role as it helps you highlight your transferable skills, align your past experiences with the new job’s requirements, and portray how your career pivot can be beneficial to the potential employer.

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Recommended Reading:

• Hobbies and Interests to put on a CV
• CV personal qualities and skills
• Skills to include on a CV
• How to write references on a CV
• How to write achievements on a CV
• Personal details on a CV
• How to start a cover letter
• LinkedIn Background Photo

Published by Sarah Samson

Sarah Samson is a professional career advisor and resume expert. She specializes in helping recent college graduates and mid-career professionals improve their resumes and format them for the modern job market. In addition, she has also been a contributor to several online publications.

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