When some people get a career, they stay in the same job or field for a very long time. However, it is growing more and more popular for people to switch jobs, and even switch industries, much more frequently.
One of the biggest challenges and worries for those embarking on a new career path is translating their experience. If all of your experience is in one niche or industry, how can you attract the attention of hiring managers in another?
This article is going to cover some tips on how to translate your experience when changing career paths, to make the switch as simple and painless as possible.
Use the language of your new career
The first tip when it comes to translating your experience to a new career is using the language of your new career. The language and terminology used in your new industry might be completely different than your old one, and you need to be prepared.
Look at everything from job descriptions, to newsletters or blogs in the industry, to gain a sense of how you should be communicating for the best results.
Many companies will utilize a resume ATS checker, so you need to make sure you are using the right keywords and jargon within your resume or cover letter to even get a chance at an interview. Doing this will help show you are up to date in the industry, and understand it well, despite not having a ton of experience in it.
Focus on your past results
While the actual things you did at your old job may not carry over to your new career, your results certainly will. No matter what a company sells or does, it will appreciate an employee who can get things done and produce results.
Take your time to write a high-quality results-oriented resume and you will often find success. These resumes focus on highlighting the quantitative accomplishments you have had, to allow future hiring managers to accurately measure the success you experienced.
If you can show yourself off as a quality employee who helped your previous employer reach their goals, it can go a long way. Make sure to be as detailed as possible about your results, and make sure to use numbers and stats when possible. The vaguer you are, the more difficult it may be to show off how well you performed throughout your last position.
Highlight your transferable skills that will be valuable in the new position
While the duties you had at your previous position may not transfer to your new industry, you certainly have some skills that do. Many positions rely on their workers having specific skills, and many of these skills will be just as important at your new job as they were at your old one.
Examples of transferable skills include communication, leadership skills, critical thinking, the ability to work with a team, and several others. Be sure to show off these skills whenever you can in your resume, cover letter, and interview. They can be especially great if your actual work experience is a little unrelated to your new field, and can help bridge the gap and show that you are still a good candidate to consider.
In conclusion, we hope that this blog post has been able to help you learn how to translate your experience when moving into a new career. Starting and finding a new job isn’t easy, but if you can translate your skills and experience well, the process certainly can be simpler.
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