Some of our favorite resume clients are not only changing jobs, but changing industries.
Personally, I enjoy the fact that these clients have come through a brave decision-making process before they even reach out to me: leaping feet-first out of their comfort zone. Whether they are journalists going freelance; bakers pursuing biology; or healthcare professionals interested in HR; all have at least one thing in common. They have prioritized their own happiness, understand there is a whole world of options out there; and have set about making their dreams come true.
That being said, when writing a resume, the cover letter is an especially handy tool in the industry-changer’s arsenal. At first glance, a resume that shows work experience in seemingly unconnected areas — such as sales training and legal advocacy — may come across as disjointed.
The cover letter is where the job seeker can explain how their current career path or personal life led them to this new area of interest. More importantly, cover letters are where job seekers can express how experience from another field makes them much more than just another industry-jumper; rather, they are a diverse and well-rounded big thinker with a broad perspective — universally valuable for any company.
Here is a good example of how a cover letter can serve as a bridge for an industry-changing job seeker.
A bulleted list of strengths at the top of the resume should guide the reader through how skills from one industry can also be valuable strengths in others. When working with resume clients, we use job ads to help shape these strengths.
But the cover letter certainly offers a much more personal vehicle with which to communicate to a potential employer how you got from there to here — and how the wisdom you’ve gained along the way can help their company.