Changing Careers: How to Write a Cover Letter

A career change is always a challenge. Just think of it: you decide to leave your comfort zone to start over, gain new key skills, and apply your expertise in a new field. Sounds scary, isn’t it?

A lot of people don’t go farther than expressing their desire to change the field. A career change requires determination and time; not many can invest that much effort. However, those, who are serious about leaving their industry and transferring their skills, usually end up being more satisfied with their professional life.

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Should you be one of those who are determined to challenge yourself, creating a bot-beating resume and writing a killer cover letter would be the first things to start with.

In this article, we will focus on the letter as an essential part of your job application package. You’ll definitely appreciate a few useful tips on how to land a job by writing a great cover letter.

Why Do You Need It?

Any career advice expert would agree that writing business does matter in getting more interviews. Crafting a winning cover letter can make your job search a lot easier.

This document explains your strengths better than your resume. Also, it gives you a chance to explain your career gaps and other discrepancies. This is often the first thing a hiring manager sees, so it is a good chance to captivate them at once.

Many people wrongfully assume that a cover letter is something extra and optional in their applications. It is not. Instead, it is often the most critical part of it. When a resume is a very precise and concise document, it’s your cover letter that makes recruiters see your personal and professional sides.

Thus, if you decide to hire a professional resume writer, don’t request a resume only. Pay extra to get a professional cover letter as well. Use such a great resume writing service as Skillhub.com. Or, if need be, write one on your own using a few tips listed below:

Grab Your Reader’s Attention Right Away

Recruiters are growing tired of generic opening lines. They have read them thousands of times and often skip them, looking for something interesting in the cover letter. A captivating opening line is the best chance to draw the hiring manager in.

Try to start with a story, question, or example. Introduce your experience or explain how you found the job posting. Do everything to get their attention and not lose it throughout reading. However, try not to sound too informal. After all, you are trying to get yourself employed having little or no experience in the new field.

Introduce Yourself

Recruiting firms expect to fill their positions by finding a perfect match. Thus, you need to make a story about your previous career interesting and intertwined with the expectations about the future. Think carefully about what things characterize you as a perfect candidate for the job.

Look for soft and hard skills that make you stand out from the crowd of other applicants. Write a short summary of your professional and academic paths in the context of a new job you are dreaming to get. Emphasize the qualities that make you a truly unique individual and employee.

Highlight Your Transferable Skills

Highlight your transferable skills and explain how you can apply them to contribute to the corporate objectives. Hiring managers are falsely believed to be hunting only experienced candidates; instead, they look for people with the skills needed to do the job. All you need to do is prove that you fit their requirements.

For example, if you’ve been successful in customer service, is there a way for you to flex your talents in the sales industry? Or, being experienced in office management, how can you contribute to an HR role you wish to get?

Explain Why You Crave a Change

Be honest and tell your story. There is nothing more interesting for recruiters than to dive into your professional history and find out why you seek a challenge. So, don't be shy to share the reasons behind the change with them.

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Whatever it is that makes you dream of a new career in a new field is worth being included in your letter. This insight could be something a hiring manager needs to make a decision about you. For example, they can read how serious you are about the new field and what your expectations are about career advancement.

Tell Them Why You Are Passionate about the New Direction

In your cover letter, you can tell what made you look into a new direction and consider this particular career for yourself. After all, you are leaving one career behind, so recruiters should make sure you are now looking for the right role.

Add a few sentences about how you were drawn to the field and why you are so excited about the new path. Make sure you describe yourself as a strong candidate who wants to contribute to and grow professionally along with the company.

Share What Values You Have in Common

Proving that you understand the company you want to get in and share the same values is essential for successful employment. The cover letter is the best way to persuade your employers that you realize what mission this company pursues.

Add one or a few sentences about why you find this place of work attractive and how it fits into your worldview. Understanding corporate values and principles, as well as sharing them, is critical for adapting to its organizational culture.

Final Tip: Improve Your Keyword Selection

Just like resumes, cover letters also get scanned and ranked using the ATS system. If you want to pass through the applicant tracking process, make sure your cover letter has enough relevant keywords.

To do that, read and analyze a job posting you have at hand. If you don’t have it yet, find a few different ones and highlight the skills and qualities that match. These are the keywords you should use in your cover letter and resume.

To sum it up, never treat cover letters as something old-fashioned or unnecessary. Instead, use this extra chance to make a better impression on a hiring manager.