Career Change Cover Letter Guide in 2023

It’s exhilarating to make a job move, but it’s not without its hurdles, such as hiring supervisors who aren’t open-minded and may not comprehend how your past work experience aligns with their present demands.

Consequently, you’ll want to do all you can to convince a prospective employer that you’re the perfect person for the job.

Your passion and transferrable talents will be shown greatly if you use a career transition cover letter. You can gain their trust by showcasing your transferrable abilities, explaining why you’re changing careers, and proving that you’re the right fit for their organization.

According to research, 26% of recruiters’ recruiting decisions are influenced by cover letters. While this proportion may appear modest on its own, keep in mind that job seekers who submit via a reference have a 13 times higher chance of getting hired than those who submit through a regular job board.

When viewed in this light, the 26% increase may be just what you need to make an impression on the recruiter and hiring manager.

What is a Career Change Cover Letter?

It doesn’t matter if you’re applying for a full-time job or an internship; this is an important factor to remember. Hence, a cover letter emphasizing your transferrable talents and experiences relevant to the position for which you’re seeking is necessary.

Employers today seek people who are more than just a collection of skills and experience on paper. While a CV can go into great depth about duties and job titles, a well-written cover letter is essential if you want to get noticed by a hiring manager.

A well-written career transition cover letter might help you land a new job if you’re returning to the workforce after a long break or making a pivot in your career.

Check Out: How to Write a Career Change Cover Letter in 2023 | Sample PDF

How to Write a Career Change Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter for a career transition is more difficult than writing a standard one.

Career change cover letters allow you to explain any gaps in your employment history, as well as why you’re making the transition. It’s a great chance to show off your abilities and talk about previous career changes.

It’s also an opportunity for you to explain why you’re the best fit for the position.

To help you with your career change cover letter, we’ve put together some additional tips and a sample letter you may use as a guide, below are things to note when writing a career change cover letter;

Read Also: How to Write a Career Change Cover Letter in 2023 | Sample PDF

1. Introduce yourself and set up your transition:

Include a summary of your skills and work experience in the beginning paragraphs of the cover letter when applying for a new position with a different company.

Mention your familiarity with the business and your enthusiasm for the position in your cover letter.

See Also: What is a Career Objective? With Free Samples

2. Explain your reasons for changing careers:

You can elaborate on your reasons for changing careers in the second paragraph of your career change cover letter, as well as how you plan to use your existing professional expertise in the new position.

What drew you here, and why do you want the open position now? If you’re applying for a job in a different field, use this statement to explain your career change.

Check Also: How To Set Career Goals And Achieve Them | Step-by-Step Guide

3. Show Your Enthusiasm for the Business:

Include a statement about your interest in the company as a means to differentiate yourself from other potential applicants.

For a company, someone who is enthusiastic about their organization and the work opportunity may be more attractive than someone who only wants the job and cares nothing else.

Include a brief cover letter with your resume that expresses your interest in the organization and your desire to work there.

Read Also: How to write an Entry Level Cover Letter| Sample Templates

4. Showcase Your Past Success in Prior Positions:

Some of the other candidates may have the necessary qualifications, but you may be a better fit for the position because of your superior qualifications. Verify that your sources will back up your claims.

5. Your transferable skills should be highlighted on your resume.

There are various abilities you may provide, even if you’ve never worked in your desired area before. What matters is that you’ve developed transferable soft skills that will serve you well in any career. Listed below are a few transferable soft abilities to include in your job change cover letter:

• Communication abilities (verbal, written, and listening)
• Capabilities for leadership
• The ability to think critically
• Adaptability
• Teamwork
• Interpersonal aptitudes
• Can work independently
• Creativity

You may also use your technical skills in a different industry. For example, if you’ve worked with specific computer applications before, include them in your resume and expound on them in your cover letter if you’re considering a career switch. You may also be proficient in the following areas:

• Data collection and analysis
• Project management using an agile method
• Budget administration
• Research
• Writing in a specialized field

6. Gather Your Resources and Bring Them All Together:

Finally, think of your cover letter’s last few sentences as a concluding argument. The preceding paragraphs were devoted to persuading the reader that you are deserving of an interview.

Career Change Cover Letter Guide

Always return to the subject of your cover letter towards the end of your letter. Instead of focusing on what the company can do for you, emphasize what you can do for it.

In other words, even if you’re ecstatic about the prospect of learning everything there is to know about digital advertising, this is not the time. Here’s an example of what it might look like based on where you are in your career and how much experience you already have.

An example #1 for someone who is just starting in their career;

Dear, Ms. Regina Smith,

I’ve been volunteering to represent my company at local college recruiting events for the past few months, and I did not know how much fun job fairs could be. At Sunny Sales Inc., I meet with and talk to aspiring entrepreneurs about business growth options, and it makes me wish this was my full-time career. Imagine my delight when I learned about the position of university recruiting coordinator at Cloud Tech!

In 2008, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, I decided to work as a business development specialist for Loius Sales Inc. My client meeting communication skills and presentation experience have improved, and I’ve generated over 400 warm leads in the last four years. Working in sales has provided me with a solid foundation, and I’m now ready to transition from business development to recruiting to capitalize on that experience.

As a university special teams coordinator with Cloud Computing, I’m excited about the idea of using my people skills and sales experience. With my interest in recruiting and ability to pick things up quickly, I believe I’ll succeed in this position. Below, I’ve described how my abilities might be a good match for your requirements:

• Recruitment outreach: As a business development specialist, I am confident in seeking out new business prospects, conducting cold calls, and promoting Louis sales software to prospective clients.
• Interviewing: I talk to 50 people on the phone daily on average, and I meet with at least five clients weekly. I’m happiest when I get to talk to a wide range of people.

In the following year, I’d like to learn more about your university recruitment approach and how my experience and recruiting exposure may help the Cloud computing team. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you if you require anything else from me.

Warmly,

Keeon

Example #2: If You’re in the Middle of Your Career

Dear Ms. Lee,

With this letter, I’d like to convey my interest in the Senior Customer Service Manager position at the XYZ Company, which was recently posted on their website. Because of my background and education, I believe I’ll be a strong candidate for this position if it becomes available. Even though my primary role is that of an Operations Manager, I have frequently interacted with customers, vendors, and other employees in this capacity. As a result, employees now can communicate in multiple dimensions and to recognize, act on, and satisfy customers’ requests and demands to maintain a strong business relationship.

Because of my ability to organize complicated logistics and keep customers satisfied even when problems occurred outside of the company’s control during my most recent position as Operations Manager for ABC Company, I was awarded an ‘Excellence in Customer Service’ recognition award. Managing operations and dealing directly with customers were both required here. As a result, I consider myself a strong contender for this position due to my ability to successfully manage operations while also efficiently interacting with consumers.

To succeed in this job, I bring the following critical strengths to the table, but they are not exhaustive:

• Make outstanding contributions to all customers’ customer service.
• Keeping high performance is critical.
• Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Enthusiastic about learning new skills and expanding one’s knowledge.

You’ll discover that I’m articulate, enthusiastic, self-assured, and approachable, making me the employee your customers will want to work with. With my broad range of experience, you’ll be able to use me in a variety of settings, knowing that the high standards you set for me will be met. For further details on my work history, please read my resume.

I’m hoping my background and interests would pique your interest enough to set up a face-to-face encounter since I believe I might be an asset to your company and its clients. This job with XYZ Company excites me tremendously. I identify with your goal of providing “the ‘five-star’ element'” to your employees as well as customers. These principles reflect both my professional and personal values, thus I believe they significantly support my candidacy for the position you have described here.

My cell phone number is 555-555-5555, and you can reach me at any moment. I’m excited to talk to you further about this job opportunity.

Sincerely,

William (signature)

William

Best Career Change Cover Letter

Most likely, you’ve read through a slew of cover letter examples and aren’t quite sure which one to use, this is wonderful news since it means all of your future cover letters will have a consistent structure and format.

If it’s a business letter, it should be written in block format. Keep in mind that cover letters should not exceed half a page in length, with between 200 and 400 words (the shorter the better) and three to four paragraphs in each.

Your resume’s cover letter should contain the following components;

• Headings (only for physical copies of your cover letter)
• Greeting
• The introductory paragraph
• The paragraph following the introduction (s)
• Lines of closure (Conclusion)
• Endorsement and attestation

To put it another way, view a cover letter as an opportunity to market yourself to a company. In other words, you need to explain why you’d be a good fit for the new position and what you’ve learned about it. You don’t want your cover letter to look the same as everyone else’s.

Here are examples of a career change cover letter;

Sample 1

Sample 2

FAQs

Conclusion

When drafting your cover letter, highlight your unique abilities, transferable skills, and enthusiasm for the new field you’re entering.

Making this clear to potential employers will assist them in putting together your qualifications and increase the likelihood of you progressing further.

References

• https://www.thebalancecareers.com/sample-career-change-cover-letter-2060185
• https://www.macslist.org/cover-letters/customizing-a-career-change-cover-letter-5-tips-and-a-template
• https://www.zippia.com/advice/career-change-cover-letter/
• https://zety.com/blog/career-change-cover-letter-example
• https://resumegenius.com/blog/cover-letter-help/career-change-cover-letter
• https://www.themuse.com/amp/advice/career-change-cover-letter-sample
• https://resumegenius.com/blog/cover-letter-help/career-change-cover-letter
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cover_letter
• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/cover-letter-questions