Career transition: what information to put in the resume?

To engage in a professional reconversion is not simple. It requires careful consideration and should not be done on a whim. Plus, if you left your last job for a reason that wasn’t worth it, it could turn into a problem. So what you need to do if you are finally ready to turn over a new leaf to work in other areas of life is to write a good resume that fits your situation first.

What information to put in the resume?

Here is all the information that you should not fail to put in your resume:

• A good title for a good CV

It is worth repeating several times that writing a CV is not as easy as you think, especially when the position you are applying for is of enormous responsibility. Yes, it is even more difficult when you are dealing with a professional reconversion. Anyway, keep in mind that this kind of career path is not uncommon nowadays. Many people flock to career transition for many reasons. What you need to do to succeed is to optimize your resume. How do you do this?

First, choose a good resume title. It must be well adapted to your background, because it is the first element that your recruiter will see on your CV. So, you might as well give it your best shot. To be able to write a good title in case of a professional reconversion, first of all, know if the recruiter does not see any inconvenience if you include the new position as a title.

For example, if you have been an “executive secretary” before and you want to become a “community manager”, you cannot write this position as a title just like that. If you feel that the hiring manager is not too demanding in the ad, you can write it as a title. On the other hand, if this is not the case, look for another title that can be as impactful as the position you are applying for. To do this, you can take inspiration from the examples of resumes available online.

• A personalized catchphrase

After the title comes the catchphrase. It too must attract the attention of the reader, i.e. your recruiter. You must therefore work on it at length. Through this catchphrase, you must be able to explain to your recruiter who you were before and who you dream of becoming now. The catchphrase of a CV is a reflection of your motivation for the position, but also of the quality of your application among many others.

Let’s take 2 effective examples:

1. Several years of experience in the secretariat have allowed me to acquire various skills that I can use in my new missions;
2. My 10 years of experience in the reception of a town hall have allowed me to have a real approach to the citizens. This is an asset for me to practice as a ready-to-wear salesperson.”

As you can see, you need to know how to talk about your skills through your CV’s catchphrase. And it must also be able to show that you are currently in a career transition mode and that you have all the means to achieve it. So you need to add your classic catchphrase with another phrase that talks about your situation, like :

1. The training I have just completed for 3 months will complement the skills and knowledge I have acquired during my professional career;
2.  I have just finished the sales training course which allows me to think that I will be immediately operational, and this since I have also done several internships”.

In short, a CV’s catchphrase for a successful career transition should also include keywords that prove your interest in the position, such as “motivated”, “enthusiasm”, or “serious”.

Here are some examples of catchphrases with keywords related to career transition:

1. “Particularly motivated for the new position you have offered, I am able to serve you and assume the responsibilities you will assign to me”;
2. It is with great enthusiasm that I begin a new professional career that will allow me to grow professionally.

However, even if you are motivated for a new position, you still have to demonstrate that you have the skills to sell for it.

List professional skills

Like the title and the catchphrase, the job skills section should also be highlighted in your resume. It is not possible that you have no skills or work experience since you are currently in a career transition. This already suggests that you have strong skills in certain positions.

To be able to list your professional skills perfectly, first read through all your knowledge to decide which one you will write on top first. Normally, in the second step, you can use the skills that you think are transferable to your new career.

Here are some examples:

1. If you were in sales, say that you have a broad knowledge of the public and a strong interpersonal skills;
2. If you were a bank employee, state in your resume that you have good knowledge that you can use in an insurance company.

You can also mention your language and computer skills in the skills section, as these are standard and can be used in any position. However, this does not mean that skills that have nothing to do with the new position should be dropped. On the contrary, they will complement your transferable skills.

By the way take a look at the guide: “How to get a loan without a job” which would surely come in handy for you in the future.

• The career path not to be neglected

Your professional background is also very important to mention in your CV. Here, you must be very careful, because your past career path should not resemble the one you wish to achieve now. Your recruiter, if he or she is expert enough, will be able to analyze your background and deduce a number of things about you professionally.

They will need to gauge your ability to deal with problems, analyzing the circumstances that forced you to change careers or whether you have ever worked in a particularly demanding or competitive industry. He or she will also be able to determine whether you are accustomed to working long hours or at a difficult pace. In short, you have finally understood that nothing should be left to chance.