Embarking on a career change, tiny or big, can be paralyzing. It’s not just a matter of switching jobs, it’s a major decision that can shake the core of your professional identity. Regardless of the reason for your desired career change, you need to be very clear on ‘why’ you are making a change. This is essential because you need to have clarity and be confident in your career direction in order to convince employers why you are best suited for the new role or industry.

A well-crafted career change cover letter can set the tone and highlight your professional aspirations by showcasing your personal story. However, writing a career change cover letter can be challenging, especially if you’re not sure how to present your skills, experience and motivation in a way that’s clear and compelling. Here are some tips to help you create a career change cover letter that can get you noticed and land an interview.

1. Know Your ‘Why’

Career changes can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. You can take control and change careers successfully by doing research and making informed decisions. Getting to know people, jobs, and industries through informational interviews is one of the best ways to do this. Investing time to gather information from multiple sources will alleviate some fears for you to actually take action and make a change. Here are some questions to help you refine your ‘why’, seek clarity, and better explain your career change:

– What makes me content?
– How do I want work to impact my life?
– What’s most important to me right now?
– How committed am I to make a career change?
– What do I need more of to feel satisfied at work?
– What do I like to do so much that I lose track of time?
– How can I start to explore my career change options?
– What do I dislike about my current role or work environment?

2. Introduction: Why Are You Writing This Cover Letter?

Make this section concise. Cite the role that you are applying for and include other relevant information such as the posting number, where you saw the posting, the company name, and who referred you to the role, if applicable.

Sample:
I am applying for the role of Client Engagement Manager posted on [Company Website]. Please find attached relevant career experiences on my resume.

3. Convince the Employer: Why Are You the Best Candidate for the Role?

Persuade the employer that you are the best person for the role. Use this section to show that you: have read the job posting, understand how your skills contribute to the needs of the company, and can address the challenges of the company. Tell your personal story and make it easy for hiring managers to understand the logic behind your career change. Clearly explaining the reason for your career change will show how thoughtful and informed your decision-making process is of your own transition.

Be Honest
Explain why you are making a career change. This is where you will spend the bulk of your time crafting a clear message. Speak to the mismatch that may be perceived by hiring managers, between the experience shown on your resume and the job posting, to show why your unique strengths make you more qualified than other candidates. Address any career gaps on our resume. What did you do or learn during those periods that would be an asset to the role and company?

Sample:
I have been a high school English and Drama educator for over 7 years. In efforts to develop my career in a new direction, I have invested more time outside the classroom to increase community engagement by building a strong network of relationships to support school programs. This includes managing multiple stakeholder interests including local businesses, vendors, students, parents, colleagues, the Board, and the school administration.

Highlight Relevant Accomplishment
Instead of repeating what’s on your resume, let your personality shine. What makes you unique? What are your strengths and personal characteristics that make you suited for the job?

Sample:
As a joyful theater production manager, I am known to be an incredible collaborator. My work with theater companies has taught me the ability to work with diverse groups of people. The theater environment calls for everyone involved to cooperate and ensure a successful production. This means I often need to creatively and quickly think on my feet, and use a bit of humor to move things forward to meet tight timelines.

Feature Your Transferable Skills
Tap into your self-awareness to capture your current skills. Be specific and show how your existing skills are relevant to the new role. Review the job posting and use industry specific language so that the hiring manager can easily make the connection between your skills and the skills that they need.

Sample:
As the first point of contact for students, parents, and many community stakeholders, I am able to quickly resolve problems in a timely and diplomatic manner. My problem-solving aptitude and strong negotiation skills will be effective to address customer issues effectively. This combined with my planning, organization, communication, and multitasking skills makes me uniquely qualified for the role of Client Engagement Manager to ensure that customers maintain a positive view of [Company].

4. Final Pitch and Call-To-Action: Why Do You Want to Work for This Company?

Here’s your last chance to show what you have to offer! Why does this opportunity and company excite you? Show what value you’ll add to the company. Remember to include a call-to-action since the whole point of this letter is to get you an interview!

Sample:
[Company] is a global leader in providing management solutions to diverse clients. I look forward to an opportunity to discuss how my skills and successful experience managing multiple stakeholders can help build and retain strong customer relationships as the Client Engagement Manager.

Summing It Up

Remember these core cover letter tips to help you effectively showcase your personal brand:

– Keep your writing clear and concise. You have one page to express yourself so make every word count.
– Do your research to determine ‘who’ will be reading your letter. Understanding your audience will help you better persuade them that you are best suited for the role.
– Tailor your cover for each job posting by including the hiring manager’s name, and the company name and address. Make it easy on yourself and create your own cover letter template. Highlight or alter the font color of all the spots that need to be changed so that you can easily tailor it for the next job application.
– Get someone else to review your cover letter. At a minimum, have someone proofread it for grammar and spelling errors. Ideally, have someone who is well informed about the industry or with hiring experience to provide you with insights so that you can fine-tune your career change cover letter.

It is very important that you clarify why you are changing careers. Your career exploration can take many forms so setting the foundation by knowing ‘why’ not only helps you develop a well-thought-out career change cover letter but can also help you create an elevator pitch, build relationships, tweak your LinkedIn profile and during interviews.

Remember to focus on your transferable skills and use your collective work experience to show how your accomplishments are relevant to the new role. Use the cover letter to align your abilities with the needs of the employer as your resume will likely not provide the essential context of your career change.

Ensure that your final pitch is concise and that your call-to-action is strong. Don’t be afraid to ask for an interview or to meet the hiring manager in-person!