Changing careers can be scary, but if you have a good cover letter, it can help you get a job. Here, we look at how to use a cover letter to change careers to show off your transferable skills and other strengths.

Cover letters can be hard to write, but most industries require them for a successful career change.

Cover letters are a great way to explain why you're changing careers and show how you'd be a good fit even if you don't have direct experience.

Leigh Neys, a career coach and international education strategist, said, "Cover letters are a necessary evil." "People love to hate cover letters, but the truth is that many jobs still require them. So, they are an important part of the job and need to be very well thought out."

I talked to Neys, Anna Morgan, who is a career transition consultant and recruiter, and Julie Wyckoff, who is a certified career transition coach and resume writer, about what makes a good cover letter for a career change.

Career Change Cover Letter vs. Regular Cover Letter

In a typical cover letter, the applicant's skills, training, and other experiences that helped them get the job are highlighted. But it's unlikely that someone changing careers will have direct experience that they can highlight in a cover letter.

Wyckoff said, "If you're switching careers, you might not meet as many of the job description's requirements as you would if you were looking for a similar role to what you've been doing." "So the cover letter is a great place to show off the skills you bring to the table and talk about how some of your transferable skills may be able to fill in the gaps."

You can get a job even if you haven't done it before. Neys told her to try to fit in with the new industry she was moving into.

Neys said, "It's really important to put yourself in a way that sells your skills and experience, but also uses the language and terms of the industry you want to work in."

How to Write an Interesting Cover Letter

Morgan and Wyckoff said that a good hook and an easy-to-read format are the first steps to a strong cover letter.

Wyckoff said that the hardest thing about cover letters is getting them read. "It's very important to put the information in bite-sized pieces that are easy for recruiters to read."

Morgan said to make the cover letter as direct and brief as possible, like a "marketing document." Wyckoff said that the first few sentences should explain why you want to work for the company. This means finding out about the company and what its business goals are.

"Make sure you tell them right away in the first couple of sentences why you want to be a part of [their mission]," Wyckoff said. "So it's important to explain in the first few sentences why you're interested in them, what you've been doing, and where they're going in their organisation."

Wyckoff also said that after your opening statement, you should add underlined bullet points to make your cover letter easier to read. If you break up the information into smaller pieces, it will be easier to read and will draw more attention to your letter.

Why Someone Changes Jobs

In your letter, explain why you want to change careers, especially if it is a big change. When a nontraditional applicant applies for a job, the first thing a hiring manager will think is, "Why?" So, the answer is important.

Morgan said that telling recruiters why you changed careers will also make you seem more likeable.

"Everyone likes a hero's journey or a story about a second chance," Morgan said. "So I don't recommend telling too much... but I do believe in being human and being able to relate to other people. Most of us have had a change in our careers or in our lives that forced us to adapt. We found that we had strengths in [new fields], and we're still learning.

But Neys said that you shouldn't use this section to say bad things about your previous employer.

Neys said, "There are good reasons why people want to leave their jobs, but this isn't the place to talk about your terrible boss or pay." "But you can say that you're looking for a chance to grow or a workplace culture that fits your values. And it's fine to put these good reasons in a positive light because if you don't include them in your cover letter, you'll probably be asked about them in an interview."

Transferable Skills

In your cover letter, the most important thing to talk about is how the skills you used in your last job will help you in the new one.

But how do you find out what skills you can use elsewhere? Morgan says you should think about what you learned in your last job.

"I always tell clients to do a career inventory so they have a solid list of their core competencies, assets, and strengths," Morgan said. "They could also just look at their own profile and check the skills section."

Neys told you to look over your current resume and look at job postings for the job you want. Then, you should look for things that are the same.

Neys said, "Sometimes I find that in different fields, there are just different ways to frame similar experiences." "So you can use the language of the other industry and draw on some of the experiences you've had that are very useful."

Wyckoff also said that you should show off your natural skills by talking about personality tests like the CliftonStrengths and talking about how you used those strengths in past jobs. With the CliftonStrengths Assessment, you can find out what your natural talents are and how to turn them into strengths.

Wyckoff said, "What's great about strengths coaching is that your strengths are natural skills you were born with, so it doesn't really matter what you've done in the past in terms of experience." "You might be good at solving problems or making connections with other people because it comes naturally to you. So it can be very helpful for people who want to change careers to talk about their strengths.

Morgan said that when thinking about transferable skills, you should also be creative. It's not always clear how your skills carry over.

Morgan said, "Three of your most important skills from the hospitality industry might be the same as one of the most important skills you'd need to be a successful sales specialist for an engineering firm." "But be able to look at those required skills, make a list under each one, and say, 'Based on my experience, I think these things would help me show why I'm qualified to learn this skill.'"

But not all skills can be used in other places. We have to be honest with ourselves and say that we will have to learn. But Morgan, Neys, and Wyckoff say that your lack of skills shouldn't be brought up in your cover letter.

Don't start with "I don't have..." or "I don't know..."; instead, say that you learn quickly and are open to new things. It could also help if you said how quickly you learned new skills in the past.

Wyckoff said that the cover letter should also talk about any training or certification you got for the new job. Even if you haven't used this in the workplace yet, you can still add it. In the letter, show how excited you are to learn more.

Morgan said, "You're pointing out the things you do have and showing how you overcame, learned, fast-tracked, figured things out, and succeeded even though you didn't have that [experience] before you started a past job."

Making a case for yourself in the cover letter

Neys, Morgan, and Wyckoff say that putting yourself in the shoes of the recruiter or hiring manager is a key part of writing a good cover letter.

Wyckoff said that having a view from the outside can be a good thing. For example, if your previous employer was a customer of the company you are applying to or a similar company, you can bring a unique perspective to a customer service job at a new company.

Wyckoff said, "The unique way a candidate may be able to help the business may give them an edge over candidates who have been doing the same job in that field for a long time."

In a cover letter, it's easy to fall into the trap of talking only about yourself and not mentioning how you would fit in with the company.

Morgan said, "We'd like it to be less about us and more about the problem we can solve for the organisation." "Try to talk less about "I" and more about the organisation, coming from a place of gratitude and interest."

"So, turn your thoughts around and ask yourself, 'Okay, if I wanted to hire me, what would be important for the committee to know?' Neys said, "You're doing a much better job of selling yourself because you show how you can help the company." "It's really important to make sure that your cover letter isn't just a list of what you've done, but also what you can do to help this new company."

Top Takeaways: 

How to write a cover letter for a career change

  • When your experience doesn't fit perfectly with the new industry you're applying to, a cover letter is a great way to make your case.
  • Cover letters should have a hook and a format that makes the information easy to read and understand.
  • Explain why you want to change careers, but don't go into too much detail or complain about your old job.
  • Find your transferable skills and put them front and centre in your cover letter. Don't talk about skills you don't have, but show that you're willing to learn.
  • Put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager and explain how you can help the company in a unique way.