How to Write a Career Change Cover Letter

Cover letters support your CV (curriculum vitae). Just sending your CV to the employer, hoping you will get a positive response, is not a wise move. You should know the importance of a cover letter, and how it can improve your chances of getting a new job.

When you apply for a job, you take extra care when mentioning your job experience, because you know this is the most important part of your CV/cover letter the employer will look at before hiring you. But what to do when you are going through a career change, and want to apply for a job that is a bit different compared to your previous job.

Instructions

  • 1

    Highlight your skills in first paragraph

    It does not matter why you are changing careers, but what really matters is whether you have all the skills required to do the job you are applying for. Mention what you can do for your employer in the first paragraph. You do not need to feel bad about a career change, rather proudly state the main points of your skills that your potential employer may find worth considering.

  • 2

    Address the letter to a specific individual

    Sending your CV and cover letter to the HR (Human Resource) department may not help, as you know that you are already going through a career change. People responsible to hire new employees in the company will almost always gauge the skills according to experience in the field. Since, you are having a career change; you may be beaten by other candidates on this front. So, it is always better to address your mail to the official/person linked to the department you wish to work in.  If you came to know about the job through a newspaper, you cannot get to know the emails of different departments. However, you can check with the company’s website, where you can find email addresses of individuals.

  • 3

    Mention the position

    Mention the position you are applying for. In most cases, candidates going through a career change feel a bit skeptical to mention the specific position, as they think they are not sure about their core skills due to little experience and skills. Always read the job description given in the advertisement very carefully and mention the position.

  • 4

    Mention why you should be hired

    Devote the second paragraph of your letter mentioning what makes you suitable for the job. Try to differentiate yourself from other candidates by mentioning several skills that might catch the reader’s attention. Bear in mind that when you apply for a job with little experience, the information given in your CV does not make an impact. It is the cover letter that can convince the employer that you are worth hiring, and you have what it takes to do this job.

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